Women Head of Household Pig Cooperative (Estimated cost 2500$, Total raised so far 1500$) We are working with widows and women head of households to set up a pig cooperative. The plan is to build a pig breeding facility in Muhondo and cross small rustic native pigs with higher producing American breeds. Women who join the cooperative will receive a bred sow and will pay back the "loan" with piglets from the first litter to keep the cooperative going. While I was in the area we toured traditional pig raising huts, a larger scale local facility ,and a state of the art facility. Our plan is to combine a little of both new and old technology and build an efficient facility from local resources such as wood ,stone and abobe bricks. This will included composting pits to turn manure into fertilizer for local fields. The women will also receive training in animal husbandry and financial planing.Cost estimate for this fist phase is 2500$ which included purchase of the building site and initial breeding stock.
Long term we would like to add a feed mixing facility and eventually a meat processing facility.
native pigs
sow and litter
Facilty similar to the one we will build
The first pig distribution was held at Muhondo Parish October 2, 2010. Twenty widows and women heads of households recieved sows. Classes were given by a veterinarian on swine raising, nutrtion and health. The women toured the breeding and demonstration facility. Each women will return three piglets from their first litter to benefit other women.
Women arriving at Muhondo Parish for first pig distribution
Women attending classes given by a veterinarian
Touring the breeding facility and demonstration farm.
A second distribution of pigs was held December 1, 2010. This time piglet were distributed to participating women. The ladies took took their piglets home in feed bags. They will bring their pigs back for breeding when they are of age.
This stage involves the purchase of a feed grinding and mixing machine. Livestock feed will be produced both for pigs and other livestock. This will cut down on the cost of purchased concentrated feed, make use of locally grown food sources and provide additional income through the sale of excess feed.
animal feed mixing mill
Womens Pig Cooperative Phase 3 (Estimated cost 30,000$) Our long term plan would be to add a butching facility along with meat processing. The processing plant would make sausage and smoked meats for sale to restaurants and shops in the Kigali area. This would provide jobs and a steady income to many housholds in this impoverished area.
Womens grain and produce cooperative (additional funds needed for grain mill and sacks) In Musha parish HIP is working with BCET to run a Womens grain and produce cooperative. The women share the work and harvet from four fields and store the harvest in the coop building for safe keeping and to negociate higher prices based on scale or timing sales based on market price. Grains will be milled into flour for easier transport and higher market prices. Seeds will also be cleaned and saved for replanting.
grain storage
Women working in the fields
Goma Lady Lions Soccer Team ("Simbas") Help promote Womens Sports in the Democratic Republic of Congo ! (Goal 1000$ Total raised so far 300$) The Goma Lady Lions or Simbas are the only girls and womens soccer team in Goma. Culturally there has not been a tradition of womens sports in the Eastern Congo but that does not mean there are not a lot of girls who would love to play! The Simbas provides a way for girls to build self esteem and rebuild their lives which have been shattered by war and poverty.
The Simbas desperately need financial help and supplies to continue their program. They would love to find a sponsor ot even "sister teams" in the USA to provide encouragement and support.
Women's Chicken Cooperative (Project Cost estimate 500$) This project would finance the building of a small facility to raise chicks to meat size and breeding size. Breeding stock would be distributed to local women for egg production and meat production at home. Meat chickens would also be produced cooperatively at the central facility to market en gross to higher paying markets in local cities.
This project would build a breeding facility to distribute breeding stock to local women .Rabbits are a low cost and very productive source of meat. A doe or female rabbit has a gestation period of 30 days and can produce up to ten kits or babies per pregnancy. The average doe produces about 36 offspring in one year which will in turn be able to breed at the age of four months. That's a lot of rabbits!
Chicken Project
Rabbit Project
Peanut Project (estimated cost 1000$)
This project would involve the rental of four fields to be cooperatively farmed by the women of Muhondo Parish. The project estimation costs include; land rental, purchase of tools, seed and fertilizer, and classes on peanut production, as well as, soil conservation and renovation. Peanut crops would help restore nitrogen to badly over grazed and over farmed areas and would provide a valuable source of protein and nutrition for local children. As production increases, the project hopes to add a mill for rendering peanuts into highly nutritious flour, which can be easily transported and marketed in large cities for additional income.
peanut plants
Completed Projects
Sewing Machine Repair Project (completed 2008) Working with Salesians in Kigali, HIP was able to provide supplies and many to help repair numerous old tread type sewing machines. These were then used to teach sewing classes and trade skills to girls and women.
