On 8th March 2023 during the International Women’s Day celebration, Women for Women Rwanda and the Kayonza district provided 10 smartphones to ten lead bookkeepers of the VSLAs groups.
Each VSLA group has 25 participants. Our project Strengthen Women-Led VSLAs via Digitalization project in Rural Rwanda aims to strengthen their access to digital tools and technology to improve bookkeeping and financial management and boost income generation opportunities. In partnership with Allen and Overy and Dream Save Start Lab, we have digitized 90 women VSLA groups with 2250 members
According to Nyemazi John Bosco the Kayonza district mayor, Rwanda politics to leverage digital transformation as a driver of growth that gives equal rights and opportunities and enables everyone to do the business of their choice.
“Women in Kayonza, no longer beg their husbands to give them money, instead, they work together for the growth and development of their families” he added
The Kayonza district mayor saluted the partnership with Women for Women Rwanda which provides training to women that enable them to do business and become successful entrepreneurs. This does not only affect their lives but also those of their communities.
“In our bookkeeping sessions, we use to have disagreements every time during the share-out due to wrong data kept in the saving books. I am thankful to Women for Women Rwanda that providing with us these smartphones, now as we are going digital, the app will help us to decrease the risk of misinformation, and miscalculation this will simplify our record keeping by eliminating errors, surely the digital platform will help our groups achieve savings goals” said Mukarutesi Jeanne the member of Rukara Abakundana, she received a smartphone
With Women for Women Rwanda’s project, marginalized women have a platform for financial inclusion. Women-led VSLAs in the rural community of Rwanda will become stronger and more efficient in their operations. Women, VSLA members, are more empowered not only in the use of new mobile and financial technologies but in their capacity to tap into the benefits of technology
We hope that you all enjoyed the celebration of International Women's Day. Women for Women Rwanda acknowledges that gender equality and empowerment of women & girls are crucial to fight the vicious cycle of poverty. Together, let's choose to give each woman what they need to succeed.