Gashari Community Training facility inaugurated in Karongi to boost local livelihoods
On Thursday, June 12, 2025, Gashari Community Training facility was inaugurated in Gashari Sector, Karongi District. The centre was constructed by the international organization Food for the Hungry, in collaboration with Karongi District, and aims to train and empower local residents to improve their livelihoods and move out of poverty.
The organization has been working in the sectors of Gashari, Ruganda, and Murundi for the past three years and identified a high rate of poverty in these areas. To address this challenge, Food for the Hungry initiated various support programs. Jerry Kazadi, the Country Director of Food for the Hungry in Rwanda, stated that the value of the new centre goes beyond its structure—it lies in the positive transformation it will bring to people’s lives.
This building must serve the purpose it was built for—training and empowering residents. It is a great outcome of our collaboration with Karongi District,”
he said.
Kazadi highlighted some of their previous work, especially with teenage mothers who had faced difficult circumstances and social exclusion.
We started by supporting young mothers who had dropped out of school after early pregnancies and were living in distress. We provided them with psychosocial support and vocational training in tailoring for six months. After the training, we gave them sewing machines so they could start income-generating activities. Today, many of them are living a dignified life and have regained hope.”
He encouraged these young mothers to continue rebuilding their lives and supporting their families, adding that their progress gives hope for long-term change.
Uwitonze Chantal, one of the young mothers who benefited from the program, shared her testimony:
I became pregnant at the age of 14 and had to leave school. Life became very difficult. My father blamed my mother for my situation, and there was no peace at home. When Food for the Hungry came, they brought us together with others facing the same situation and gave us counselling. Later, they trained us in tailoring and gave us sewing machines. Now I earn an income, support my family, and my child is in school—I provide for all his needs.”
Karongi District Mayor, Gerald Muzungu, appreciated the support of Food for the Hungry, noting that the new centre was among the district’s performance targets.
This community training facility is a big step in our efforts to meet development goals. What matters most is not the building itself, but the change it will bring to our residents’ lives, including these young mothers,”
he said.
He added that the sectors of Gashari, Ruganda, and Murundi face significant poverty due to poor and unproductive land. He commended Food for the Hungry’s initiatives in agriculture and poverty reduction.
We aim to grow crops that can be sold in other districts, attracting transporters and generating income for our people. For example, we plan to focus on cassava and potatoes, as it was done successfully in Nyaruguru District, which also had challenging soil but now produces large quantities of potatoes for the market.”
The newly inaugurated centre, which cost over RWF 93 million, will serve as a hub for training residents in agriculture and various vocational skills, contributing to sustainable community development.
Pictorial
GASHONGA Jean Claude
