Twikirize Medius: My story as a community Leader

Through the work of JESE, I became civically empowered. When I was mobilising and forming groups, many people embraced it and were happy to join because I convinced them that it would work out. I later contested to be the District Woman Councilor and was elected unopposed both at party primaries and general elections.

There was no other woman who dared to challenge me and this really encouraged me. I was successful because of hard work, diligence, mentoring and support of JESE.

My involvement with women groups and community voluntary work endeared me to the people, resulting in my election as women leader at the Local Council.

I have used my position and women’s groups as platforms to influence the government to provide safe
and accessible water through construction of boreholes and protected springs. I am glad that the burden of moving long distances to fetch water has been relieved for women and children.

I was trained in the VSLA Approach by JESE and assigned to share this knowledge and approach with fellow women. After successfully mobilising women for natural resources conservation, I challenged them
to begin thinking about saving money alongside the duty and passion to conserve the environment.

While women expressed fear about saving money because they had no clear source of income, I thought to myself and consulted other women about the idea of making crafts from the material resources available in the wetlands. The idea came so strongly that we embraced it. After securing the source of income, the women mobilised for the VSLA and started saving every week.

Today, our SACCO is one of the biggest in Butunduzi/ Rwibale Villages.
In the VSLA training by JESE, I was introduced to making saving plans and upon return, I passed on the
knowledge to fellow women, whom I trained in making their own and as a result, each woman developed a saving plan and a vision map. The women began to work to achieve a shared vision of their homes.