UMUTIMA – the brand that you should remember

It is amazing how much can be made in a short period of time. I am talking about the sewing project in NWC, which only started in October, but it now feels that it has been here forever.

The master chef behind the project is Monica, who has a vision of creating unique and quality products, which set them apart from the rest.

They started off with producing simple things, for example blankets, table runners, napkins and pillow cases, but with time the ladies working here became better and better, so the production expanded quickly to producing bags and even clothes for children. In the future they would also like to start making clothes for adults. The ideas for the products are the work of San, who helps Monica to run the whole project.

It is important to emphasize that even the so called simple products have a special touch, because the fabric is always precisely chosen and also hand stitched. Knowing how much effort is put in the work, the brand name is actually no surprise – umutima means heart in Kinyarwanda.

Here I would also like to highlight that all the ladies working in the center are paid fairly for their work right after the product is finished (and not when it is sold), which results in their happiness when coming to work.

Lastly, you are always welcome to come to the center and check out our latest products. And for those far away we are posting some pictures, which will convince you that Rwanda should be your next travel destination! J

Monica is the leader of the project “Umutima”

NWC Library is officially open!

Claire finished her last post with the quote from Albert Einstein: “The only thing you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.” and we are proud to say that from this week on, you can find a library also in our centre.

For now we offer more than 500 books in Kinyarwanda, English and French, but we hope to have even more in the near future. We divided them in four categories – adults, teenagers, children and young children. The membership in the library is free, but we do charge a deposit if you want to borrow a book (which of course you get back, once you return the book).

Moreover, during our working hours (Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 13.00-17.00; Saturday: 9.00-12.00; Umuganda: 14.00-17.00) we will also read stories for the children and do crafts with them in order for the stories to become alive.

We hope to see you soon in our library!

Preparing the Library

One of my main jobs while I've been at NWC has been to buy books for the community library that will open in January.

I love buying books, so this was hardly work for me. But it was a surprisingly difficult task. Me and Marie Aimee went to different publishers, often multiple times, and found new book shops, trying to track down the best range of fiction we could find in Kinyarwanda, English and French, for those with low levels of literacy, to more advanced readers.

As the library grows the center will be able to adapt the selection of books to what people like to read. But for now, I enjoyed carrying boxes of new shiny books, staking up piles as I walked around the store and seeing some of the books I read as a child with new covers and pictures ready to enthrall another generation.

“The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.” 
― Albert Einstein

Getting on

My posts on the blog are going to be a little backwards and a little different.

My name is Claire and I’m actually just about to finish working at Nyamirambo Women’s Centre. For various reasons I’ve only just got access to this blog, and I leave in 6 days. But I’ve been here for 5 weeks, so I’m sure I can find a few stories to tell you, just forgive me for doing them in a funny order.

This week, my last week, things are quite quiet at NWC. It’s weeks like this that you see how an organisation slowly ticks by, doing the tasks it needs to, without much show or any real attention.  We like to hear the stories of great battles, big events, angry words or ugly accusations, but the real story of any organisation, any movement, is to be heard when everything is quite, the truth whispering on the breeze.

In the office Marie Aimee, the President works away, popping out to meet people when she needs to, and trading the internet stick with me when one of us needs to get online. The computer class sat around the tables in the office this morning, new pine tables ready to go into the library when it opens in January. Marie Aimee and I kept working as the gentle noises of the lesson drifted past. Next door in the class room the ladies are working away at the newest sewing project that I’ll tell you about some other day. Their hands stitch feverishly and they chatter between themselves as they work.  At the back are two of our volunteers, cutting fabric and hatching plans for the next big sewing invention to sweep through NWC.

Getting on is what we’re doing. And in some ways that’s just what the people of Rwanda have been doing these past fifteen or so years. Getting on after your world is turned upside down. Even though we like the stories of big events and angry words, the real change happens when everything is quiet and the people get back to the business of getting on.

Keep your fingers crossed!

A current project “Nyamirambo Women’s Center - Women for Women” funded by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and the Peace Institute is coming to the end. From September onwards NWC doesn't have any sources of funding, not even to cover the basic costs such as NWC office rent. 

Last couple of weeks we were busy writing a project proposals. We were actively fundraising to ensure an uninterrupted work of the Center after the termination of the current project. We have applied to several potential donors - The Global Fund for Women, The African Women's Development Fund, ASA Program, and sent a letter of intent to Norwegian People's Aid. We have also started to work on a proposal to Open Society Institute - East Africa.

Grants would be used for an uninterrupted continuance of our activities, including administrative expenses necessary to keep the program running. The activities funded by these grants would contribute to socio-economic empowerment of women and poverty reduction, through trainings for income-generating activities, providing women with knowledge, skills and capacities, and achieving even greater impact of Nyamirambo Women’s Center in the local community.

So, keep your fingers crossed! 

How to write a good and successful project proposal

A project proposal is a detailed description of a series of activities aimed at solving a certain problem. Without direct project funding it would not be possible for NGOs to accomplish goals. Writing clear, thorough and targeted project proposals is therefore an essential to NGOs success. Mastering the art of writing a project proposal required unified approach to project management. The project proposal should be a detailed and directed manifestation of the project design. It is a means of presenting the project to the Funder in a format that is immediately recognised and accepted.

The art of writing successful project applications and raise funds for projects is not impossible for anyone. It is all about using the right tools, doing the right things and work structured. 

Since I've noticed lack of this skills among NWC members I decided to organize and carry out the workshop on writing a successful project proposal The aim was to enable participants understand the tools and techniques of effective project proposal writing that would facilitate funds flowing in the organisation.

Muzungu talks about some strange things

The training workshop was designed for middle and senior level project managers, team leaders and volunteers, who are directly or indirectly involved in writing the project proposal or concept notes, or are expected to be engaged in such activities in future.

Some NWC members participated, together with members of our partner organizations and few students and teaching assistants from KIST. Some of the topics covered - How to find funding; How to write a successful application; How to define goals, activities and outputs; How to describe methodology and timetable; How to foreseen potential risk, mitigation measures, evaluation and criteria for success; How to create a reasonable budget... 

Let's hope they learned something out of it. :) Knowledge gained through this kind of workshops is of no use unless and until we implement it in our practical life (or in our organization's life). Implementing the knowledge is nothing but the experience gained through it.

Going phoneless

Another phone has gone. This time mine. :) A young guy drop by at the office this morning, asking for Vestine. He said he has some papers for here. I answered that she'll probably come in half an hour or so. But he said it's urgent and asked if I have her phone number. I gave him my cellphone to call her. He started to talk to her, asking when she'll be in the office, and suddenly started to run away...

I'm too naive sometimes.. :) OK, it was old and crappy phone, but still..

Although, maybe this incident is not that bad at the end. I made a list of several benefits of having no phone. Here’s what I came up with:

• No more phone bill
• No roaming fees
• No more international billing tricks
• No more phone calls during dinner
• No more being woken up in the middle of the night
• No more being distracted by Facebook or Twitter or Foursquare every free moment
• No more arguments about whether your iPhone is better than my Android or Blackberry
• No more checking my phone to see if I missed a text message
• No more worry about brain cancer
• Smaller carbon footprint
• More freedom
• More presence in the moment
• More money left at the end of the month
  

Sounds good, doesn't it? Seems like I have a solid case on this one. But it's more likely I'll go and buy another one this afternoon... :)