Visit to Mybo and Ruth’s Group

Mybo Cooperative

Written by: Heidi Kittredge

The focus of this year’s trip has been visiting with new women cooperative groups where we hear the challenges women face fighting poverty and introduce them to the opportunity to obtain an interest free microloan. Also, as part of AWHI’s work, we return to cooperative groups that received microloans the previous year.

Today, we did a return visit to the Mybo cooperative group. Mybo is another group that is near and dear to my heart. My first visit to Mybo was during my 2022 solo trip. This group was one of six groups that received a $400 saving bonus (now known as Rise Up Fund). Last year, each woman in the group received a $50 microloan. I enjoy return visits because you hear a different story, a story of success, a story filled with pride and joy in their accomplishments. Every woman that we meet are hard workers, they want to work hard but do not have the means (capital) to start a small business. AWHI does not do the work. We come alongside the women to help them fulfill their dream of being independent, becoming a financial partner with their husbands, sending their children to school and feeding them daily.

We started the day visiting the kids in their classroom (the classroom was built in 2023). We read Noah’s Ark, shared a coloring page, crayons and provided juice and biscuits. It is always a joy to spend some time with the kids. Stephen also had some time to show the teachers how to make paper airplanes.

The classroom has 3 teachers which are unpaid. Majority of the teachers in the villages we visit are unpaid. If you are interested in supporting the teachers in Mybo (annual salary - $600), send a note to info@awhi.org to learn more.

Next, we visited with some of the woman of the Mbyo cooperative group. I shared a message on the Parable of Talents found in the gospel of Matthew. The message was not about stewardship of money but about being stewards and faithful servants in using the talents/abilities God has placed in our hands and not burying our talents.

The team also visited 3 businesses. Jackie is one of several success stories. I visited Jackie and Aline’s hair salon business in 2024. Jackie and Aline still maintain the hair salon. However, Jackie used the $50 microloan to also start a business selling shoes. Jackie is managing two businesses. We were so excited to see her success.

Blandine rents a small space outside a shop to sell bananas and charcoal. She was so proud to show us what she did with her microloan.

It is wonderful to witness the sense of pride on the faces of these women when we visit their businesses.

In the afternoon, we met with a special group of ladies. They are a group widows. Bishop Theophile connected with this group through pastoral training he provides throughout Rwanda. As part of the training, he covers 1 Timothy 5 which talks about caring for widows. He challenged the pastors as how they are helping widows and learned about the widows group.

The group started as a What’s App group of 7 women in August 2025. The motivation to form the group was to comfort each other, support each other and not live in isolation. What started as a group of 7 women is now a group of 41 women throughout different districts in Rwanda. The group meets once or twice a month. Additionally, each member of the group contributes $2,000 RWF monthly which is used to assist with family events like weddings and funerals. The savings is also used to allow the women in the group to borrow money to build their small business which is paid back.

Donna shared the story of Ruth with words of encouragement reminding them that God is their husband and HE will never leave them. As part of her message, she shared the 2 greatest commandments; to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself.” She reminded them that we are all neighbors and we are family. I shared that God is at work in the hard times. We may not be able to see it or feel His hand at work, but He is there and despite what season we are in life, continue to follow God and trust in His sovereignty and direction. Liz shared that it is important to use the talents God has given us and not be fearful, but faithful in using our talents for His glory.

You could feel the love and support each of these women have for each other. They are a sisterhood and it was an honor to meet each and every one of them. Their Kinyarwanda cooperative name is Abagore b’intwari (Courageous Women). Bishop refers to them as “Ruth’s Group”.

Abagore b’intwari (Courageous Women) as known as “Ruth’s Group”.