Ruhango: How GALS resolved domestic conflicts
Several residents of Ruhango Sector in Ruhango district are verythankful to PRISM project which brought them the Gender Action Learning System (GALS).
GALS has a background. After providing its beneficiaries in Ruhango district with small livestock, PRISM understood that they still have a different problem which would prevent them from thriving.
It emerged that in a family, when a woman or a man gets some money, they hide news about it to their husband and vice versa, yet this cannot allow a family to develop.
GALS was introduced as a platform where families are trained to efficiently and effectively manage their income, in total transparency, which a magic path to economic improvement.
According to Consolée Ufitamahoro, one of the beneficiaries from Rusebeya village in Bunyogombe cell who belongs to Tuzamurane(let’s uplift each other), they have learnt principles of gender equality and management of family income.
“We used to hide each other’s source of income, but we understood that if we want to make step forward, bringing our earnings together for a proper planning is the way to go,” she said.
Her groupmate Hakizimana Elamu also said that he used to earn money and only shows part of the gain to his spouse.
“I would earn Rwf 15,000 and only share rwf 5000 with my wife while hiding the remaining Rwf 10,000. That held us under poverty because we couldn’t plan for all our income. We could spend some money in useless projects,” Hakizimana said.
Prior to GALS, Hakizimana recalled that his wife once discovered that the husband was hiding some money, and it became a quarrel. Ever since they joined GALS, they made a U-turn and decided to look towards the same direction.
“We have completely changed. PRISM introduced us to the concept of sustainable development. When I earn money, I always come and consult her to understand how better we can use it. And believe me, it’s working,” Hakizimana further said.
The Ruhango Vice mayor in charge of economic development RUSILIBANA Jean Marie Vianney said that GALS’ groups helped reduce the number of families that used to live in perpetual conflicts.
“GALS offers a great training that all the households in our district to have since it includes lessons that are required in gender equality among the family members. It has reduced domestic conflicts in a good measure. This actually reduced sexual based violence in our families,” the vice mayor said.
Ruhango is among the districts in the first phase of PRISM projects, a partnership of Government of Rwanda, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development(IFAD).
According to district officials, 302 households graduated from domestic conflicts, courtesy of GALS.
Nadine Umuhoza