Note: We were asked to write up a report for the month of May in regards to the COPHAD initiative (Community of Potters Health and Development). Below you will find our take on the report, sans information on the other health and sanitation initiatives occurring simultaneously in the community.
Community of Potters Health and Development
May 2015
ACTIVITIES REPORT:
- SummaryThis month, HDI has invested in knitting training for the Dusabane Women’s Cooperative of the Cyaruzinge community. Four interns from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are leading the training efforts for eight weeks, with the aid of translators from the COPHAD staff. These trainings aim to accomplish the following:(1) provide the women with a sufficient and adaptable knowledge of knitting practices, thus diversifying their artisan skillset and promoting further income-generating opportunities, and
(2) collaborate with the cooperative to solidify its structure into a sustainable business model with clearly defined practices.
- Updates on Agaseke CooperativeThe Dusabane Women’s Cooperative has previously received training in jewelry making and basket weaving through HDI, but these products are time consuming and expensive to produce, hard to keep clean, and hard to sell in an overstocked market. HDI requested four interns—two knitters and two business interns—from Nourish-UNC to work with the COPHAD team in diversifying the cooperative’s skill set and increasing uptake of business skills, specifically those related to finance and record keeping.Provision of Knitting Supplies
HDI has provided the necessary supplies to the Agaseke/Dusabane Cooperative to make profitable knitted goods, including yarn in various colors, large (size 10) knitting needles, small (size 6) knitting needles, and small crochet hooks. The women of the cooperative were able to replicate a model double pointed knitting needle using brochette sticks, so the cooperative has an abundance of double pointed knitting needles. HDI also purchased a knitting machine for the cooperative; unfortunately, one latch on the machine is missing. This could be easily fixed by one who understands the mechanics of the machine, but the machine is useless until it is repaired. Another machine is soon to be purchased, so COPHAD plans on supplying two knitting machines within the month of June. These machines will allow the women in the cooperative to produce their products significantly more rapidly once they have the skills to do so.
Knitting Skills
The two UNC-CH knitting interns provide trainings in the community three times a week, accompanied by the two business interns and 1-3 facilitators from HDI who aid with translation. On average, 15 women attend the sessions; this number has ranged from 11 to 17 women. The trainings begin with the knitting interns (with help from a translator) introducing and demonstrating new skills in front of the group; the interns and facilitators then monitor and assist each individual woman throughout the training. The interns take notes on the progress of the individual women present, and it is clear that the women are progressing with the skills quickly; they are enthusiastic and collaborative. However, the women have reported that they are needed in the house and in the fields during these trainings and have voiced concern over possible economic loss due this time commitment; this may also explain the fluctuating attendance rates. Because of inconsistent attendance, much of the time is spent catching up the women who had missed previous trainings. The trainings will continue throughout the month of June and will include skills such as cabling, shaping, color changing, and knitting machine use.
Business Skills
The business interns have been spending their time trying to get a more comprehensive take on how the cooperative currently operates and how they hope to operate in the future. The women have been attending trainings facilitated through the Kigali city government that focus on a host of business skills, such as cooperative finance, record-keeping, internal auditing, organizational accountability, and marketing. There are two rounds of three trainings each that conclude in early June; the women that attend do so based on their ability to read and write as well as their proposed role in the cooperative. In order to communicate what was learned at each training, the attendees—along with the interns—collaborate to organize a meeting with all cooperative members to relay critical information.
The women are currently organized such that each woman must pay an allotted share per week into the cooperative’s shared account, with the option of paying more to receive a larger return on profits in the future. It should be noted that this bank account is held by a union of women within Cyaruzinge, comprised of the cooperative women and five other Cyaruzinge women. This affects policy as to who can take out loans and how they must pay them back.
A comprehensive document detailing cooperative structure, membership responsibilities, and financial practices is currently being compiled and will be delivered to HDI upon solidification.
In the past, the Dusabane Women’s Cooperative has had one primary leader. This person has served as both the president and treasurer, and has taken responsibility for essentially every practice of the cooperative. Recently, in conjunction with government-sponsored trainings mentioned above, members of the cooperative have realized a desire to move towards a more balanced leadership structure. In a cooperative, each member owns an equal share of the cooperative, thus it doesn’t make sense for one person to wield all the power. Currently, the cooperative is in the process of organizing elections. They hope to elect seven leaders of the cooperative to create a more sustainable business structure. This new structure will include robust checks and balances as well as roles that allow people to specialize in particular aspects of the business such as finance and marketing.
- Health and SanitationA portion of the funds raised by Nourish-UNC for COPHAD were spent on hand washing stations and large woven mats. The foot-powered soap and water devices will help the women keep themselves and any products they make cleaner, addressing a major problem with the former basket weaving manufacturing. The mats provide a centralized place for the women to convene for training and practicing of their knitting skills. Hopefully these improvements will allow the members of the cooperative to make cleaner, higher quality products that will allow greater marketability and lead to more frequent sales.What is more, fundraising efforts continue for the construction of a storage house for the products of the cooperative. So far HDI has raised over $1500 (more than 1,000,000 Rwf) through GlobalGiving and continues to promote this campaign to reach the project goal of $10,000.
- Recommendations
- A reliable market and vendor partnership through which to ensure product sales will guarantee a source of income, so long as the products are high in quality.
- An assigned HDI staff member or team of staff members to oversee and direct the cooperative’s knitting would ensure that the women are producing high-quality products in the long term.
- Continuation of fundraising and a plan of implementation for the construction of the proposed Cyaruzinge store would be beneficial to ensure that the products are kept safe and clean for storage and future sales.