Meet a SHE Farmer: Nyiransaba

We’re growing quick in Rwanda! As we reach more and more girls, we also need more banana fiber.  In order to fill this demand, SHE has begun working with a new banana farming co-op in Rwanda, giving 220 new farmers the opportunity to earn over 30% higher incomes.

Nyiransaba is a farmer and a mother of 5 children. She is one of the farmers in the new banana co-op we began working with this year. What does this new opportunity with SHE mean for Nyiransaba?

“The women in my village have a club to help us to save money and every member must pay her share each Sunday. It used to be hard for me to bring my share each week but with the banana stems I extract, I am now paying on time. I also have been able to buy others basic need at home and pay school fees. In fact, I have even bought go! pads for my oldest daughter! I have been surprised that the banana stems we used to consider as waste can be used to produce sanitary pads. We now count banana fibers as money.”

Though she has just started receiving additional income from SHE, the money Nyiransaba is saving will give her and her family financial independence and the ability to get ahead in the future.  SHE plans to bring on one additional co-op by the end of the year.