Gicumbi: Historical Magnetized Communities Shift from hunting to agriculture and livestock farming
In Gicumbi, people historically marginalized and excluded from activities such as hunting now say they have moved on to agriculture and livestock farming.
They explain that practices like hunting in the forest, pottery, making traditional containers, and other customs associated with begging are relics of the past. Today, they are embracing trades that accelerate development.
They emphasize that engaging in professional agriculture has helped them achieve impressive yields. Besides raising small livestock, some also own cows, which, when they give birth, provide additional resources that help improve their livelihoods.
These remarks were made on August 15, 2025, during the Peace Concert, an event that brings together Rwandans and partners from Japan, aimed at promoting peace and preventing conflicts.
Jean de Dieu, one of the historically disadvantaged people, stated:
“History is no longer what it was. We received livestock cows, sheep, and chickens from our benefactors. Today we are raising them and have advanced in cultivating potatoes, wheat, and beans, using all types of fertilizer to achieve good yields.”
He added that he practices agriculture and owns a modern cow that provides milk for his children. He can also sell surplus products at the market, generating income for other household needs.
“In the past, no one supported us, even as community leaders. We were once called outcasts. Now we share with others, form cooperatives, learn to save, and when we get loans, it will help us develop further,” he said.
Mutuyimana Immacule, from Miyove Cell in Nyamiyaga Village, also shared that she took a loan to raise chickens to feed her children and to develop her livelihood. She noted, however, that lack of land documentation remains a challenge, limiting access to loans and further development.
Gicumbi District’s Deputy Mayor in charge of economic affairs, Uwera Parfaite, highlighted the positive cooperation between NGOs such as NPO Tel and Rotary Club, which support historically disadvantaged communities in Gicumbi. She pledged to continue monitoring their development projects.
“We appreciate that these historically marginalized communities have changed their mindset and are learning to develop themselves. This peace concert was organized by both countries with shared historical experiences: Rwanda, which lost many Tutsi during the 1994 genocide, and Japan, which suffered the massive loss of life from the atomic bombings in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. We will continue to promote peace as a pathway for communities worldwide,” she said.
She added that peace education should target youth in particular, as they are tomorrow’s leaders, and extend to their families to prevent conflicts.
Residents of Miyove emphasized that NPO Tel provided them with village water storage tanks, improving hygiene and connecting them with a model preschool that helps send children to school and fight malnutrition and stunting.
Today, they note that mindsets have shifted: children are attending primary and secondary schools, and some have even started university studies.
They also call for closer support to assess their progress, suggesting that those who demonstrate development could be granted land titles for houses built by the government, enabling access to financial institutions and loans to further expand their development projects.
The Deputy Mayor emphasized that when the government builds houses, there is a period to observe the residents’ initiative and capacity for self-development. Once trust is established, residents can receive property documents, granting them full rights to their assets.
