Vincent is a small-scale farmer in Rwanda. To make more money for his family, he takes work as a casual labourer whenever he can.  He also often helps technicians in the plumbing industry as they repair water pipes and earns about $1.50 CAD/day for his efforts.

When ADRA started the EMBRACE project in his village, Vincent’s wife decided to join. They have four young children together, and they had heard that the EMBRACE project would teach them how to keep their children strong and healthy. It was also said that EMBRACE would teach them ways that they could improve the family income and build stronger relationships with their children and their neighbours.

Vincent smiles with a newfound joy as he stands together with his wife and children.

Vincent’s wife adds fresh greens from their organic kitchen garden to the meal that she is cooking for the family.

Every time Vincent’s wife came home from an EMBRACE meeting, she was full of enthusiasm about all of the things that she was learning about health, nutrition, and home gardening. One day, Vincent asked her if any men were in the group. He was interested in going to the classes himself but was not sure that he wanted to be the only man! After about three months, he finally decided to join, even though he would be the only male.

Being a group member enabled him to join the small savings and loans group that EMBRACE had started. Vincent had never held a bank account before. Getting a small loan to cover a family emergency meant going to a neighbour or a loan shark who would charge a lot of interest. Now, as a member of EMBRACE, he was saving money every week, just as if he had a real bank account! He and his wife have a new wonderful secure feeling in their hearts, knowing that if they ever need a small loan to cover a medical expense for one of their children, they will be able to easily get one from the group.

The agricultural training that they learned from EMBRACE has changed their lives! With the new, drought-resistant seeds they got from ADRA, the family has seen a 500% increase in the income from their farm. The kitchen gardens that they have started around their home are producing a variety of organic vegetables. Their family now enjoys a healthy, balanced diet.

Vincent and his wife attend their EMBRACE Savings and Loans group meeting in a rural village in Rwanda.

The most life-changing aspect of EMBRACE for Vincent has been the training that ADRA gave on gender equality. He says:

“One day the EMBRACE trainer began talking about gender equality and gender roles.  The ideas they shared that day were totally new to me! As a boy, I had grown up in a home where the roles of men and women were clearly defined. When I got married myself, I simply adopted the same roles that my father had always done. When I would come home from the farm, I would be tired and would simply rest. I could see that my wife was also tired from her household tasks, but that was her work, ‘women’s work’, not mine to worry about.

EMBRACE changed my way of thinking. ADRA suggested that if I were to start helping my wife with her work at home that I would find joy in that and experience many benefits. I decided to try it and see. I started helping my wife with cooking, cleaning, and playing with the children when I came home. I would even take whole days off from my work to do child care and household tasks so that my wife could have a full day out. When she would return home to find all of the household work done, she would be very happy!

I found out that ADRA was right! My relationship with my wife and children has really grown. We are so much happier now. Now, instead of divided roles, we work together in a partnership! When ADRA heard about this, they asked me to become the ‘Male Champion’ of our village. I accepted and it has been fun!  As the ADRA Male Champion, I share my experience with the other men in the village. Some of them tease me that I am doing ‘women’s work’, but I just smile and tell them how happy my wife and I are. Some of the men have now joined the EMBRACE group and are trying some of these same things themselves.  They are also finding out all the benefits of becoming more involved with the daily life and routine of your wife and family.

I am so thankful that my wife started going to EMBRACE and got me to join as well. I want to thank ADRA and the people of Canada for all of the help that they have given us through EMBRACE.”

The EMBRACE project is a four-year project being conducted in remote communities in Rwanda, Cambodia, Myanmar and the Philippines. EMBRACE is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, through Global Affairs Canada, and our faithful supporters.