Over a period of five days starting on November 17, 2025, the Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (LODA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government, conducted an exercise to collect testimonies from households that have successfully graduated from poverty. This initiative targeted households in the first cohort of the National Strategy for Sustainable Graduation.

The initiative aimed to understand the journey of households in the first cohort, who were connected with various opportunities provided either by the government or its partners. These households utilized these opportunities to move out of poverty and now possess concrete evidence showing that escaping poverty is possible.

The exercise was carried out in Nyamasheke, Nyarugenge, and Nyagatare districts, where 20 households were selected from each district. Those interviewed confirmed that while their households have exited poverty, they still have further developmental goals.

For instance, the family of Emmanuel Ndayisenga, residing in Rwesero Village, Rwesero Cell, Kagano Sector, Nyamasheke District, shared their story. Ndayisenga explained that his household used to live in extreme poverty but received employment through the VUP program. The income from VUP enabled his family to meet basic needs. Later, he and his wife received a VUP loan and started a business selling bananas and banana beer.

Additionally, the family benefited from the “Girinka Munyarwanda” program, receiving a cow that has since given birth three times. They were also provided pigs through the partner organization World Vision, which helped them acquire other small livestock, including goats and sheep. 

Today, Ndayisenga’s household saves 80,000 Rwandan francs per month in savings groups, raises two cows, four sheep, two goats, and two pigs, and enjoys electricity and clean water at home.

Ndayisenga emphasized: “When one receives assistance and uses it wisely without wasting it, and follows the advice given by local leaders, development is possible.”

Another example is Nyiramajyambere Aisha, from Katabaro Cell, Kimisagara Sector, Nyarugenge District, Kigali City, who also testified that her household has improved thanks to support aimed at sustainable graduation from poverty. 

Aisha used to sell women’s shoes, but her business suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic. She was later included in the first cohort of households targeted for support, receiving a VUP loan of 100,000 Rwandan francs. Combined with her previous savings, this enabled her to restock and resume her shoe business in central Kigali’s Quartier Commercial.

Both Ndayisenga, Nyiramajyambere, and other households visited agree that escaping poverty is achievable. They stress that having a clear goal is the most important factor.

Ndayisenga added: “First, you need to set a goal for yourself, saying ‘I will end poverty permanently.’ Another thing that helped me was learning to eat less and save, because if you spend all you earn, you cannot progress”.

Aisha noted: “Today, I have a capital of about one million Rwandan francs. I thank LODA for the VUP loan that helped me restart my business. I plan to continue growing my capital and eventually have a house in Kigali to run my shoe business from”.

After collecting testimonies from these households, the next step will involve identifying households that provide concrete evidences of having successfully escaped poverty. Their stories will be documented and used to teach households in the second cohort of the program on how to achieve sustainable graduation from poverty.