Abafatanya bikorwa, Leta y’u Rwanda, amakoperative, abashoramari, mwebwe mwafashije uyu mushinga kugera kuri byinshi, Mwakoze kuba mwaje muri uyu muhango.
The PSDAG activity has done so much good work with so many cooperatives and businesses. But today I want to tell you just one story.
Uyu mushinga wa PSDAG wakoze ibikorwa byiza kandi byinshi ufatanyije n’amakoperative n’abikorera. Ariko, uyu munsi ndashaka kubabwira inkuru imwe gusa.
It is the story of Maria MUKARUSHEMA, who is here on stage with me, helping to interpret with sign language.
Ni inkuru ya Maria MUKARUSHEMA, ari hano n’inshuti kumfasha gusobanura mu rurimi rw’amarenga.
Maria was born deaf. And like many Rwandans with disabilities, since childhood she has faced many challenges of discrimination and exploitation.
Maria yavukanye ubumuga bwo kutavuga no kutumva. Nk’abandi banyarwanda bafite ubumuga, kuva mu bwana, Maria yahuye n’imbogamizi nyinshi zijyanye n’ivangura n’ihezwa.
Just a few years ago, discrimination made it almost impossible for her to find work. She struggled to care for her 5 children.
Mu myaka mike ishize, iri vangura n’ihezwa byamubuzaga kubona akazi. Byari bikomeye kwita ku bana be batanu.
But in 2017 she was hired by Masaka Creamery. Masaka Creamery produces many dairy foods, like Ikivuguto. I love their ikivuguto!
Ariko mu bihumbi bibiri na cumi na karindwi, yahawe akazi n’uruganda Masaka Creamery. Masaka Creamery ikora ibijyanye n’amata nk’ikivuguto n’ibindi. Nkunda ikivuguto cyabo cyane!
Today, Maria is one of 17 employees at Masaka with a disability. In 2017, Masaka Creamery received a 250 million RWF grant from USAID, to buy machinery and hire more employees.
Uyu munsi, Maria ni umwe mu bakozi cumi na barindwi bafite ubumuga. Mu bihumbi bibiri na cumi na karindwi, uru ruganda rwahawe na USAID inkunga ihwanye na Miliyoni magana abiri na mirongo itanu z’amafaranga y’u Rwanda, kugira ngo rugure amamashini no gushaka abakozi.
Because of her work, Maria’s life has been transformed, and with her wages, now her family is flourishing.
Kubera ako kazi yabonye, umuryango wa Maria umeze neza, kandi umushahara we urakomeza kubafasha kwiteza imbere.
Maria’s story represents why USAID has supported the various/different businesses and cooperatives here today.
Iyi nkuru ya Maria, irerekana impamvu USAID yateye inkunga amakoperative n’abashoramari batandukanye bari hano uyu munsi.
Because when businesses and cooperatives grow, the economy grows. And when the economy grows, people across Rwanda (like my friend Maria here) grow with it. They grow with dignity, and they achieve their dreams.
Iyo abashoramari n’amakoperative bateye imbere, n’ubukungu butera imbere. Iyo ubukungu buteye imbere, abanyarwanda (nka mugenzi wanjye Maria uri hano) na bo batera imbere. Agaciro kabo kariyongera kandi bakanagera ku nzozi zabo.
I want to thank Maria here, and I want to thank everyone here for being part of this long journey of PSDAG. Around this room, you can hear a hundred stories like Maria’s, of lives growing with the economy, and of dreams being achieved.
Ndashimira Maria, namwe mwese muteraniye hano uyu munsi kuba mwarabanye natwe muri uru rugendo mu mushinga wa PSDAG. Muri icyi cyumba, mushobora kumva izindi nkuru nyinshi zisa n’inkuru ya Maria, aho ubuzima bwa benshi bwahindutse n’inzozi zabo zikaba impamo.
And I look forward to others who will be lifted up by our next projects, Hinga Weze and Nguriza Nshore. And thank you again to everyone who worked to make PSDAG a success.
Thank you,
Kandi ndizera ko n’abandi benshi bazafashwa n’indi mishinga yatangiye, nka Hinga Weze na Nguriza nshore. Ndongera kubashimira mwese, kuba mwarafashije umushinga PSDAG kugera, ku ntego zawo.
Murakoze Cyane,
