Fromina’s husband’s tragic death left her emotionally devastated and placed even more strain on her financial struggle.
Fromina Mukorokarabe was born in 1955 in Huye, Gishubi Sector, Gisagara District, Southern Province. Of her 5 children, 2 live with her and attend school, while 3 are married and live nearby with families of their own, making Fromina a grandmother of 7.
An elderly widow, she now struggles to farm her 1.5 hectares of land (an area of 100 by 150 meters), where she grows potatoes, rice, beans and cassava. With the produce of her land, she is still able to feed her family basic food and sell some at market, using the money to buy necessary household items and to pay those who assist her with the agricultural labor.
However, crops are often not a reliable source of food or income, since they are affected by eratic weather conditions, therefore owning some livestock as well is vital for additional security for women such as Fromina.
Before his death, Fromina and her husband owned a few cows, but when he passed away she had to sell them to build her house and to give as dowries for her boys to marry, which meant her livelihood was purely dependant on her crops.
In October 2010, however, Fromina was given a cow by ActionAid, as part of a program in which she agreed to donate the first two calves to local smallholder women farmers that do not yet have one. Having the cow over the past year has changed her life in a number of ways.
With my cow, I am able to fertilize my bean field (0.5 hectare), which has significantly increased my food production. I also feel proud to have a cow again. Because of all that I lost, I had really lost hope.
So far, the cow is reserving her milk for her young calf, but Fromina will soon be able to enjoy this added benefit as well. Because she now has enough to properly nourish her family and generate some income, Fromina feels hopeful about her future and that of her children. “I don’t have problems now,” she says.
