Meet Sikubwabo Jacques married to Nduwayezu Judith, Jacques and Judith had been married for over some years with 2 children, but their relationship was filled with challenges. They lived in a small rural village, where Jacques worked as a small-scale farmer, growing African eggplants and tomatoes on their small piece of land. Judith, on the other hand, was a house wife and assists her husband in the field work.
Despite their hard work, their family remained trapped in poverty. The biggest challenge was that Jacques controlled all financial decisions, often spending money on alcohol rather than household needs. Judith had no say in financial matters, and whenever she tried to advise Jacques, it would lead to disagreements. Arguments became frequent, and the stress of financial instability weighed heavily on their marriage.
Their children lacked proper food, school supplies, and clothing. Instead of saving or investing, Jacques spent most of his earnings drinking with his friends and others. Their relationship deteriorated to the point where they barely communicated. Judith sometimes considered leaving, but she had nowhere else to go. The situation seemed hopeless until they were introduced to the Gender Action Learning System (GALS +) training implemented by SAFE .
The Joint Programme on rural women economic empowerment (JP RWEE) program helped their family improve gender relations, financial planning, and decision-making.
At first, Jacques was hesitant to participate, believing that household matters should be left as they were. But after some persuasion from Judith, he reluctantly attended the training with Judith.
During the sessions, Jacques and Judith learned how to set household goals, manage finances together, and improve communication. They were introduced to tools such as:
- The Road-Vision Journey, which helped them define their long-term goals.
- The Gender Balance Tree, which helped them see the imbalance in their household responsibilities.
- The diamond dream, which showed them their strengths and weaknesses and understand each other preferences.
For the first time, Jacques saw how his actions were holding the family back. He realized that his drinking habits, lack of financial planning, and refusal to involve Judith in decision-making were the reasons they remained in poverty. Meanwhile, Jacques gained confidence and learned how to assert herself in a respectful yet firm way and other income generating activities.
One powerful moment in the training was when Jacques reflected on his own upbringing. He had grown up in a household where his father made all decisions, and he had unknowingly followed the same pattern. But after seeing examples of other couples who worked together successfully, he knew it was time for change.
After the training, Jacques made a life-changing decision: he reduced alcohol consumption. It wasn’t easy, but with Judith’s encouragement, he stayed committed and now he get home early than before. The money he used to waste on drinking with friends was now directed toward family needs.
Together, Jacques and Judith sat down and created a financial plan. They listed their priorities:
- Investing in their farm they decided to expand their land and grow high-value crops.
- Starting a small business Judith expanded her vegetable-selling business of their harvest in their area.
- Saving money they started putting aside small amounts each week with others in 3 cooperative Judith is a member for future investments.
- Supporting their children’s education they ensured that school fees were paid on time, and their children had proper school materials.
- Improving their home with the extra income, they repaired their home and bought better household items.
They learned new farming techniques, including crop rotation, organic fertilizer use, and proper irrigation methods. They also networked with buyers and began supplying their produce to local markets and even wholesalers in the city.
They learned how to fight against malnutrition how to prepare healthy meal and kitchen garden containing vegetables.
As their financial situation improved, Jacques and Judith became role models in their community. Many neighbors were inspired by their transformation and began seeking advice on farming, financial planning, and gender equality as now Judith has trained about GALS over 20 people and 12 from them they have changes.
Today, Jacques and Judith no longer worry about basic needs. Their farm is thriving, their child is in school, and their home is peaceful. Their success proves that with the right knowledge, teamwork, and determination, change is possible, Jacques and Judith family extended their appreciation to safe’s team and all partners and sponsors for changing their life through JP RWEE program.
Through the GALS training, they have broken free from the cycle of poverty, misunderstanding, malnutrition and conflict. Their journey is a testament to the power of partnership, commitment, and learning.
Jacques proudly says:
“Before, I thought being a man meant making all decisions alone. But now, I understand that working together as a couple is the real strength. We have achieved more in one year than in the last many years of struggling.”
Judith adds:
“I used to feel like a spectator in my own home. Now, I am an equal partner. We respect each other, plan together, and support each other in everything.”
Their dream is to expand their farm even further, teach more people about GALS , smart agriculture, and continue inspiring their community.
