Rwanda 2015 day 3
Today we get a bit more serious. Rukundo, Erika, Jean Bosco (their most business savvy member), Judith and I and work through Hilary’s income and expenditure tracking spreadsheet which she has specially written for multiply projects. Language is a little bit of a problem, Jean Bosco who lives adjacent to the other main community has only limited English.
Progress however is reasonably encouraging and we manage to correct a few misunderstandings on my part. The spreadsheet works well. I explain the principles and Judith demonstrates how to enter income and expenditure information. Finally we are able to establish a clear budget and track the income and expenditure to date.
Of course it continues to highlight that sales or rather the lack of them is our major problem and we agree that tomorrow we will have a marketing meeting to try and address this. Before we know it lunch has been called.
For the afternoon Rukundo has set up a visit to a Poultry project similar to something that Jean Bosco has in mind.
We are joined by Fulgence so six of us clamber into Rukundo’s trusty Toyota 4×4. On the way through town we pick up Deo, Jean Bosco’s younger brother and off out into the countryside. The main roads are still good but after about 10 miles we turn off onto a dirt track flanked by a variety of homes and businesses. It quickly degenerates into ruts and potholes. The homes vary from the desperately poor to the reasonably affluent.
We stop at the top of a rise overlooking a valley and Rukundo leads us down a track towards a mud brick building which is the chicken house
. 
We are met by a smart looking lady who is apparently a friend and the owner of the chicken house. It is a two-storey building about 15 m x 18 m with the first floor supported on stilts. All very basic construction.
The chickens are housed in the first floor. They are apparently about 3 months old but look in very good condition.
They are cared for by 2 people who live permanently on site. They have created a very basic bedroom on the ground floor.
The 2 guys are clipping the beaks so the chickens do not do one another harm when they peck each other.
The lady explains how they are looked after and the business principles. It all sounds reasonable and workable, apart from the working and living conditions of the guys looking after the chickens.
We all pile back into the Toyota but it’s not over yet. Rukundo wants to have a look at a plot of land he is interested in purchasing to provide more community accommodation. We get to experience the delights of more dirt track roads and see the desperate poverty in the rural areas. People including children walking miles with 10 L or 25 L water containers.
It’s quite late by the time we get home so after the evening meal we have time for some worship and then to bed.
Mission Trip Rwanda 