The goal of the SNC Project is to improve the economic and social viability of new communities in Muvumba, Gabiro and Kahi communes of Umutara Province. The project will contribute to poverty reduction, civil society strengthening and peace consolidation for approximately 46 women CBOs and women councils. This project supports and encourages the participation of women as decision-makers and managers of community projects and income generating activities, and as recipients of project assistance. Women groups and councils were involved in the process of assessing the communities' needs from the initial stages of project development, and will be involved in planning, implementing and evaluating the selected sub-projects. The women themselves will identify, plan, implement and monitor activities under each component in their respective communities.
Project assistance will be given to women group members, associations, intergroupements and women councils in the form of capacity building, skills development and material inputs. The capacity building activities, mainly facilitated through training workshops, will focus on a wide range of needs, including the overall project management cycle, financial management and reporting, leadership, networking, micro-credit, gender concerns, environmental protection, agricultural techniques and farming systems, revenue generating activities, processing and marketing of local products. Furthermore, women groups and councils will receive assistance by the project to plan, promote, implement, monitor and manage common property infrastructure projects. These different project activities will constitute a "menu of options" for responding in a flexible, practical and direct manner to the specific needs and interests expressed by women's associations in each community.
