Tuyizere Francoise, popularly known as Fanny, operates a sanitation showroom in Kaduha Sector, Nyamagabe District, Southern Rwanda. Her journey in sanitation entrepreneurship began in September 2022 with the support of the USAID-funded Isoko y’Ubuzima project.
Trained by Isoko y’Ubuzima as a hygiene focal person and a member of the "Abatanyuranya (the Unanimous)" village savings and loans association (VSLA), a community-based saving and lending group, Fanny has achieved remarkable growth in her sanitation business and enhanced community impact through innovative strategies and dedicated training.
Initially, Fanny relied on a passive sales approach, waiting for clients to visit her shop. However, her participation in a training organized by Isoko y’Ubuzima on women’s leadership significantly transformed her strategy. She began to proactively reach out to potential customers, leveraging community gatherings to promote SATO sanitation products—innovative, affordable toilets and handwashing solutions for communities with limited access to water and sewerage infrastructure. Fanny’s new approach involved presenting these products at community meetings, VSLA meetings, churches, schools, Umuganda (monthly community volunteering), district exhibitions, and other mass gatherings. Her proactive efforts quickly raised awareness among a growing network of contacts, gradually resulting in increased sales.
One notable success was a day in April 2024 when she sold 105 SATO pans to healthcare workers. For every SATO sold, she earned a commission of 1,000 Rwandan Francs (RWF) making a total of Rwf 105,000 in just a day. The profits from this sale significantly improved her family’s living conditions, allowing them to build a brick fence, a gate, and a smaller house next to their main residence.
"This success has not only boosted my confidence but also motivated me to even put more efforts in my outreach activities. My dream is to get my own shop and stop renting", Fanny narrated.
Power of collaboration
Fanny’s efforts are part of a broader movement supported by Isoko y’Ubuzima, with other social and behavior change (SBC) agents achieving remarkable results. For instance, Nyirabagenzi Christine, a hygiene focal person and para social worker (PSW) – a professional who provides social services in Ngoma district, Eastern Rwanda – attended a sales workshop organized by Isoko y’Ubuzima in Kayonza, a neighbouring district and then mobilized her peers (parasocials) to purchase SATO pans, which resulted in 51 sales instantly. Christine’s collaboration with local leaders exemplifies how SBC agents are driving improved sanitation practices through community mobilization. It also highlights the efficiency of working with existing structures.
Additionally, the SBC agents are working strategically in conjunction with other economic development initiatives such as GiveDirectly, a cash transfer program that donates money to the poorest households to help lift them out of poverty. By timing the promotion of sanitation products with the cash transfers, SBC agents have further enhanced the reach and impact of their sales initiatives. Murekatete Alphonsine, another SBC agent in Kayonza district, demonstrated this by visiting recipients of the GiveDirectly cash transfers and helping them to invest SATO Pans to improve their latrines. Leveraging the GiveDirectly disbursements, Alphonsine has so far made 46 SATO sales.
The transformation from serving as volunteer community mobilizers to proactive, commission-driven sanitation entrepreneurs underscores the power of training, community engagement, and innovative outreach in driving social change. Fanny’s story, along with those of her peers, highlights the significant impact of empowering women in market-based sanitation and public health. As Fanny continues to expand her business and mentor others, she sets a powerful example of how dedication and strategic action can transform communities and improve their health.
"I am deeply grateful to the Isoko y’Ubuzima project. It has supported my business, changed my mindset, and improved my community’s water infrastructure, including a new water point near my house", said Fanny.
