TREPA project Equips 136 Saving Group Ambassadors to Champion Financial Inclusion and Climate Action in Rwanda’s Eastern Province

As part of ongoing efforts to enhance the resilience of the Rwandan population in the Eastern Province, Cordaid has onboarded 136 Saving Group Ambassadors (SGAs) who have been part of the Saving groups for the project since it started. These individuals are not academic experts providing solutions; rather, they are integral community leaders entrusted with the responsibility of mentoring over a thousand savings groups. Collectively, these groups will foster hope, resilience, and opportunities for more than ( in counting) 21,000 members within the saving groups.

The results speak for themselves. Since then, the TREPA project, through Cordaid, has trained ambassadors on financial literacy, climate change awareness, saving group functionality, and inclusion of women, youth, and people with disabilities, and more than RWF 150 million has been mobilized in savings as part of ongoing efforts on savings literacy within the beneficiaries of the TREPA project. 

TREPA project, through Cordaid, has trained saving group ambassadors on several themes, including financial literacy and climate change.

Cordaid, in joint efforts with the TREPA partners, including World Vision, Rwanda Forestry Authority, CIFOR-ICRAF, and IUCN, remains committed to standing alongside the beneficiaries, including all 136 Ambassadors, offering full package of mentorship, fostering peer learning, and strengthening the skills and confidence that will keep communities thriving while protecting nature for people and the planet.

The presence of ambassadors has already started showing positive impacts. SGAs are more than facilitators; they are mentors, mobilizers, and catalysts for transformation. In Bugesera, Théoneste speaks with pride: “As an Ambassador, I feel proud to help my community save and grow. Together, we’re building resilience for tomorrow.” In Kirehe, Providence sees her new role as a chance to give back: “I now have the skills to help members save wisely and invest in activities that protect our environment.” And in Rwamagana, Justin reflects on guiding groups to save and launch small businesses, offering them not just financial security but a shield against the shocks of a changing climate.

By decentralizing coaching, monitoring, and reporting, the TREPA project has redefined how rural financial systems are nurtured. No longer dependent on distant oversight, savings groups now thrive under the close, consistent guidance of their own neighbours. This approach will strengthen the group performance, drive sustainability, and reduce the costs and delays inherent in centralized follow-up. More importantly, it will foster genuine ownership, embedding climate resilience and financial discipline into the very fabric of community life.

Sylvie Mugabekazi, Program Manager for Climate Resilience Projects at Cordaid, aptly captures, “When we talk about building climate resilience, it’s not just about technical solutions. It’s about empowering communities, helping them understand the risks of climate change so they can take informed action. Real, lasting change happens when it’s driven from within. When communities lead the way, investing in climate-smart solutions becomes a shared responsibility, and that’s how resilience takes root.”

The legacy being built here is more than financial figures or project milestones. It is the story of a people charting their own course of leaders rising from within, of communities holding the tools to secure their futures, and of a resilience that grows deeper roots with every season. In Eastern Rwanda, the TREPA project is proving that when communities take the lead, change is not just possible, it is unstoppable.