From Exhaustion to Enterprise: How Investing in Care Unlocked Marcelline`s Economic Potential

In the foothills of Cyivugiza Cell, Muko Sector, situated in Musanze District, Marcelline Uzamukunda’s days followed a monotonous and silently eroding flow. To many in her community, her morning routine seemed fairly normal, but in reality, was rooted in deeply entrenched stereotypes that continue to infringe on women’s socio-economic development.

Waking up long before sunrise, while her husband and children were still asleep, Marcelline would gear up, and in mechanical fashion, begin to face the invisible weight of care work that laid before her. “My day would start early in the morning. I would fetch water, cook, clean the house, prepare the children for school, then go to the fields,” she recalls.

Though her efforts could be lauded as commendable, the reality is that they came at a great cost. This recurrent delay began to not only compromise her productivity, but the resulting exhaustion began to cost her ambition. “I would reach the field by 9:00 a.m. while others started at 7:00 a.m. Household work heavily constrained my time. I constantly suffered from fatigue because I rarely had time to rest,” she says. “My husband did not assist, seeing household chores as solely the wife’s responsibility.” 

Marcelline’s reflections point to the grim reality that in many households, the responsibility of care work is predominately still attributed to women. A baseline survey titled "Unpaid Care Work Status among Women and Men in 8 Districts of Rwanda", commissioned by UN Women in 2022, outlines that on average, women in rural districts spend 7.1 hours a day on domestic responsibilities, significantly disproportional to the 2.1 hours spent by men.

However, in the midst of these limitations, Marcelline still held on to her dreams. She envisioned to increase her agricultural productivity with a target of one day supplying to wider markets. 

In 2023, Marcelline was introduced to the UN Women 3R Programme, "Transformative Approaches to Recognize, Reduce and Redistribute Unpaid Care Work", which in its second phase, is implemented across five districts with support from the Government of Germany. Upon integration into the programme, Marcelline quickly began to see her potential in a different light.

“After receiving trainings on sustainable farming practices, GBV prevention, and most importantly, skills in income-generating activities, I eventually learned how to structure a business and plan effectively,” she says. “That moment made me believe everything was possible and that I could achieve my goals. However, what truly transformed my life was the programme’s focus on reducing unpaid care work.”

In addition to equipping Marcelline with business skills and knowledge to increase her productivity, the programme also provided her with time and energy saving equipment such as cooking stoves, significantly reducing her reliance on firewood and its related costs. Marcelline was able to strengthen her personal saving efforts and was able to connect her home to the main water supply, eliminating the daily burden of fetching water. “The money I previously spent on water and firewood is now saved. This programme has not only eased the physical burden of water collection but has also granted me the invaluable gift of time.”

With the establishment of a model Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre in her sector, Marcelline was able to enroll her youngest, two-year old son to the facility, giving her the time to place increased efforts towards her economic development. “I would drop my child off in the morning and pick him up in the evening. I could focus on my business while knowing my child was in a safe and nurturing environment.” she states.

With reduced care responsibilities, Marcelline redirected her time toward productive work. Her agricultural output improved, with flourishing harvests of corn, green beans and potatoes. With improved financial management skills, she joined two savings groups, contributing 37,500 RWF weekly in total. By the end of 2025, she had saved 1,260,000 RWF, capital that allowed her to scale her animal feed business. Starting with 814,500 RWF, her business capital has now grown to 2,200,000 RWF. She invested 1.5 million RWF to establish a formal animal feed enterprise and since June 2025, her sales have increased from 4 tons to 6 tons. “I can now generate income and provide a sufficient balanced diet for my family. I pay for my children’s school fees, materials and clothing,” she says.

Economic empowerment has also shifted dynamics at home. “My husband’s attitude has shifted. He now respects and values me. We share responsibilities, and he sometimes stays home to take care of household tasks while I go to my business,” she explains.

Today, Marcelline is not only a beneficiary, but a role model. As an active cooperative member and small-scale trader, she trains other women on strategies for personal and economic development. The dreams that once felt out of reach now seem achievable. Marcelline plans to build rental houses within the next two years on a plot she owns.

Her message to other women is clear: “Start small, plan carefully, and gradually achieve bigger goals. Women should believe in themselves and know that opportunities are equally available to both men and women.”

Marcelline’s journey illustrates that when unpaid care work is recognized, reduced and redistributed, women gain time, agency and economic opportunity. And when women thrive, families and communities move forward with them.