What kind of investment can a Ni Nyampinga like you make, taking into account your financial situation? This is the big question asked by those who want to develop themselves but might be financially limited. By looking at examples of Ni Nyampingas across the country, we can learn about some simple ways to invest.

My name is Beata, I’m 15 years old and I live in Rwabicuma Sector. Some time ago, my mum gave me Rwf 200 (20 cents) and lent me a piece of land. I used the money to buy cabbage seeds and then planted them. I managed to harvest four sacks of cabbages and made a profit of Rwf 5,000. I used some of the money to buy a chicken and a rabbit. When I sold the chicken, I earned Rwf 7,500 and I put Rwf 5,000 into a community savings programme. I invested the rest by buying two large bunches of bananas - one at Rwf 1,500 and the other at Rwf 1,000. When it came time to sell the bananas, I saved Rwf 1,100 from the profit in our weekly saving group.

Early on, I decided to save some of the money I made and invest the rest. If I put all the money into the saving group, I knew I would have nothing left over to invest and help create more income. When I first started, I found it really tough. The chicks were easy prey for larger birds and some of the bananas I bought failed to ripen. But I didn't give up. I decided to build a chicken coop and be more careful by only choosing fully grown banana

If you’re looking to make an investment, my advice is to study your local area. Is there anything in high demand? In my case, I chose cabbages because lots of people grow them in my community and they are profitable. Thanks to my investments, I now own a cow and I can buy myself clothes and shoes. This year, I’m aiming to buy a pig.

My name is Sandrine, I’m 17 years old and I live in Kamitsinga. When I learnt from my friends that avocados are profitable, I asked my dad for some money to invest. I started buying Rwf 1,000 worth of avocados and reselling them at Rwf 1,500 on the same day. I’ve now been doing this business for three weeks and I’ve earned Rwf 8,000. I decided to sell avocados because it’s the favourite fruit of many customers in my area. I knew I didn’t want to spend all my money, so I decided to invest. Another reason is that if you don’t invest, your money won’t grow.

That said, one day I made a loss. I had purchased poor quality avocados that looked fully grown on the outside, but in reality they were not. It was a big blow, but I didn't give up. I decided to always buy avocados with my friend Mutimutuje who is good at picking them.