With a mandate to reforestation and afforestation, NFC started growing some of its own seedlings particularly to serve where trees have been harvested in the buffer zone.
The company’s seedlings nursery bed in the forest is grown depending on the need but has capacity of 200,000 seedlings.
Mukarugaba Dativa, the in-charge of NFC seedlings nursery bed said they are employed as four permanent workers and other casual workers engaged depending on the need.
“Working with The New Forests Company has increased my skills in forestry,” Mukarugaba says. Before joining NFC she worked in tea plantations in Kitabi and that was all the knowledge she had.
A resident of Kagano cell in Kitabi Sector, Nyamagabe District, the mother of three says the job at NFC has ensured and raised her livelihood. “This job raised my salary and now I am able to care for my children and family.
Mukarugaba says that, her job pays for all her basic needs at home, school fees, health insurance and she joined village savings and loan groups (Ibimina) in her locality.