Socio-Economic Activities in Our District

1A busy Saturday

On Saturday, Umutoni walks with her grandmother to the market. On the way she sees a farmer digging beans, a moto rider carrying a passenger, and a carpenter making a bed. She passes a health centre, a church and a mosque. At the school field, children are playing football.

"Everyone is busy!" says Umutoni. Her grandmother smiles. "Yes. Some are earning a living, and some are caring for each other. That is how a district lives."

2Economic activities

Economic activities are the work people do to earn money or to produce goods and services. For example:

• Crop farming: growing beans, maize, bananas, cassava, Irish potatoes and rice for food, and tea and coffee to sell.
• Livestock keeping: keeping cows, goats, pigs and chickens.
• Fishing in lakes and rivers.
• Trade: buying and selling in markets and shops.
• Crafts: weaving baskets, making pots, carpentry and tailoring.
• Tourism: welcoming visitors to national parks, lakes and hotels.
• Transport: moto, bus and bicycle taxis, and lorries carrying goods.
• Industry: factories that make things, like milk, maize flour or tea for sale.

3Social activities

Social activities bring people together and help them live well. They are not done mainly for money:

• Education: going to school and learning.
• Health: health centres and hospitals caring for the sick.
• Worship in churches and mosques.
• Sports and games, like football and volleyball.
• Ceremonies such as weddings, and visiting neighbours.
• Umuganda: community work on the last Saturday of the month.

We put the two words together and say socio-economic activities: all the things people do to earn a living and to live well together.

4Different districts, different work

The land, the weather and the water in a district decide which activities people can do there.

Try it yourself