Another day in the field, a great cooperative in prospect

Few months ago, Seeds started to work with NEW Foundation, our partner organisation in the Sironko District, to update our 131 rural saving groups (VSLA) into one credit cooperative. In the same way we've always operated, our goal is not to bring financial capital and cross fingers for it to be efficiently spent. Rather, we train people on best practices and organizational methods to use their own capital in the most efficient way. This is sometimes challenging: going to a very remote community and trying to convince them that such investment would be beneficial to them is not always an easy task. This is why we always work with local partners who know the communities, their needs, their means, their habits. And this is also why it has taken many months to make sure everyone was fully on board.

Today we are in Bugitimwa, one of the 14 zones we created to gather the VSLA groups together. Once the added value of such credit cooperative and the benefits of working together in the same direction were demonstrated in terms of farming inputs purchasing, land renting, tools sharing, group storage facilities and enhanced marketing and pricing, our audience was again quite enthusiastic and willing to move forward. We still have more similar community meetings in the coming weeks. Then we'll start training the selected board and staff on how to manage the soon-to-be financial institution. Here we are talking about 4720 members & beneficiaries. It is about very practical farming, marketing and financial solutions. It is about setting up a serious and accountable business. And it is about launching an exciting adventure that will make a difference. And we are all very proud of the work done and the perspectives ahead, but this has only been made possible thanks to all our generous donors who trusted us to do good with their donations. So count on us to keep being trustful. Thank you all!