A Legacy of Resilience and Growth

Beatrice in her farm in Luuka

At 67 years old, Beatrice, from the Luuka district, is a shining example of resilience and growth in her community. A farmer by trade, she once relied on traditional methods to cultivate coffee, groundnuts, millet, and maize. Eager to improve her farm yield and income, she participated in training sessions on modern farming practices by RTV in early 2023.  

Along with training sessions, Beatrice received inputs and tools that transformed Beatrice’s approach to farming. One of the most significant changes was the introduction of the ox plow, which saved Beatrice from renting one at UGX 40,000 per day. Additionally, she received improved seeds of maize, soybeans, and beans. “We started planting in lines and spacing something that we had not done before, and the harvest was big,” Beatrice explained. “In the first season, my maize harvest increased significantly after applying the new practices,” she proudly shared.

Beatrice planting coffee trees in her plantation

The training also addressed challenges in coffee farming, an area where she had struggled. Beatrice learned to prune her coffee trees, apply manure, and fill gaps with new plants. “I used to harvest small amounts of coffee, but after applying these practices, the trees began producing more berries,” she shared. Income from her improved coffee harvests helped pay her son’s university fees at Kyambogo University in Kampala.

To access affordable credit, Beatrice joined a women’s Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA), where she was appointed treasurer. A low-interest loan from the VSLA helped her kickstart her livestock business with a cow and some chickens, which has since grown. She now has five pigs and manages a thriving poultry business. The income generated from these activities has significantly improved her household’s financial stability.

Beatrice checking on her chickens

Beatrice also planted a keyhole garden for her grandchildren. They now consume fresh vegetables, including eggplants, sukuma wiki, and black nightshade, “We get our vegetables from our keyhole garden. My favorite is the green eggplant,” she said with a smile.

Beatrice’s ambitions continue to grow as she looks toward the future. Looking ahead, Beatrice plans to grow her poultry business by building a larger structure and expanding her pigsty. She also intends to plant more coffee trees to boost her yields further.

Beatrice with some of her daughters and grandchildren

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Raising The Village (RTV) partners with last-mile, rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa and develops holistic initiatives that pave the pathway out of ultra-poverty towards economic self-sufficiency within 24 months. Our programs focus on improving agricultural incomes through training and providing agricultural inputs, diversifying income streams, removing barriers to participation such as lack of access to health, water, financial inclusion, and food security, and promoting healthy behaviors including adopting healthy WASH and gender equity practices. Since 2016, we have impacted the lives of more than 665,000 people in last-mile villages in Uganda and increased household incomes and earnings by 138% in 24 months.