Behind The Scenes

An RTV team member during a regular household level coaching session in Rukungiri.

Ever wondered what goes into making our collaboration with last-mile communities impactful? In this special feature, we pull back the curtain to spotlight Team RTV, the driving force behind program implementation. Guided by a phased timeline and description of our program implementation, you’ll see firsthand how Team RTV collaborates with partner communities, troubleshoots challenges, and turns plans into impact.

Pre-Launch 

An RTV team member briefs partner community members during community entry in the Rakai District.

Prior to the program launch, RTV engages in a consultative project design process that integrates community feedback, RTV expertise, and historical and community-specific data to customize program activities, support community buy-in, and promote sustainability.

We work closely with local governments to reach vulnerable communities, grouping them by shared needs. Government experts, like agriculture and health workers, lead most training to ensure programs fit local contexts. Through surveys and meetings, we identify key challenges—such as water access or income levels—to tailor our efforts. We then gather community feedback through meetings and focus groups, refining programs to address specific barriers and encourage participation. Before launching, villages vote on the final plan and assign roles to sustain the program long-term. By prioritizing community ownership and involving vulnerable groups, our programs adapt to each village’s needs, ensuring lasting impact.

Active Implementation (Month 0 to 6)

RTV team member conducts liquid manure formation training with partner community members in Kagadi.

During this implementation phase, RTV enables households to secure basic needs such as food, clean water, and preventative health services. They participate in various training sessions to increase agricultural productivity and diversify incomes.

To boost agricultural productivity and income, we provide improved seeds, tools, and training in organic techniques, crop management, and pre- and post-harvest methods, supported by demonstration plots. We also provide training for farmers to negotiate better prices and create fair profit-sharing systems for group sales. We work closely with communities to form Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs), providing training in leadership, financial management, and goal-setting. These groups fund both personal and community projects and become officially registered.

An RTV team member working with partner community in Kapchorwa to set up a demo garden

To strengthen livelihoods, we support small businesses through entrepreneurship training and promote gender-inclusive opportunities. For food security, families receive vegetable seedlings and learn diverse crop production. We also collaborate on improving access to clean water by building protected sources and training local committees. Health outreach programs, run with government clinics, teach disease prevention.

An RTV team member conducts a follow-up at a VSLA meeting in the Rubanda district.

Transition and Graduation (Month 7 to 24)

An RTV team member conducts a household level coaching and follow-up session in Kagadi.

As communities transition toward self-reliance, households take greater ownership of farming, businesses, savings groups, and community projects. RTV provides targeted support to ensure all families—especially the most vulnerable—stay on track through:

We provide ongoing coaching to help communities maintain and expand their projects, as local leaders take ownership to solve challenges independently. Field teams use a mobile app to track each household’s progress, identifying families that need extra support in farming, savings, or income generation.

Independent evaluators assess community-wide results, allowing us to adjust with refresher training when needed. Annual surveys measure improvements in income, assets, and living standards, comparing data to refine our approach. 

After 24 months, communities graduate and take full ownership of projects, with local leaders and government partners ensuring long-term success.

An RTV team member monitoring coffee plants with a partner community member in Rakai.

Be part of our journey. Support last-mile communities by supporting Raising The Village. 

Let’s Stay Connected

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 1.3 million people in last-mile villages in Uganda.