Creating a Space For Herself

“Our finances were unpredictable; we never planned ahead and often had trouble paying for necessities,” shared Sharon, “Our farm output was low, nothing seemed to work, and we couldn’t figure out why. As a result, we (Sharon and her husband, Bright) would often blame each other and be stressed all the time.” Living in a remote village in the Yorodani Cluster in Kagadi district, Sharon and Bright’s life used to be filled with anxiety. Traditional farming methods and limited knowledge had led to low harvests and food insecurity. Lack of financial planning further exacerbated the situation, with Bright usually being the sole decision maker on spending. They would often fall short of money to pay for school fees for their children. “It was difficult to arrange for money even when my kids fell ill,” said Sharon.

In June 2022, when RTV partnered with their community through FLIP (From Last Mile Into Possibilities) with support from the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Sharon and Bright saw the opportunity to turn things around. “We were in church when the local village head talked about a new organization (RTV) coming to our village and providing training on good farming techniques, hygiene, and personal finances,” Sharon recalled, “I was excited and couldn’t wait to be part of the project.”

Sharon and her husband participated in various training sessions. The topics covered included good farming practices, usage of good quality inputs, financial literacy, and savings groups or VSLAs. They also joined the community for sessions on gender equality and social inclusion. “We learned how to pool savings as a group and use it for future needs. As a family, we also started budgeting for monthly expenses and plan ahead,” shared Sharon. Soon, they witnessed gradual changes.

Their harvest began to improve with good quality inputs and new practices such as using manure and organic fertilizers and pesticides. With improved and more stable income, Sharon and Bright joined Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) and encouraged some of their elder children to join youth VSLAs. By the end of each year, the family pooled their collective savings to buy land. “Our savings and loans from the VSLA helped us buy land for growing coffee and passion fruit,” Sharon shared. Good hygiene practices, such as using a tippy tap for regular hand washing and a drying rack for kitchen utensils, resulted in fewer infections and lower medical costs.

The overall change in the household dynamic has been evident. “My husband and I now jointly make major decisions and plan our budgets and spending together. I feel we love and respect each other more and play an equal role in the household. I feel alive again,” Sharon shares. Sharon and Bright are happy and work together as a team. They plan to buy yet more land for farming and ensure their children’s education up to university.

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

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.