Leading The Way

In a last-mile village in Mitooma District, Annet, 48, is known today as a Community Champion, a role she had never imagined herself stepping into until recently. “I had never taken on any leadership roles in my village. I didn’t think I was capable of leading a large group of people, but after taking part in various training sessions, particularly the mindset change training, my perspective shifted. When it was time to select leaders to drive the different programs, I volunteered to be a village champion, and I was selected,” Annet shared.

As a lifelong farmer and mother to seven, this new role quickly changed how Annet saw herself and how others saw her. “This position has significantly enhanced my reputation in my village, and I have developed numerous leadership skills that I previously lacked. I feel more confident, particularly when speaking to fellow community members or conducting follow-ups, and I have gained respect within the community,” she shared. Her role involves conducting training sessions, ensuring households adopt various best practices, and supporting groups to stay on track.

Farming remains central to Annet’s life, and with improved tools, seeds, and training, her gardens began to flourish. “My farmland had declined in fertility, and my seeds struggled to grow. However, after I began using some modern farming techniques that I learned from the agricultural training, my gardens began to thrive. I discovered how to create and use organic manure, I dug water trenches, and I also applied mulch to my gardens.” Together with her husband, she cultivates bananas, coffee, beans, groundnuts, Irish potatoes, and various vegetables.

The changes have not been limited to her farm. At home, Annet has adopted new practices to improve health and sanitation, from setting up a tippy tap for handwashing to keeping drinking water boiled and safe. Her family also benefits from clean water through a newly constructed spring tank. Financially, Annet says she feels more secure than before. She had once joined a village savings group, but without proper management, members often lost money. “I used to be involved in a local VSLA in our village, but it wasn’t managed as well as the ones we started when RTV arrived. In the earlier VSLA, we would put one member in charge of our savings, and at times, our money was mishandled.” Through the new savings group, Annet has been able to borrow money to invest in different ventures. “The VSLA has significantly helped me. I have taken out three loans so far to buy livestock, invest in a business and buy seedlings.”

Looking ahead, Annet has already set her sights on what comes next. With plans to start a produce business in the coming year, she wants to trade in beans, maize, groundnuts, and matooke.

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.