By M. Scott Frank and Ronald Kibirige
Growing up, 38-year-old Namata Goretti dreamed of becoming a doctor. But due to her family situation, she – like many others in the rural community of Kasasa, Uganda – became a farmer. Now, the married mother of five children works hard in the agriculture sector.
Goretti is one woman who will benefit from the Tat Sat Community Academy (TaSCA) Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCO), which will be up and running in the next few weeks. The Tat Sat Community Academy is a school and cultural institution under construction that will also serve the community in collaboration with the SACCO. The Co-Operative is community-owned, and along with providing direct financial services, will facilitate access to the banking system — often acting as a liaison between members and larger urban banks.
Goretti is one such community member looking forward to it.
“For me, I think I will benefit so much from the SACCO,” she said. “I want to get a loan to invest in commercial agriculture so I can raise enough money for paying my children’s school fees. With the possibilities the SACCO comes with, I can learn and invest in long-term crops such as coffee, but also have the capacity to employ young people in the community. Secondly, our TaSCA project restores our culture! I am so glad that this is part of our community initiative. Our children who have difficulties to access and use their traditional beliefs and system will be assisted. Combining our culture, balanced access to financial resources, and education, an education that is grounded in our personal and community needs, is something that gives hope, especially to us women here.”
As we recently celebrated International Women’s Day and celebrate Women’s History Month during the month of March 2022, we want to recognize the women of the community of Kasasa and how their efforts in the community are shaping the future for women and girls.
Nakayenga Moley, 28, and the married mother of four children, said the SACCO will be empowering for her and she hopes to help add to her growing business through it.
During a discussion at a salon in Kasasa, a group of women discussed what International Women’s Day means to them and how the SACCO will be life-changing for women in the community. Stella Nassolo said during the discussion that the SACCO is going to support people to create their own jobs.
“It will teach people about savings, getting loans and running businesses,” she said. “In fact I am advocating that we put more effort into helping women. Teach and give out farmers’ loans so that we buy fertilizers and yield more produce. People are going to breed more animals because the SACCO will do its best to support them with loans. As a low income earner, I believe it will help me save what I can afford, unlike the commercial banks. I can’t even explain how thankful I am to all that are working to make TaSCA a reality. With such a project in this village, I think I will be well off in the next few years. In five years, this place will change and will not be the same. Other communities will start admiring us. In this area many youth had forsaken cultural norms. This will be a great rejuvenation, and a form of empowerment for them.”
Interviews conducted by Grace Achen
