Solidarity groups improving grannies’ livelihood
Members having their weekly saving meeting.
By Moses Muwulya,Communications Officer
“We remember how hard it was for us to get a loan and solve our emergent financial needs” grannies of “Twekembe” Grand Mothers Solidarity group recall. The memory comes as a fellow member applies for a loan during one of the weekly sittings.
Fausta Nalwadda, who borrows to buy livestock feeds, says the solidarity group has since shown exit to such woes, thanking Kitovu Mobile for empowering them.
Member paying back a loan
The eighty-year-old, who borrows for the third time, says before, she couldn’t find it easy to get where to borrow.
Through the Grand Mothers and OVC Support Project, Kitovu Mobile bids to build resilience of grand Mothers and grand children in their care.
Members are mobilized into small groups, termed as Solidarity groups and encourage them to have income generating activities. This helps them to get money for saving, borrow to solve their petty financial needs as well as starting up small businesses.
Group members, who started saving as low as Shs 500; which was since raised to 1000 and above, have got accumulated saving amounting to Shs 632,000. They agreed that when it comes to borrowing, they all borrow and each of them buy an asset that adds value to their livelihood.
Group secretary recording savings by individual members
On the first borrowing round, they all bought tumplines and use them for drying coffee. Move aimed to stop drying coffee on bare ground which compromises it quality, fetching low returns.
The second phase of borrowing so each member buys a piglet to boost household income.
After this, ImeldaBukirwa, the group secretary shares that each member can now borrow for a different cause.
The 52-year old says they had to do it that way because they don’t want to live any member behind, especially when it comes to livelihood improvement.
‘We know that when we all have income generating activities, we ably save and increase on our loan base.
To maintain unity, and capital, she says, they plan to enlarge micro enterprises “We are thinking of buying tents, and add on those which Kitovu hasbought us”
They have so far bought 16 chairs, supplementing on those received from Kitovu Mobile. This makes a total of 68 chairs.
“Before Covid19 disrupted this business, they has realized shs 50,000 from hiring these chairs; but the ban on gatherings saw no demand for chairs”