From shs100k to shs15m: how rural women in Serere grew wealth 

Serere | A group of 50 women from Apolin village, Kamod sub-county in Serere district, have used the village savings group to overcome poverty while ambitiously increasing their wealth. 

On April 28, 2017, the women had only shs100,000 as their initial capital.

The dedicated “Toto Adoa Einer keda Aswam” women’s group embarked on a journey to end poverty with a small sum of money donated by their MP. 

Jenifer Rose Asekenye, the chairperson, spoke with tndNews. She described how, after receiving the capital, they purchased two pigs and later added one to make a total of three. 

When the pigs started producing, each member was given one to keep until it produced, and then one piglet was kept.

The rest of the piglets and the mother were picked and handed to another member who did the same. 

Asekenye revealed that the same strategy was used until the pigs spread to all of the group members, at which point the remaining piglets were sold and the money was saved. 

The chairperson stated that after one year, they purchased one cow while continuing with the piggery project. 

As the business grew, each member contributed shs25,000, which was used to buy multiplying sheep. Each member was given, while others were sold to purchase a cow.

Currently, each of the 50 members has received a sheep and a pig, and they are preparing for the second round. 

Asekenye revealed that they currently have a kraal with 15 sheep, 10 cows, and dozens of pigs.

The group would later invite their woman MP, Hellen Adoa, to witness how they converted the shs100k into millions of Uganda shillings.

Adoa, who is also the State Minister for Fisheries, was astounded to see how the poor group had magically grown to millions.

According to Adoa, she gave shs100,000 to the remaining villages in the sub-county, with the exception of Kyere, where she gave shs200,000.

Also read: Angry Serere locals protest revenue collection checkpoints

The donations, she said, came after she won her first term in the 2016 elections. “But little did I realise that some groups could perform such miracles.”

Adoa believes that by taking the same initiative, women can change the narrative surrounding poverty alleviation.

The impressed Minister recently provided the group with shs1 million to boost their efforts.

Some of the group members discussed how they had benefited, including being able to pay school fees and increase household income.

The group has a net worth of more than shs15 million. 

The women’s group now supports the government’s efforts to eradicate poverty in households. 

According to the most recent poverty index reports, the Teso sub-region is the country’s third poorest.  

By Robert Edwomu.