Ugandan farmer and mother of 14, Josephine Nalwadda, recently learned new methods that are helping this experienced farmer save more. She was trained on effective planning, budgeting, and recordkeeping. Mrs. Nalwadda grows coffee in Kibali, a village about 55 kilometres from Kampala, Uganda. Thanks to her training in financial literacy, she now saves money with a co-operative and keeps records for her local village savings association. She’s using her new savings to buy land and finish constructing a new house.
Mrs. Nalwadda grows coffee in Kibali, a village in Ngogwe sub-county about 55 kilometres from Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. Because of her training in financial literacy, she has adopted a saving and planning culture.
After the training, Josephine Nalwadda is always seen busy analyzing a book where she records savings, plans, and budgets for her coffee enterprise. She regards farming as a business now. In the past, Mrs. Nalwadda could not save money and did not know if she was making a profit or a loss.
“I am now able to plan, budget, and keep records of coffee sales due to the regular training I received. I can count millions of shillings nowadays.” Josephine Nalwadda said.
She explains: “Saving money and budgeting are good principles and these techniques have help me to ably fight poverty, solve family problems, and invest in the education of my children.”
The financial literacy carried out by various non-governmental organizations in the Uganda is beginning to have a positive impact on the farmers. Mrs. Nalwadda is also encouraging and training other women farmers to be financially literate.
Difasi Kibaluma also grows coffee and is a member of KISEDA. He says he has learned important financial literacy skills through the group, including saving, planning, and budgeting. Mr. Kibaluma advises other coffee farmers to get trained in these skills. He adds: “I have budgeted money for constructing a house for two piglets using my income from coffee. I managed to plan to come out of a small house to a big one. I also saved 917,000 Ugandan shillings ($248 US) from coffee farming and I will use part of this money to plaster my unfinished house.”
Joseph Ruyombo is the extension officer at UGACOF, a coffee company in Kampala. Mr. Ruyombo says that age and lack of education need not be barriers for farmers who want to improve their farming businesses.
He praises Mrs. Nalwadda for supporting other farmers with knowledge and funds.
Story produced by Farm Radio International. www.farmradio.org
