Uganda
Uganda has been variously described as the pearl of Africa, a beautiful garden, and the youngest country in the world. With a population of about 40 million people, Uganda is rapidly growing with an average of nearly six children per family. The country relies heavily on agriculture, with most rural communities engaged in subsistence level farming of maize, millet, bananas, and casava. Poverty levels remain high and in rural areas access to electricity and education are limited.
Five Talents has been working in Uganda since 2001 in partnership with the Anglican Church of Uganda. In 2006, Five Talents Uganda was established to assist poor entrepreneurs using a combination of business training, spiritual development, and microsavings and loans. The programme has served over 15,000 households with access to financial services including savings, loans and insurance, along with training and mentoring. Currently, there are over over 3,000 clients across 5 branches spread throughout the country:
Kigezi and Kisoro in the south-west near the border with Rwanda
Kabale in the west
Namirembe in Kampala, where the Head Office is also based
Kitgum, the newest branch, in the north of Uganda bordering South Sudan.
After 10 years of partnership, Five Talents has most recently focused its support on savings-led microfinance programs in Kisoro and Kitgum. Both are areas of significant exclusion and need. Kisoro borders Rwanda and DRC; Kitgum borders South Sudan and covers 4 districts which were devastated by the 20-year civil war with the Lord's Resistance Army. Even today, recovery is slow and the need for small loans to help clients re-start businesses they lost in the war is huge.
Through training, mentorship, and small group savings and loans, communities are gaining the tools and resources to develop sustainable businesses and rebuild their communities.
Five Talents is also pioneering a new savings and credit cooperative in the Diocese of Mukono. The aim is to bring financial services within reach of all communities in the region, and as a member-owned cooperative, the benefits will be shared by everyone.
Partners:
Five Talents Uganda (FTU), Kampala, Uganda
Anglican Church of Uganda
Training and Resource Development:
Business skills development: leadership, financial planning, management, cash flow, record keeping, pricing
Community Savings and Loans
Loan insurance
Christian values
The Need
We'd appreciate your continued prayers for this growing program. Please support our work in Uganda either by making a one-time donation or by signing up to "Walk with Us" as a recurring donor.
