Nakalawa Agnes (1963)

Occupation: Crafts; basket making.

Got her first loan 3 years ago, She started with a loan of 500,000 ugx, increased it to 1,000,000 ugx and later to 2,000,000 ugx.

She used her loan for her business, with the loan she could create a bigger stock of banana leafs and sisal fibers. Those are difficult to obtain during the wet season. Without stock she can’t continue her business during this period. The materials are ready to use when she buys them that is they are dyed and cut.

She never regretted that she had a loan, she never had a problem to pay back. Now she still has to pay back 250.000 ugx in the next 3 months.

The loan changed her life, for since she can work more she can pay back the loan and spend more money for building her house, paying schoolfees for her children and live easier.

She has got 11 children of whom 2 died. Only the three youngest live at home, they are in senior 3,senior 4 and senior 6 at boarding school. She also takes care of 5 grand children.

Her adult daughters do help her, the sons don’t.

In senior 1 she left school because her parents died and she could not afford schoolfees.

Except for her crafts she also works in her garden to produce her own food.

Nabuusa Grace (1972)

farmer

Got her first loan of 250,000 ugx in 2011, used it to buy two piglets and forage. She sold 40 chickens and eggs to repay. When the piglets grew up and produced a part of the new born piglets were sold. In the beginning it was not always easy to pay back. She got a second loan of 600,000 ugx for a poultry house, she used it for local chickens. She got a third loan of 1,000,000 ugx and used it to purchase productive chickens and forage. The profits of the pigs and the local chickens were used to build a new poultry house.

The eggs of local chickens are sweeter and therefore more expensive but local chickens are less productive. High productive chickens are more vulnerable for diseases and need profilactic medication and injections.

Before here first loan she had just the garden.

She has children aged 19, 18, 14 and 11 years old. The eldest daughter gave birth to a grandson but is now back to school, Senior 5.

Grace lives with her husband who helps with bringing up the children. She never regretted having a loan, every thing she has now is as a result of those loans. Now she has just one remaining month for the third loan.

She left school after Primairy 7 because her parents had no money, her dad died.