Village life in West Nile

Yesterday, 13 September 2016, I headed out to Wadelai with Alfred and other Caritas staff to visit one of the many Village Saving and Loan Associations (VSLA) which Caritas has established and continues to support with funding from Caritas Norway.  The VSLA is part of a wider project in the village and also includes advice, training and support in agriculture, healthcare including HIV testing, marketing training to enable the villagers to maximise the income from their crops and hygiene and sanitation training promoting the establishment of healthy homesteads.

During the meeting, the community leaders reported that the 23 members had some UGS 415,000 in the saving scheme (i.e. about £95).  The savings are distributed three times per year and the last distribution was in July 2016.  On average the villagers save between UGS 4,000,000 and UGS 5,000,000 (£910 and £1,135); in other words pro rata each villager saves between £118 and £148 per annum.

 

Their savings are from the income they generate from selling their crops, including simsim (sesame), bananas, pumpkins, tomatoes, beans and cassava.  In addition some income will come from selling the locally brewed alcohol which is made from dried cassava - waragi. 

 

Waragi still