Cukaig Charity Gaba is a South Sudanese refugee, wife, and mother of nine.

She is a member of Unity C SFL Seed Effect Savings and Loan Group in Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement. This group meets at their local church, Bible Hope International, where Gaba’s husband, Edward, is the pastor.

We first met Gaba in June 2023, a few months into her group’s first savings and loan cycle. At that point in time Gaba shared the following with us,

“I want to first give thanks to God for bringing Seed Effect to this area. When we left South Sudan because of the war, we lost many people. It caused a lot of painful thoughts in our minds. Now after joining Seed Effect, these painful thoughts about our lost ones are going away because of the encouragement and the Bible study. The word of God is comforting us.

I also want to appreciate Seed Effect because they came with the saving methodology. We used to struggle a lot when we did not have money. We did not know where to go to borrow, but now because of Seed Effect we can borrow money from the group to buy food and to solve some of our issues. Like when our kids are sick, we can now afford medication.

We appreciate Seed Effect Uganda staff. They visit us often and encourage us. When there are conflicts, they help us with conflict resolution. Before we take loans, they guide us on how we can use the money so we are very happy with that.”

“Because Seed Effect has brought us together, we have been unified with our fellow friends. We feel like we have filled the gap that was created when we left South Sudan. Since we came to Seed Effect, our lives have been transformed.”

Charity Gaba with her husband, Edward and four of their children. Photo by Wavemaker.

We had the opportunity to met back up with Gaba and her fellow members of Unity C Seed Effect savings and loan group in mid March of 2023, just after the completion of their first savings cycle and share-out!

Gaba shared, that she and many of her fellow members were traumatized with the idea of savings; they didn’t want savings. Because they realized [in the past when they tried to save], whenever they were sharing out, they always ended up with the wrong amounts and so they were afraid. But when they heard Seed Effect was a Christian-based organization, they said, let us have a trial. Upon their first share-out the members exclaimed,

“Wow, we didn’t know it was so sweet to share money in this manner.”

Gaba went on to share about what the first share out meant to her, her family, and her group as a whole. “I was very happy when we reached the day of sharing our money. We had a target as a group that by the end of the cycle, we wanted to buy a grinding mill for grinding corn and paste. So, when we shared the money we were able to buy the grinding mill. See in that tukul there (we got to see the grinding mill first hand!), that is the house for the grinding mill. It cost 7 million shillings.”

Unity C SFl’s Field Officer, Patrick Kenyi added to what Gaba shared, by saying, “You see how determined they were. They were able to succeed and now she is very happy. Tomorrow, the grinding mill is starting to operate. That is the joy she found from Seed Effect. She has been able to buy a grinding mill that she could not buy during the first six years of her time in the settlement. But only one year with Seed Effect, made her successful. She was able to buy something that she could not imagine that she could even afford as a refugee. In her whole life, she has never held close to 7 million, but now she and her community have a grinding mill. That is the joy of sharing out with Seed Effect.”

Patrick Kenyi with “Unity” Seed Effect Group. Photo by Wavemaker.

Gaba continued to share the importance of this grinding mill to her family,

“I realized that within here – in this zone – there is only one grinding mill, so I realized there was a gap. People would have to go very far to grind, so I realized that I needed to buy one here. So that people will come here to strengthen me. This is a business grinding mill so that people will bring their maize after receiving the food ration and they will grind. I planned that out of this grinding mill, I will pay my children’s school fees. I can also aid food since food has been reduced by UNHCR and I can also improve my family. My next dream is to have a house with an iron sheet roof, not just grass. That is my next dream.”

Not only is Gaba helping her family and fellow savings group members, but really the community at large, “After buying, we called the community together, the leaders, the church leaders… we had prayers at home… may God bless this machine so that it will benefit the whole community. My call is to also help the community to strengthen the relationship that I have with other members and the community. Then I become complete in the four key relationships. Because I have a good relationship with God as a Christian. I relate well with myself, and I am looking forward to strengthening my relationship with others. It’s important for me to help and serve God through that business by helping my neighbors and the community within Rhino Camp.”

“We are not from the same communities or tribes in South Sudan, but that does not matter. Because, God created us.”

“He said he created man in his own image. It does not say he created Kuku in his own image and then created another tribe in a different image. So God created us and saved us as whole to be part of his kingdom so if God can save me when I am was a sinner, why not help the community also? So I experience the love of God.. where God picked me from and where God has brought me is not by my own making. I got this money from being in this group. If it was not for the group, I would not make it. So as we saved together and I was able to buy the grinding mill it’s important to help my fellow members and the community as a whole because they helped me to achieve this goal. It is not on my own, but there are many factors. The group was inclusive, and the community contributed towards the achievement of buying the grinding mill. I want it’s purpose to be reflective of it’s start.”

“Unity” Seed Effect Group. Photo by Wavemaker.

In this same vein of collaboration, unity, and growth, Gaba shared about how much she has learned from the different tribes, specifically about the 4 key relationships outlined in their Seed Effect Bible Study, 

“I learn a lot from the different tribes. There is a lot of Unity and love amongst the group and for one another. The character of our group resembles our name. The reason why there is unity is because of the Word of God. Before saving, every week we have Bible Study. When we are going through the 4 key relationships, we become more united since God built us to have relationship.”

“Because of that word alone, that we need to have relationship with each other, it encourages us to be more united with each other.”