Gloria and her mother Florence, members of ‘God’s Will’ Seed Effect Group, both work hard to provide for their families in Uganda.

Gloria has three young children and runs two small businesses in the main market. Florence has six grown children and runs a small retail store.

59% of Seed Effect members are South Sudanese refugees who have very little, if any, access to the financial tools they need. The remaining 41% of Seed Effect members are Ugandan nationals, like Gloria and Florence.

While other microfinance programs are available to some Ugandans, there has been an overwhelming demand for Seed Effect.

Gloria runs her small business in the market.

Their Seed Effect Savings & Loan Group met weekly for nine months.

Florence shared, “the whole group had 8.6 million Ugandan Shillings ($2,300) at the end of the cycle to distribute during the graduation share out.

Most everyone saved all that they could during the cycle and so when they were sharing out, members on average received 294,000 Ugandan Shillings ($72).

We left 12 shares in the box so we could start our second cycle with more capital. We also raised the share value in the second cycle, it used to be 1,000 and now it is 2,000 shillings. And most of the time group members are saving the maximum amount of five shares weekly.”

 The women are now in their second savings and loan cycle.

Gloria & Florence of God’s Will Seed Effect Group.

When they shared what they like most about their group, Gloria said, “There is preaching before we start and praying also. It encourages us.

Florence said,

“Sharing the Gospel is really helping us in life a lot, both in terms of empowering us economically and then it helps our members to really forgive.

Before Seed Effect came here, we did not really understand the  origin of poverty. But now that Seed Effect has come, they have told us about the four key relationships and this understanding is really helping us a lot.

We are working hard to restore these relationships  and reduce our poverty. I think many people should join Seed Effect.”