Innovative Finance for Improved Livelihood

How do the loans and capacity building provided by IFIL make a difference for the individual farmers? Meet Angelina Isemusoro’s, one of many farmers whose life has changed because of IFIL. 

Angelina Isemusoro is showing us around her thriving little coffee farm in Uganda. Robust coffee bushes surround the small concrete buildings and inside the compound and goats roam freely between the mango trees. It’s a green little haven. But has it always been this way? 

“Previously, I actually didn’t know how to practice sustainable agricultural methods like pruning and digging trenches,” Angelina admits. 

She goes on to explain how the recent trainings provided by We Effect has significantly boosted her productivity as well as for her fellow cooperative members: “Our productivity has really increased since we started receiving capacity building,” she states.

However, one of the most impactful aspects of the training for Angelina has actually been the focus on gender equality.

“Previously, all the land and the resources belonged to my husband, but now I work together with him in all the activities, and we control the resources together,” Angelina explains. This shift in resource management has not only empowered her but also set a precedent for other women in the community. Joint ownership of resources also provides additional motivation to invest and develop their mutual enterprise and reduces financial stress. 

Despite the progress, challenges such as heavy rains, flooding, and pests unfortunately still remain. But the trainings have also provided Angelina with strategies to mitigate these issues and combat the negative effects of climate change.

“The heavy rains flood the trenches, and sometimes we even get hail that destroys the coffee beans. But the pests have decreased a lot because of the improved farming methods, now that I know how to prune,” she shares. The capacity building that she has received provides her with both mitigation and adaptation strategies that are necessary to survive. 

Access to financial resources has also played a crucial role in Angelina's journey. 

“The loan that we received through IFIL will boost my small resources, give me more capital, and improve my financial status. It will also improve the livelihoods of the other members of the cooperative society, especially the women,” she notes. This financial empowerment is key to attracting more members and strengthening the cooperative.

Angelina's story is just one example of how the IFIL project targeted trainings and community support drives important change and leads to concrete results.