More Photos

A typical grouping of family and neighbour houses.

This is a picture of the connections between the various coops.  The RPOs (producers) form cooperatives.  Groups of RPOs come together to form ACEs (marketing coops).  The ACEs often get their financial services from a SACCO.  When it works it's a great example of how cooperatives can work togehter to support their communities and their members.  Through this interconnected system the goal of CDF (to alleviate poverty through coops) actually works.

Ikwera SACCO - a group picture after our work has been done

Ikwera board hard at work in the parish hall

Laying of the cornerstone.  You can see that CCA is given credit on the poster that they've made up.  This was a proud moment made possible because of CCA.   

Members of the board engrossed in our work. Peter is the manager who is a volunteer.  You'll also notice that there's a woman in the photo.  In fact most cooperatives have about 40% representation from women as gender is a big issue that UCA is supporting. 

Speeches. The board of the SACCO as well as the villagers were so thankful for the help that CCA was able to provide.  Without the SACCO there are no financial services available unless they get themselves to Lira (no small feat as they have to walk or take a "taxi/mortorcycle" or get a ride on one of those trucks loaded with cargo and people hangng on for dear life on top of the cargo).  CCA has such a positive reputation in the cooperatives here that it's a privilege to be associasted with them.

The Alira Womens Group in Aduku who sang and danced for us

The first day with Chegere ACE where we met in an empty warehouse.  This is a Marketing Cooperative which is composed of several RPOs (producer/farmer cooperatives).

a VSLA (Village Savings and Loans Association); this is the step before forming a SACCO and they meet under a mango tree in the village

a ride to the market

And home we go.  This is an example of the road conditions when they weren't that wet - add in torential rains and imagine it after that.  These board members walk or somehow get the the meetings and the Vice Chair is lame due to a leg injury - if that isn't dedication I don't know what is. No director remunerations for them and no travel subsidy.

marching to the builidng site to lay the cornerstone

market day

swarmed by girls at the girls school where we met the first day with Ikwara SACCO