When poverty and gender collide
In rural northern Uganda, poverty is not just an economic condition, it’s a compounding barrier that deepens when overlaid with gender. Women in these communities face distinct and often overwhelming disadvantages when it comes to accessing health care, clean water, and sustainable economic opportunities.
The latest data from our 2024 Social Impact Report, developed in partnership with Huber Social, reveals the complex web of challenges facing women, and the ways Love Mercy is working to shift that narrative.
Women bear the burden of poor access
Women in rural Uganda are often the primary caregivers, farmers, and protectors of household wellbeing. And yet, their access to essential services remains limited. Their status is affected by high poverty levels, low literacy rates, limited access to resources, inadequate education, and sociocultural norms that foster violations of women’s rights. Within our work, a staggering 75% of program participants disagreed that they had access to nearby medical care, and 67% had no access to water during the dry season. In communities where infrastructure is minimal and distances are vast, these realities not only impact daily life, but they also endanger it.
Moreover, our data shows that while women report higher wellbeing than men within our programs (+9% on average), this is often built through sheer resilience and the support of community-centred solutions that honour their role as key agents of change.
A lifeline for mothers
Kristina Health Centre (KHC), located in Otuke District, provides maternal and child health services in a region where the risks of childbirth remain high. Without this facility, many women would walk for hours or not receive care at all.
Patients like Monica, a 24-year-old mother, speak of the deep relief and pride in being able to safely deliver her baby: “It has always been my dream to access services at KHC. I went home with an alive baby.”
Access to antenatal care, ultrasounds, safe delivery, and postnatal follow-ups should be a basic human right, not a luxury tied to proximity or income. With a maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 189 per 100,000 live births, and a birth rate of 33.95 births per 1,000 population - far above the global average of 17 - there is no denying Uganda is in desperate need of basic maternal medical care. KHC ensures that no woman is turned away, offering dignity and care to those most in need.
Empowering women through agriculture
Women in Uganda are the primary caretakers of their family, but they are also farmers, accounting for a staggering 79% of the agricultural labour force. However, historically, lack decision making power with land, resource and finance.
Since 2010, our Cents for Seeds program has empowered over 32,000 women, offering seed loans, agricultural training, and entry into Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), increasing their capacity, knowledge and voice with regard to economic empowerment. This model not only equips women with the tools to grow food but also the financial literacy to save, invest, and plan for their families' futures.
The data shows that participants in the program report significantly higher levels of wellbeing than those not involved (+8%), with particularly strong shifts in financial literacy, self-love, and resilience. For many women, this is their first experience of financial independence and remains a critical step in reducing gendered poverty and power imbalances.
Tackling the water crisis
Clean, accessible water is not just a health issue, it’s a gender issue. Women and girls are typically responsible for collecting water, often walking long distances through unsafe terrain at all hours of the day and night. Girls, in particular, suffer. Time away from school means reduced education, and an increased likeliness they won’t return at all. The water source’s being accessed are in deep parts of the village, putting their safety at risk. Through Well Worth It, Love Mercy has worked on installing over 90 deep borehole wells, 2 rainwater harvesting systems, 3 solar powered water systems and 1 irrigation pilot program.
In 2024, communities with new water infrastructure reported up to 50% higher feelings of safety while collecting water and a 29% improvement in access to clean drinking water. These changes reduce disease, restore time, and allow women and girls to redirect their energy toward school, work, and family.
A call for gender-conscious solutions
As we continue to measure our impact and co-design solutions with our communities, one thing is clear: women’s needs must remain central to program design and decision making. When women are empowered with resources, training, and healthcare, the ripple effect strengthens entire communities.
Love Mercy is proud to walk alongside these women, not just to alleviate poverty, but to dismantle the gendered structures that perpetuate it.
Further reading on the intersection of women, poverty and economic freedom:
World Vision - Gender-inclusive Pathways out of Poverty Project (GPOP)
UN Women Australia - Explainer: How can gender equality reduce poverty?
FSD Uganda - The Role of Financial Inclusion in Bridging the Gender Gap