Florence has sent through an update on Cents for Seeds and what is happening on the ground at the moment. Enjoy!

Monitoring & Evaluation

We are in the process of monitoring gardens. I am happy to inform you that Soya beans are going very well. Some farmers are about to harvest and other crops are now at the flowering stage. There was heavy rain at the start of the season which affected a few farmers, but we are still expecting the harvest to be good.Sesame seeds have now been planted and many have germinated very well. Strong rains affected the crops of women from one village, and these are being monitored and evaluated”

Leader’s Training

Leaders Training for leaders of Cents for Seeds villages has begun! So far 4 parishes from Otuke Town Council have participated and the attendance rate was high. The leaders were very active and loved being there. Training will take place for the next 3 weeks with the remaining leaders.

Sesame Seed Distribution

Sesame distribution went very well this year. As you can expect, handing out seeds to 13,800 women is no small thing. We are incredibly thankful for our team on the ground and their hard work.

Dividing distribution by Village is common. However, this year we divided villages into their parishes – any parish of more than 600 people had their own distribution day.

Distribution days can be chaotic – women come from all over to receive their seed. Here is how it works:

VSLA – Village Saving & Loans Association

Cents for Seeds doesn’t end with the distribution of a seed loan. The season is followed by our staff on the ground and group leaders to make sure farmers are progressing well and are best positioned for success. They rely on the group leaders from each village to advise them on what is happening in that village. 

Farmers in Cents for Seeds are also allocated into a VSLA group. This group will teach them how to save, what interest is and hopefully provide an additional source of income. Those who borrow from the group pay interest on return of the loan, and the interest is then divided at the end of the year.

In Okee Village, VSLA groups were monitored in July. All groups were saving regularly – a good sign! The process of recording details was covered by our staff again to make sure treasurers and secretaries knew the correct way. More monitoring is to come…