Meet Edith Atim, a resilient mother and widow of ten children who all depend on her for survival. With only 2 small gardens inherited by her late husband, it has always been impossible to grow enough food for both family consumption and business*. Yet life’s demands – medication, education, and clothing – cannot be grown from the soil. *(93% of Ugandans in Serere District farm – 70% of those are subsistence farmers – growing crops or raising animals to survive with little or no surplus.)
When WAGRAU first met Atim in May 2023, her story was one we had heard many times before. She had joined community projects in the past, only to be asked for “registration fees” and then abandoned when the organizers disappeared (A common fraudulent money making scheme). But when she heard about WAGRAU’s unique approach, she decided to try again.
I first heard of WAGRAU from within the community. The stories of how they worked sounded like a dream. Unlike other projects that had come before-always asking for registration fees of 5,000 or 10,000 shillings and then disappearing – WAGRAU was different. They didn’t ask for money; instead, they came to us with honesty and transparency. I joined a group of 15 women, and that decision has changed my life.
Building Trust and Savings
From the beginning, WAGRAU emphasized the importance of saving. Atim was appointed treasurer of her group, and together they launched a monthly savings group. This was more than a financial exercise – it was a test of their commitment, and they passed with flying colors.
Guided by WAGRAU, the group first tried brick-making, a business traditionally reserved for men. While they successfully made and sold bricks, they realized their true expertise lay in agriculture – a skill they had practiced since childhood. WAGRAU supported this shift, renting land, funding ploughing, and providing seeds. The women did the planting, weeding, harvesting, selling, and investing.
From Goats to Growth
By the end of 2023, with her savings and proceeds from bricks, each group member – including Atim – bought two goats. Many of these goats have since multiplied, providing new income and security. Atim carefully monitors her goats, and their safe delivery – hoping to grow her small herd into a lasting asset.
Her long-term dream is clear: to BUY her own farmland. With it, she hopes to run a sustainable agricultural business that will fund her children’s education – an opportunity denied to her older children, who were forced to stop school early.
A New Chapter: Independence Through Agriculture
In 2025, using money she earned from their 2024 group agriculture as well as 2024 savings, Atim rented two acres of land – something she had never imagined possible. She planted millet, which yielded well, and is now growing groundnuts.
For the first time in my life, I have never even been able to borrow half an acre. But with WAGRAU, I am personally renting two acres at 180,000 shillings ($50) per acre. First of all, holding that much money in my hands was something I had never experienced before. I tell my children, especially those still in school, that education is our pipeline out of poverty. We will dig with all our strength so they can study.
To supplement her farming, Atim has started small-scale trading, buying beans or cassava from even more rural communities where prices are lower and reselling them in local markets. This new income stream helps her pay for school exams, uniforms, books, and even small daily needs like lunch for her children.
The Transformational Impact
Before WAGRAU, Atim had never thought about saving or doing business. Today, she not only saves but invests wisely, manages group finances, and dreams boldly. Her children now have opportunities their older siblings never had, and she has discovered the power of economic independence.
Atim’s journey is a testament to the power of Women’s Economic Empowerment. With access to land, fair opportunities, and financial guidance, women like her are not just surviving-they are transforming their families and communities.
Her story reminds us that breaking the cycle of poverty requires more than charity – it requires giving women the tools, rights, and opportunities to own and control their labour. Through programs like WAGRAU, this vision is not just possible; it is already unfolding.