GULU CITY, April 26, 2026 — A community-based savings and credit scheme funded through church offertory has begun transforming livelihoods among members of True Gospel Outreach Ministry in Gulu City and surrounding areas.
The initiative, run by True Gospel Outreach Ministry, draws contributions from five church branches across the West Acholi and channels them into a SACCO that provides low-interest loans to members and nearby communities.
Lord Bishop Francis Umao Ojera, founder of the ministry, said the SACCO is financed by allocating a share of offertory collections from the branches in Laroo, Labora, Agungu, Laguro and Awach.
“We have established a transformative SACCO where funds are raised from five different church branches. About 40 per cent of the offertory is pooled into the scheme, and we currently mobilise about Shs15 million. We expect to raise up to Shs100 million in the next five years,” he said.
According to Bishop Ojera, the SACCO is part of a broader economic empowerment strategy targeting over 1,000 church members, with a focus on wealth creation and household income improvement.
“We are operating purely on economic motivation for our members and are willing to unite all Christians as one family for prosperity,” he said, adding that beneficiaries must remain “united, disciplined and focused” in utilising the funds.
Beyond lending, the church has rolled out complementary projects including piggery, poultry farming, and emergency savings schemes to support members during times of crisis.
The SACCO offers interest-free loans to trusted members engaged in small businesses and agriculture, with flexible repayment periods of up to three months and no pressure on borrowers.
Beneficiaries say the initiative has provided a lifeline compared to conventional lending schemes.
Esther Apiyo, a widow and church treasurer, said a loan of Shs300,000 boosted her soft broom business, enabling her to earn profits of up to Shs200,000 per cycle.
“This business is flexible compared to other lending schemes. It is helping me to pay school fees for my children,” she said, urging others to embrace such opportunities instead of “quick loans that put you under pressure”.
Collins Opiyo, an evangelist at the ministry, said the projects are tailored to members’ needs and have already benefited at least 10 people.
“The reason we give free loans without interest is that our members contribute offerings and actively participate in church activities,” he said. “We continue to welcome even non-members to access loans at a lower interest rate.”
Church leaders say the initiative is particularly helping women who previously depended on street vending and struggled to sustain their families.
In addition, the ministry has launched a piggery project in Paicho Subcounty, starting with seven pregnant sows. Beneficiaries receive livestock on a cost-sharing model designed to expand access among members.
The church is also in the process of establishing a school aimed at addressing illiteracy and supporting children from low-income families, a move Bishop Ojera says is critical to rebuilding the region’s education system following years of insurgency.
Founded in 2016, True Gospel Outreach Ministry is built on pillars of faith, family, relationships, hard work and truth, and continues to expand its footprint in northern Uganda through both spiritual and socio-economic interventions.
https://thecooperator.news/diocese-of-northern-uganda-forms-coffee-farmers-cooperative-society/
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