KAPCHORWA, August 17, 2026 — Wagagai Coffee Farmers’ SACCO in Kapchorwa district has trained members of the Kapletebe Tolosho Women Group in record keeping, savings and crop insurance as part of efforts to enhance financial literacy and promote sustainable economic empowerment among community-based farmers’ groups.
The training is being implemented under a five-year project facilitated by Agriterra through the Farmer Organisation for Rural Transformation [FORT] programme, The training focuses on prudent borrowing, savings culture, loan management, and the importance of crop and livestock insurance to protect farm investments against climate risks.
The FORT programme targets 60 producer cooperatives, 60 SACCOs and 180 groups across the Elgon, Lango, Busoga and Rwenzori regions, covering 27 districts.
The Kapletebe Tolosho Women Group, which was established in 2011, has 60 members and has progressively built a stronger savings culture. The group started its savings journey with contributions as low as Shs 500 per member.
Currently, members save Shs 10,000 each, while the registration fee for new members is Shs 50,000.
Speaking during the training, group chairperson Khadija Chebet said their progress had been driven by strong community ties, collective discipline and a commitment to saving.
“The group has helped us to grow through strong community ties and collective discipline,” Chebet said.
She urged members to remain disciplined in saving and prudent in managing their finances, saying the group’s progress demonstrated the potential of collective effort and financial discipline.
Chebet also encouraged members to pay close attention to the training and take the knowledge provided by Wagagai Coffee Farmers’ SACCO seriously.
The training also covered savings management, with Dafala Musobo facilitating sessions on savings and record keeping.
Musobo emphasised the importance of cultivating a consistent savings culture and maintaining accurate records of contributions and group transactions.
“Effective record keeping enables groups to track their growth, plan investments and minimise internal misunderstandings,” Musobo said.
He encouraged members to ensure that all financial records are properly maintained and regularly reviewed by the group leadership.
On insurance, Jaward Alinyo, Secretary for Publicity at Wagagai Coffee Farmers’ SACCO, sensitised members on the importance of insurance and its role in mitigating unforeseen risks.
“Savings and insurance work together to safeguard households and investments against unexpected events,” Alinyo said.
He encouraged members to integrate insurance into their financial planning to protect their households and investments against unforeseen circumstances.
The training was also attended by Shahid Mwanga, chairman of Wagagai Coffee Farmers’ SACCO, who commended the women for their commitment to strengthening their savings culture.
Mwanga observed that well-organised savings groups could provide a strong foundation for economic empowerment when members maintained discipline, kept proper records and invested their resources productively.
“Well-organised savings groups can serve as a strong foundation for economic empowerment,” Mwanga said.
He encouraged the women to take full advantage of financial literacy programmes to deepen their understanding of Wagagai Coffee Farmers’ SACCO services and other available financial opportunities. The training forms part of the SACCO’s broader initiative to mobilise and empower community groups through financial education.
Through its partnership with Agriterra under the FORT programme, the SACCO is contributing to efforts aimed at strengthening producer organisations, SACCOs and village groups across the targeted regions.
For the Tolosho Women Group, the training comes at a time when its savings have increased significantly, rising from the initial Shs 500 contribution to the current Shs 10,000 weekly savings per member.
The group leadership believes that continued financial education will enhance members’ ability to manage resources effectively, strengthen the group’s financial base and improve its capacity to invest in productive ventures.
“Continued financial education will help us manage our resources effectively, strengthen our financial base and improve our investment capacity,” the group leadership said.
The initiative underscores the importance of linking women’s groups with SACCOs and other financial institutions that provide essential knowledge and services for sustainable economic development.
With over 700 members across Sebei Subregion, Wagagai Coffee Farmers’ SACCO aims to strengthen cooperative principles and expand financial services to smallholder farmers, promoting sustainable economic activities and improved household incomes. The initiative supports the development of farmer-led service centers and encourages responsible use of financial products to build resilient rural livelihoods.
For the members of Kapletebe Tolosho Women Group, the training has provided valuable knowledge on which to build more than a decade of collective savings and position the group for greater financial opportunities in the future.
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