Kapchorwa’s Wagagai Coffee Farmers’ SACCO partners with AGRITERRA to empower members with financial literacy
KAPCHORWA, August 5, 2026 — Wagagai Coffee Farmers’ SACCO in Kapchorwa district has stepped up its member education and training campaign by conducting financial literacy and crop insurance training for members of Kapchogo Women Maendeleo Group as part of efforts to strengthen cooperative principles and improve members’ financial management skills.
The training, which aimed to empower and build the capacity of the member-based organisation that operates as a Village Savings and Loan Association [VSLA], brought together more than 40 women from Kapchogo village in Kimawa parish, Kawowo Sub-county, Kapchorwa district.
A saving group and member of Wagagai Coffee Farmers SACCO, Kapchogo Women Maendeleo Group was established in 2023, but it has previously faced challenges including low and inconsistent savings, inadequate funds for lending to members and loan defaults, which affected its working relationship with the SACCO.
Wagagai Coffee Farmers’ SACCO currently has more than 700 members spread across the Mt. Elgon region.
The training was conducted in partnership with AGRITERRA under the five-year Farmer Organisations for Rural Transformation [FORT] project. The project supports 60 SACCOs, 60 producer cooperatives and 180 farmer groups in 27 districts across the Rwenzori, Ankole, Busoga, Lango and Elgon regions.
The FORT project seeks to build resilient and inclusive livelihoods for smallholder farming families by strengthening farmer organisations. Its strategy includes supporting the development of farmer-led centres of service delivery focused on production, finance and marketing, while strengthening the governance, institutional capacity and internal and external agency of formal and informal farmer organisations.
During the training, Shalmin Chemonges, the Credit Officer at Wagagai Coffee Farmers SACCO, facilitated sessions on group membership, savings, loan management and investment.
Chemonges emphasised prudent borrowing, proper budgeting, regular saving and timely loan repayment as essential practices for financial stability.
He urged members to use loans for productive investments that generate income and improve household welfare.
He encouraged members to cultivate a strong savings culture before borrowing, noting that loans should only be acquired for productive investments capable of generating income.
Chemonges explained that proper planning, budgeting and timely repayment enable borrowers to maintain a good credit record while contributing to the sustainability of the SACCO.
He further advised members against diverting borrowed funds to non-productive expenditure, saying responsible borrowing helps families improve their livelihoods while enabling the SACCO to continue extending affordable financial services to more members.
Chemonges also encouraged participants to keep financial records for both household and business activities, saying proper record-keeping enables members to monitor profits, plan future investments and make informed financial decisions.
The training also featured a presentation by Yasin Chemonges, who sensitised members on the importance of crop and livestock insurance in protecting farm investments.
Chemonges explained that many farmers and small business owners suffer significant financial losses because they do not insure their enterprises and valuable assets.
He further said Wagagai Coffee Farmers SACCO has partnered with the Agro-Insurance Consortium to support farmers to access crop and livestock insurance, including registration, premium collection and coverage against risks such as drought, excessive rainfall and livestock losses.
He encouraged the women to embrace insurance as part of sound financial planning, saying it complements savings and borrowing by reducing financial vulnerability caused by erratic weather conditions and the increasing effects of climate change.
He further emphasised that understanding available insurance products enables families and farmer groups to make better financial decisions while safeguarding the investments and progress they have worked hard to achieve.
Speaking at the event, Wagagai Coffee Farmers’ SACCO Chairman Shaid Mwanga said the training forms part of the SACCO’s broader strategy to educate members and extend financial services to communities across the region.
He said the SACCO currently has more than 700 members and is intensifying mobilisation efforts to increase membership through continuous community engagement and financial education.
Mwanga said empowering community groups with financial knowledge helps build confidence in SACCO services while encouraging more people to save, borrow responsibly and invest through cooperative financial institutions.
He thanked AGRITERRA for identifying and working with Wagagai Coffee Farmers SACCO to implement the FORT project, describing the partnership as key to strengthening the SACCO and improving members’ livelihoods.
Mwanga encouraged participants to put the knowledge acquired during the training into practice and share the lessons with other members of their communities who were unable to attend.
Kapchogo Women Group Chairperson Sarah Khaitsa appreciated Wagagai Coffee Farmers’ SACCO for selecting the group for the training.
She said the knowledge acquired would help members improve financial management, strengthen their businesses and encourage more women in the community to join the SACCO.
Khaitsa said members are committed to applying the skills they learnt to improve household incomes and promote economic empowerment among women in the community.
She added that continuous financial education would enable the group to grow stronger and achieve its long-term development objectives while encouraging more women to participate in organised savings and investment initiatives.
The training concluded with a call for members to remain united, practise financial discipline, embrace insurance services and utilise SACCO products responsibly as they work towards improving their livelihoods through sustainable economic activities.
The initiative reflects Wagagai Coffee Farmers SACCO’s continued investment in community empowerment through the implementation of the five-year FORT programme, helping women and farming households acquire the knowledge and skills needed to build financially resilient communities across the Elgon region.
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