Access to microfinance in Uganda and South Sudan

The world is facing an unprecedented refugee crisis.

Uganda alone is home to more than 1.5 million refugees, and Seed Effect is committed to bringing Christ-centered economic empowerment to these hard places. With access to better and more reliable financial tools, members of Seed Effect's savings and loans groups sustainably empower each other out of extreme poverty and into better relationships with God, self and each other. With no outside funding, the average member experiences an increase in their savings, income, assets, meals, electricity, medical care and education. On average, members experience a 29% annual return on their savings and a 103% increase in the livestock they own. 37% of members who were not Christian before the program place their faith in Jesus and 99% of members report that their relationships with God, self and others have improved.

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Program Activities

We are helping Seed Effect provide their evidence-based, cost-effective and Christ-centered microfinance programs to about 100,000 refugees in Northern Uganda and South Sudan between 2021 and 2026. These groups meet weekly to build Christ-centered community and pool their savings. Members can provide loans to each other for investing in businesses, education, health and assets. At the end of each annual cycle, the savings and interest earned is distributed to each member.

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Expected Outputs and Outcomes

We expect this program to directly decrease the percent of the population in the Acholi, Bunyoro and West Nile subnational regions of Uganda that live in extreme multidimensional poverty for nutrition, electricity and assets by ~0.60%, on average.

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