I’m Faustine NTIRAMPEBA, native of Butanuka, Mpanda village, wife, mother of children and grandchildren. I didn’t know the importance of a saving group and until I was selected by Dreaming for Change to undertake entrepreneurship and financial education training. This training opportunity really changed my mind and, together with my friends, we formed a saving group called “DUFASHANYE” (meaning let’s help each other) in which I am the secretary until now. We were trained to use the “Village Savings and Loan” model within our saving group and I started to save money. We used to meet once a week and everyone could bring her weekly saving. I then asked for a loan to do a farming project to grow and sell fresh tomatoes. My business was successful and I then increased my weekly contributions which gave me access to a big loan.  I used that money to open a small shop that generates small but regular profits.

Nowadays, I am supportive in the family and I am helpful to my husband. I pay bills, my children’s education is fully supported my business and when a child is sick, I don’t have to wait my husband to come back home and ask him for money. I contribute to household expenses and this makes me more valuable in the family and not considered as inactive and nonproductive woman.

I finally bought a cow

After sharing out our savings in 2022, my yearly savings was BIF 410,000 and It was the first time I received that amount of money. Then I borrowed extra BIF 300,000 to add to what I saved so I could buy a cow. My dream came true, I bought a Sahiwal cow at BIF 700,000. The cow has been so helpful to my family: it produces manure for my farming activities and my children drink milk every day. My future plan is to open a cafeteria where people in the community will come to drink milk tea.