Kikondo, UG – Merged Kigasa/Zinabala VICOBA organizes first project – Sep 2024

The Zinabala and Kigasa group have merged to make one VICOBA of 70 members. Now they must learn to govern the larger group and practice working together. They have selected a committee to operate a trial staple crop this rain season. They have rented 2 acres for their first bean and maize staple crop garden.

Kigasa group members had never operated a staple crop garden together so they are excited to have a large garden that will provide food to sustain their families. They are learning this practice from Zinabala group. They didn’t easily agree on using crop growing for food to sustain families as their first combined project. Kigasa group wanted so much to sell the harvest to add to their savings. Zinabala group members have grown crops together and have learned to value establishing a food bank (stored harvests) to ensure emergency supply and to time the crop market for sales when prices are high. The large group used a vote which led them to come to agree on growing food crops this season for food security.

The group dreams of operating staple crop gardens together for both food security and income generation after realizing this season’s harvest. They also look forward to strengthening their VICOBA to become a Savings And Credit Co-Operative with even more members in the future.

Wamukisa has mentored Kigasa and Zinabala throughout their VICOBA histories. The knowledge of VICOBA growth over time and the personal, administrative, and governance steps required for the merger can help Wamukisa to mentor growth of the new Basoka VICOBA formed this year in Kasaka Gomba.