Dreams Without Direction
My name is Rogers Musaazi, a resident of Masooli Parish, Kamuli Subcounty, Kassanda District. My dear wife is Maria Nanyunja and we have three children.
I am the Treasurer of the Masooli Nezikookolima Youth Group and the village savings and loan associations (VSLA) in Masooli Parish, Kamuli Subcounty in Kassanda District.
Before joining TeamUp, I had big ambitions but very little knowledge. I used to work on my own, trying different farming and business activities without guidance. However, through TeamUp, I learned that working together as a group and sharing knowledge within our communities is much more powerful.
Transforming My Coffee Farm
When I joined the programme, I already owned one acre of coffee, but the harvests were very poor because I did not know the proper agronomic practices. Through trainings and the coffee demonstration garden established by Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) in our parish, I learned techniques such as pruning, mulching, and proper management of coffee trees.
When I applied these practices to my old coffee trees, the results surprised me. My harvest almost tripled. This success encouraged me to expand my coffee farming.
Through the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA), I began saving money regularly. In my second year of saving, I bought half an acre of land and planted coffee using the same best practices I had learned. I have so far planted 300 coffee seedlings, and they are doing well. Today, the coffee we plant begins to yield in less than two years, yet previously farmers would wait almost five years for the first harvest.
Saving with Purpose
Saving through the VSLA also changed my financial habits. Before that, I used to keep money in the house and would often spend it without a clear plan.
At the end of the first year, when we shared out our savings, I received my savings plus interest, something I had never experienced before. I used that money to buy a motorcycle, which greatly improved my coffee trading business because I can now transport coffee more easily.
In my second year of saving, I reached another milestone. I bought a plot of land worth seven million Uganda shillings (about 1,750 Euros) in a nearby trading centre. We are currently laying bricks, and our goal is to start constructing a commercial building when we share out our savings at the end of the year.
Learning to Work as a Couple
Another important change in my life came through the gender awareness trainings and couple seminars organized under TeamUp. These sessions helped me understand the importance of joint planning and budgeting with my wife, Maria.
Today we plan together and support each other’s work. Maria grows tomatoes using the knowledge she gained through TeamUp, and the income from her garden belongs to her. She uses it to meet her personal needs, which has given her a sense of independence and happiness. As her husband, I fully support her and sometimes help her take care of the garden.
Health, Energy, and Community Service
Our family has also benefited from sexual and reproductive health services offered during community outreaches. We access family planning services at subsidized fees, which helps us plan our family well. Today we have three children, and we are happy knowing we can provide for them.
I also learned how to construct energy-saving cookstoves, which help us reduce the amount of firewood we use. Many households now hire me to build these cookstoves for them, which also provides extra income.
A Life with Purpose
Beyond my own family, I now conduct peer-to-peer visits to support other households. I share knowledge on good farming practices, peaceful family living, and joint planning. Recently, I even helped a neighbour resolve marriage conflicts by encouraging the couple to work together and share responsibilities.
Through TeamUp, I gained knowledge, confidence, and a clear sense of purpose. Today I am improving my family’s livelihood while also supporting other households in my community to succeed. I am proud that the knowledge I gained is creating positive change beyond my own home.
