The roads that crisscross northern Uganda’s Lamwo district connect a network of villages set against a vast expanse of land and sky. Far from the hustle of the nearest cities, the air is still and quiet enough that conversations can be interrupted by the sounds of passing lizards and thoughts distracted by the birds soaring overhead. Uganda’s abundant natural resources, fertile soil, stable government, and steady economic growth present distinct opportunities for its population. Despite this, large swathes of the population remain vulnerable, particularly here in the north. This is one of the poorest regions of the country, still recovering from decades of turmoil and civil war. The school dropout rate is high, as are instances of early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and alcoholism. 

With an education that abruptly ended when she was 15, and with no prospects for long-term employment beyond providing intermittent casual labor on other people’s farms, 27-year-old Phyllis Chelagant from Kween District in eastern Uganda was barely able to provide the basics for herself and her three children aged nine, seven, and four. The money she made from working as a casual laborer was not enough, leaving Phyllis to rely on others for sustenance. The turning point in her life came after a conversation with Victor Saikwa, a 25-year-old farmer who doubles as a youth agent with Sebei Farmers’ Savings and Cooperative Organization (SACCO).