In Uganda’s Arua District, grandmothers once dependent on outside aid are rewriting their future — saving, lending, and fundraising their way to independence. Through transformative training and community-led savings groups, these women are not just surviving, but thriving, launching businesses, educating grandchildren, and reclaiming control over their lives. This inspiring story is a powerful reminder that real change happens when communities unlock their own potential.
Discover how grassroots empowerment is changing the game — and how you can be part of it.
In the Arua District of Uganda, a group of grandmothers is showing the world that real change starts at the grassroots. Once dependent on external aid, they now save, lend to one another, and mobilise local resources to sustain their communities, care for their grandchildren, and lead with dignity.
In a remote village in Uganda’s Arua District, a quiet transformation is unfolding — not led by aid agencies or government mandates, but by grandmothers. These women, often the sole caregivers of grandchildren orphaned by HIV/AIDS, had long struggled in silence with poverty, lack of access to education, and deep financial uncertainty.
Until recently, many of them believed that money was something you waited for — from donors, from charities, from luck. But today, they know something different: money can be made, saved, and grown within their own community.
The Spark That Ignited the Change
It all began with a powerful training initiative led by Restitute Team Uganda (RETE-UG) through the Change the Game Academy (CtGA) and Uganda National NGO Forum (UNNGOF), with support from Wilde Ganzen Foundation. RETE-UG enrolled in the Local Fundraising training and became part of CtGA’s ecosystem.
The training empowered RETE-UG to design and launch a programme focused on two core pillars: teaching financial literacy and mobilising resources locally. For the grandmothers of Arua, this meant learning how to save, plan, and lead — not just survive. This was the beginning of a grassroots revolution.
From Donor Dependence to Community Power
RETE-UG facilitated the formation of Village Savings and Lending Associations (VSLAs). These groups provided passbooks, lockboxes, tracking systems — and more importantly, a sense of ownership and control. Through weekly savings, peer lending, and collective decision-making, the grandmothers began to regain financial stability.
For the first time, they weren’t waiting for help. They were creating it.
They also learned to fundraise locally, using strategies like road drives, school community events, and radio talk shows. In a matter of months, they had mobilised over UGX 10 million (more than $2,500) in cash, in-kind goods, and volunteer services — a remarkable achievement for a rural, previously aid-dependent group. These numbers meant more than money: they signaled a shift in mindset, ownership, and agency.
Real Results, Real Impact
The results were powerful: 20 women now manage their own savings group. Several have launched small businesses — from vegetable stands to tailoring services — allowing them to send their grandchildren to school with pride. Their association is in the process of formal registration, which will open the door to even greater financial inclusion and support.
“Before, I didn’t know money could be saved like this. Now, I have a business that helps me educate my grandchildren,” shared one grandmother. “My grandchild is so grateful, and I am proud.”
The emotional impact is just as deep. With each meeting, the women not only save — they heal, connect, and lead.
The story of these grandmothers is not just an uplifting anecdote — it’s a blueprint for grassroots change. When communities gain the tools to raise and manage their own resources, they unlock dignity, sustainability, and agency.
At Change the Game Academy, we believe in the power of people — and in stories like this, we see what’s possible when that power is activated.
Are you part of a grassroots organisation ready to take the next step toward local fundraising and self-reliance? Let’s change the game together.
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