Julienne Luanda, a Congolese urban refugee living in Nsambya-Gogonya, Makindye Division, is a proud member of the Winners Savings Group—an urban savings and loans association formed by KOWED with support from IRC’s Rebuild Program. Julienne is also one of the participants who benefited from the Home Gardening project. Before joining the Rebuild Program, she had no habit of saving and no idea how she could make use of the small space she had at home. But with the Rebuild Program, she learned the value of saving and became an active member of her savings group. After receiving training in home gardening, she used sacks and basins to grow vegetables for her family’s consumption such as Sukomaweki, Spinach, Garlic and to mention but a few.
The Rebuild Program not only instilled a culture of saving in Julienne but also helped her better plan for her money. Through the savings group, she has been able to acquire loans to boost her business, increase her income, and repay the loans on time.
With home gardening, she has successfully utilized her available space to grow fresh vegetables for her family. Additionally, she has been able to sell the surplus to her neighbors, providing an extra source of income. This small-scale gardening initiative has also had a positive impact on the neighbors within her community as well as her children, who actively participate in caring for the garden and watering the plants.
Julienne is deeply grateful to KOWED for the support offered through the Rebuild Program. She highly recommends this intervention to other women to help them support their families. She encourages women to take up home gardening, even with small spaces, using buckets, basins, or any available materials, as it is adaptable to various seasons. Her story is a powerful testament to how a supportive community program can transform lives by promoting financial independence and sustainable living.
