Our Impact - Beads of Awareness

Microfinance Loan Project

From 2014 to 2024, we offered loans to our artisans and other members of the community to encourage livelihood projects.
Here’s a snapshot of the results of an evaluation we conducted halfway through the project:

Stories From The Field

Joyce Tito Akello benefited from loans during each of the first 4 cycles. She used the money to stock her grocery store thus increasing sales and revenue. With the money raised over the two-year period she was able to buy a cow.

With a loan of $80 CAD, Akumu Rose bought a female goat (which soon after produced kids) and the equipment for distilling a local alcohol, which she then sold, earning app. $17 each month. She was happy that the equipment is a durable asset, guaranteeing her a steady income for the foreseeable future.

Akello Rose Odong, a 63 year old mother of six, has taken loans in multiple cycles. With her first loan she bought a goat which gave birth to a kid. She used her next loan to buy seeds for her simsim (sesame) garden and keep it weeded. She expects a good return from the harvest of the simsim.

Acaa Margret used her $110 CAD loan to buy a silo grain storage to store her crops after harvest, to rent a plot of land to plant groundnuts, and to buy more sweet bananas which she sells from home.

“With BOA I can now provide the basic necessities to my family and even take my children to school without much support from my husband”

Acaa Margret

“With a loan of 100,000 UGX (~$40 CAD), I rented a plot of land and bought groundnut seeds to plant.
From this field I expect about 5 bags of groundnuts, each selling for 75,000 UGX (~$30 CAD).”

Adyero Alice

“I used part of my 200,000 UGX ( ~$80 CAD) loan to buy a pair of piglets, a male and female.
We expect them to reproduce in six months, bringing us another six to seven piglets.”

Adong Alice

Bead and Fabric Purchases

Since 2009 we have supported groups of artisans in and around Gulu through our purchases. Meet some of our artisans.

Lacan Kwite

Formed in 2005 in an Internally Displaced Persons camp, this group has grown from 5 members to 30 today (90% women)
They first came together to find markets for their products, facilitate external partnerships, and strengthen community
We have been working with them since 2012
Group members have listed the main benefits of BOA's support as: increased income, improved ability to pay their children's school fees and provide food for their families, owning livestock and starting small businesses

Can Deg Nyeko

Formed in 2006 as the LRA insurgency was ending; today they have 19 members (95% women)
They first came together to acquire new skills, search for new markets, become eligible for government support and bring unity among members
We have been working with them since 2011
Group members have listed the main benefits of BOA's support as: higher monthly income resulting from the loan project and increased ability to pay rent and school fees for their children

Development Projects

Find out more about the local development projects we’ve supported on our homepage, but here’s the impact at a glance. We have also bought 330 solar lamps for our artisans as well as over 1,650 fruit tree seedlings.