When expectant mother Basemera Teddy needed urgent medical care, she faced a difficult choice—walk miles to the nearest clinic or pay an expensive motorcycle fare. Like many in her village, she could not afford the transport. But a new savings initiative is changing that.

For years, the people of Kyotuha village have struggled to reach medical care. The closest health center is miles away, and without transport, many have had no choice but to suffer in silence. In 2021, they formed Kyotuha Village Savings and Loans Association, initially to create opportunities to access affordable credit for small businesses like petty trade and cattle keeping. However, their impact has now gone beyond individual livelihoods.

With profits from their loaned funds, they took it upon themselves to construct a simple makeshift bridge, solving a long-standing access challenge for pedestrians and motorcycle riders in the village. This act of collective effort is just one example of how they are transforming their community so that residents have access to key services, including health.

Basemera Teddy recalls the heartbreaking loss of a newborn when a mother was forced to rely on a traditional birth attendant due to the challenge of reaching trained medical professionals in time. In another instance, an expectant mother gave birth to twins in the hands of unqualified community members after failing to reach the health center in time. Though the children survived, they continue to suffer from frequent health complications linked to their birth conditions.

Recognizing the urgency of access to healthcare, the group embraced financial training from Kasangaki Edward, a community Village Health Team worker trained by Enabel, in September 2023 under the Social Protection and Decent Work Project. Inspired by the knowledge gained, all 33 members (17 women and 16 men) began saving specifically for health expenses. To date, they have accumulated 8,000,000 UGX in their group health savings account.  

Initially, the group had set a fixed weekly savings contribution between 2,000 and 5,000 UGX per member. However, as Chairperson Mukume Robert explains, they soon realized that it affected some members who faced fluctuating incomes. “We decided to let people save what they can. Someone may put in 2,000 UGX today and then bring 7,000 UGX the following week. This flexibility has been a game-changer,” he said.

Already, the fund is making a difference. Five members have borrowed a total of 1,000,000 UGX to cover medical costs, with three of them successfully repaying 700,000 UGX within a month. The ability to access healthcare without sinking into debt or relying on uncertain sources of money is empowering for these villagers.

Among the savers are four expectant mothers who have collectively saved 734,000 UGX, ensuring they can afford transport and medical care when it is time for them to give birth. Kajumba Joselyne, one of the pregnant women, shares her relief. “With my savings, I will be able to afford transport to the health center and buy clothes for my baby,” she says with a hopeful smile.  

Looking ahead, the group has ambitious plans. They aim to venture into goat rearing as an additional income-generating activity. But their most critical goal is to purchase a motorcycle for emergency medical transportation. “Given the current state of our roads, a motorcycle is the fastest and most reliable way to transport people to the health center, so we plan to buy one as a group”, explains Mukume Robert.

•