When “Tata” Margaret was asked if she wanted to become an entrepreneur, she said she was skeptical, but also excited.
The offer came from an organization called Village Enterprise and she decided to try it out. After completing a business and financial literacy training program, Margaret and her two fellow business owners, who live in Northern Uganda, received a cash grant to buy productive assets (they chose sheep). She also received mentorship and support to form a savings group with 29 other peer entrepreneurs.
The sheep had more sheep. Then Margaret bought goats, then a cow, then a bull, and the cow gave birth to a calf. She grew her business and earned more money, which enabled her to help herself and her kids (and even her grandkids).
This is not just an anecdote. IPA interviewed 6,168 households in Uganda over three years as part of a randomized evaluation of Village Enterprise’s integrated program. The evaluation found that the program reduced poverty and improved the well-being of the participants, while providing simplified versions of the program didn’t have the same impact.
This program has already reached over 1 million people, and the evidence IPA generated is helping Village Enterprise make a bigger impact. Read more about the impact this research is having in East Africa.
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