Seed Effect Q1 Impact Report 2026

Q1 • 2026

Seed Effect Impact Report

Seed Effect Stats Since 2017, Seed Effect has grown to serve over 130,000 South Sudanese and Ugandans who have celebrated tremendous growth and impact! Thank you for making this growth possible!

MEMBERS SERVED

GROUPS SERVED

ACTIVE FIELD OFFICES

$ SAVED

$ LOANED

130,426

4,905

9

$14,112,396

$10,734,766

Third Party Validated In 2022, Dr. Steve DeLoach, Professor of Economics at

Seed Effect Members compared to

Elon University, launched an independent study of Seed

non-members after one savings cycle:

Effect's program in Lamwo, Uganda. This study included 213 program participants and 150 comparison group members. His team compared Members who had joined

SAVING +41 percentage points more likely to

Seed Effect groups with a similar group of people who

have a safe place to save had signed up but hadn't yet started. Both groups wanted BORROWING to participate. The only difference was timing, which +65 percentage points more likely to created a fair, rigorous comparison. After one year, they measured the difference.

borrow EMERGENCY EXPENSES -22 percentage points less likely to sell

The Lamwo study captures just the first year of a three-

assets to pay for medical care.

year journey for Seed Effect Members. As Members move

-26 percentage points less likely to sell

into their second and third cycles, data from additional

assets to pay school fees.

studies show we can expect even more: businesses

INCOME STABILITY

launched, assets growing, and communities strengthened.

-28 percentage points less likely to

Read more about this study and the findings here.

report unsteady income

"Having access to loans and interest-bearing savings significantly improved families' abilities to cope with uncertainty in a manner that preserved their assets."

D R . S T E V E D E L O A C H , P R O F E S S O R O F E C O N O M I C S , E L O N U N I V E R S IT Y

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Growing Deeper Roots: New 2026 Conservation Agriculture Curriculum In 2025, Seed Effect expanded conservation agriculture training across all eight Uganda field offices, reaching more than 6,400 farmers and establishing hundreds of demonstration plots. Along the way, we learned what it takes for lasting adoption: the right timing, closer support, and hands-on practice.

In 2026, we’re going deeper, not wider. Under a refined approach called SEED CARE (Sustainable, Efficient, and Empowered Development through Conservation Agriculture and Resource Education), we’re prioritizing quality over quantity, training 2,000 farmers and establishing 80 high-impact demonstration plots across eight districts.

“Adoption is not simply about exposure but about consistent practice, understanding, and ownership."

WALTER MWAKA, HEAD OF PROGRAMS, SEED EFFECT UGANDA

This updated curriculum emphasizes immediate, hands-on learning tied to the growing season.

Farmers apply new practices directly in the soil, strengthening both understanding and results.

We’re also shifting from training individuals to equipping entire Savings & Loan Groups, building on existing trust, accountability, and peer support. Lead farmers serve as Conservation Agriculture Champions, providing ongoing guidance within their communities.

By integrating conservation agriculture with savings and business planning, Members are better equipped to invest in their land and sustain long-term change. This work is helping farmers restore productivity, reduce costs, and build more resilient futures, one harvest at a time. Read more here

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Meet Viola Night When Viola was forced to drop out of school, she entered a season marked by uncertainty and stress, unsure how to support herself or her family. After completing a tailoring training, she returned home equipped with skills, but without a sewing machine to put them to use. Everything changed when a friend invited her to join a Seed Effect Savings & Loan Group.

In her first savings cycle, Viola took a small loan to start a pancake business, creating a steady source of income and renewed hope. When share-out day came at the end of the cycle, she received 120,000 UGX ($33 USD) back from the group and combined it with another 100,000 UGX ($28 USD) she had set aside at home. With these funds in hand, she bought the sewing machine she had been waiting for, unlocking the ability to put her training to use. Since then, Viola has continued to save and invest for her future. She has purchased land, enrolled her children in school, and improved her living conditions.

“In our group, as we continue saving, we also support one another. If a member has a problem, even within her family, we go and counsel and encourage her. I thank God for my friend Likitcho, who introduced me to this Savings & Loan Group. Joining the group has truly transformed my life.”

VIOLA NIGHT, SEED EFFECT MEMBER, MOYO

From uncertainty to stability, Viola’s journey reflects the power of access to savings, capital, and community, transforming one woman’s perseverance into lasting

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIOLA’S STORY

opportunity for her family and beyond.

Thank you for investing in restoration and economic empowerment!

Learn more at seedeffect.org Page 4