Seed Effect Q3 2024 Impact Report

Q3 • 2024

Seed Effect Impact Report

Seed Effect Stats With so much need, our work continues to grow. Since launching in Uganda in 2017, Seed Effect has empowered 105,077 South Sudanese and Ugandans. Thank you for making this growth possible!

MEMBERS SERVED

GROUPS SERVED

ACTIVE BRANCHES

$ SAVED

$ LOANED

105,077

3,944

9

$11,820,327

$8,070,836

91%

of 2024 new member goal reached!

Moses (above) invested a loan of 100,000 UGX into his beverage shop and this has increased revenue by 50%!

War in Sudan: More Refugees to Serve The ongoing conflict in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, has caused widespread displacement. This crisis has driven large numbers of refugees across borders into neighboring countries, including Northern Uganda, where they seek safety and stability. The refugee population in Kiryandongo has grown from 64,000 to 132,902.

The good news is that Seed Effect is already active in Kiryandongo, and we’re grateful to be positioned to meet these needs. We are welcoming these new Sudanese refugees into our savings groups.

“It was really terrible. Miserable... In South Sudan, it was not safe. Every side is closed. So that is why we have come to Uganda... The total was almost three months to come to here. No money, no food, no way of transportation. We are sick. The boys are sick... it’s a really terrible journey. The same thing which happened to me, happened to all people around here.“ BASHIER, SUDANESE REFUGEE

Please join us in praying for peace in Sudan and strength for these refugees so that they may find hope and healing despite the hardship they’ve endured.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH OUR VIDEO: MORE REFUGEES

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South Sudan Election Delayed South Sudan’s long-awaited presidential election, initially scheduled for December 2024, has been postponed by two years, now set for December 2026. This delay was driven by the need to address key foundational challenges, including the development of a permanent constitution, the execution of a national census, and the establishment of reliable voter registration and security measures. According to officials, these steps are essential to ensure a fair electoral process. However, the delay has raised concerns about political stability. This development affects our team and the communities we serve.

“The delay may not be good to other power hungry individuals who want to get into government, but it's good for the ordinary citizens. It's good for Seed Effect, and it's good for other bodies as South Sudan sorts out it's mess and establishes the right system like having one army and a permanent Constitution that can define a clear road map for elections.”

BISMARCK YENGI, SEED EFFECT SOUTH SUDAN COUNTRY DIRECTOR

Read Bismarck’s full statement on the delayed elections and the impact on the community here.

Measuring Impact + 3rd Party Evaluation We believe that a strong foundation in Listening, Monitoring, and Evaluation (LME) is vital to effectively implementing our program and achieving meaningful impact. We understand that our members’ needs are significant, and their time is valuable. We deploy an empowering, dignifying, and measurable approach to ensure we are stewarding their time well and meeting their needs. To understand our effectiveness, we combine several strategies, tools, and metrics, including conducting independent, third-party evaluations.

We are grateful to partner with Dr. Steve DeLoach, Chair of the Economics Department at Elon University, to objectively assess our programs and impact. Read more about our partnership with Dr. DeLoach, the RCT he’s conducting, and hear directly from him about the impact being made in his video.

“I think it's clear that Seed Effect as an organization, and it filters on down to the staff on the ground, really values data and wants to you know they're not just collecting data because somebody told them they needed to. It's clear they want to use the data to answer interesting questions and to make the program more impactful for the lives and livelihoods of its participants. So, obviously, I really respect that and that plays very much into the quality of the data and what I'm going to be able to get out of it as a third-party academic who's evaluating these programs.”

DR. STEVEN DELOACH, CHAIR OF THE ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT AT ELON UNIVERSITY

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Increase in Share Out Year Over Year Over the course of three years, $90 is invested in training each Seed Effect member how to effectively run their savings groups and access critical financial tools, including a safe place to save, affordable credit, an emergency fund, and an investment vehicle. This investment yields dividends as our members’ average share out is more than the investment we’re making in them, and it increases year over year. A $90 investment over three years results in an average of $227 saved per member and leads to measurable changes in poverty metrics as members use these resources to address their areas of greatest need. This speaks to the power of investing in them rather than providing handouts.

YEAR 1

COST = $54 SAVED = $60

YEAR 2

YEAR 3

BEYOND

COST = $26 SAVED = $78 (+30%)

COST = $10 SAVED = $89 (+10%)

COST= $0 SAVING CONTINUES

Meet Pamela Before joining Seed Effect, Pamela and her family faced many challenges, especially paying for food and school fees. Her story of transformation began with a visit to church. There, she learned about Seed Effect, joined a group, and began saving diligently. As their savings grew, they soon gained access to small loans. With her first loan, she started selling tomatoes, onions, and cooking oil. With each successful transaction, her confidence grew, and she started taking smaller loans to gradually expand her business.

“Through weekly saving and taking loans from my group as needed, my finances have been boosted. I was able to start up a wholesale of market vending. This helped in paying school fees and buying food. My business saves time for our community members. They no longer have to go far distances to source the items they need.”

PAMELA ARYEMO, SEED EFFECT MEMBER

Pamela’s business became a lifeline, helping her provide food, support her children’s education, and even bring stability to her home. She was filled with pride as she spoke of her children’s happiness and her own newfound

CLICK HERE TO WATCH OUR VIDEO: MEET PAMELA

joy, “My children are happy, and I am happy too.”

Thank you for investing in restoration and economic empowerment!

Learn more at seedeffect.org Page 4