Tumejipanga “Yes We Are Committed”!
Tumejipanga Group is a WORTH+ group whose members are of 15 -19 years old, the group is found at Nyamilangano Village of Nyamilangano Ward, Ushetu DC – Shinyanga. Tumejipanga Group was formed on early in 2020 by the Empowerment Worker known by the name of Ester Samson who supportively supervise the group up to date.
The group is structured by the composition of Chairperson, Secretary, Accountant, controller and other group members. On behalf of other group members Chairperson Rose Adam was a spokesperson on group projects and success reached.
The chairperson of the group, Rose Adam gives group background, projects and success of their projects of the group by telling the trend of its development. Rose starts the narration in the following series:-
Our Short History
“On March 2020, Ester Samson started organizing us to form a group, because most of us did not know the advantage of being in WORTH groups, the response was not much good, it took almost a month to start gathering as a group. We started as a group with a number of 12 members, as we continued the number increased up to 25 group members. We were attending the group without saving because most of the group members had no source of money to run saving. But even the few who could start saving did not because they had a worry on the safety of their money but the EW had been encouraging us to start saving because on one could steal our money, so we can even supervise ourselves even in her absence”
“After having taught SBCC, Saving, loan and financial principles, it took us just one month thereafter we started saving. We were having a mandatory saving of 1000/- for every group member at weekly meeting. This amount of money could not even make accumulation of much money for borrowing as we were taught saving and borrowing.
The Tumejipanaga group leaders with their Empowerment Worker Ester Samson wrapped with white sheet cloth
“As a group, later we decided to invest by growing rice and maize through our saving we used some of fund to hire piece of land for growing maize and rice. The farm was hired from one of the villagers at the price of TSH.75000/=. As a group we decided to contribute small portion of money for buying seeds it cost TSH.30000/= we also employed labor power for all farming activities. Our farms were in good condition, as we used natural fertilizers and artificial one which cost almost TSH.150000/=. 11Sacks of rice and 10 sacks of maize were harvested, our harvests were kept in the store till the market selling price was high, we decided to sell our crops as we planned as a group”. The group succeeded to accumulate 800,000/= as part of selling and profit from saving and borrowing.
Keeping Bulls for hire to peasants
Tumejipanga group members discussed and agreed to have another project which is to keep bulls for ploughing, the I dea came after realizing that many Nyamilanga peasants use cow in many activities such as cultivation, pooling loaded trailers just to mention few, so we thought that if we will have two powerful bulls for hiring it will create another source of group income. After the agreement reached, we decided to spend 750,000/=Tshs from our income generated from the crops sold for buying small two bulls thereafter we have been keeping that cows until now they are tough and powerful bulls. We use them for hiring to villagers who need to plough piece of land, we charge 30000/= per acre, but also we use that cows to cultivate group member’s farm for zero cost. Furthermore we use them to plough Tumejipanga group ‘farms.
Tumejipanga group leaders with their cattle during success stories documentation
Tumejipanga Group’s Worth
The group owns two fat bulls which is equal to @700000/=Tshs this gives 1,400,000/=, but also 215,000/= accumulated from bulls hiring, 8 sacks of maize @60000/= gives 480,000/= interest from borrowed money 6000/=
Therefore Tumejipanga group has 2,101,000/=Tshs Worth
Tumejipanga group leaders with DREAMS PO at their safe spaces after success story documentation
Group goals
- To open butcher for beef
- To keep dairy cows
- To Increase more farms
Tumejipanga group realize that, group members will benefit each family from the projects hence each group member will accumulate capital for starting a profitable business at a large scale.
Challenges encounter Tumejipanga group
- The group has a shortage of capital to expand its projects
- Good places for cow keeping
- Shortage of cattle dip
- Lack of pastures
- Poor cattle stable
Our Advice
“On behalf of my Tumejipanga group members I can advise other WORTH groups’ members to think of having group economic activity rather than individual struggle, because togetherness is power. Yes together we can!
Acknowledgement
We are proud of our mentor Ester Samson who is with us all the way we go through, but also the management of HUHESO Foundation who brought the EpiC project to our ward, also we extend more our gratitude to the FHI 360 who support us through our mentors EWs and PEs in structural, SBCC and Biomedical services provided by EpiC project.
