Success story of Lokong Paul Ezra
I’m by names Lokong Paul Ezra of age 25, a farmer and a member of Korisae farmer group in Lobanya Parish, Kacheri Sub county, Kotido District, I’m glad to express the joy in my heart for the great support offered to me, Lobanya community by the Diocesan Development Services North Karamoja (DDS-NK). Before I joined in 2018 march, life seemed to me very harsh being a man of two women with no live skills ideas. When I joined the Savings group with the little education I had, the group trusted me with the responsibility of leadership as a secretary this is the time my eyes opened after undergoing numerous trainings on VSLA, CA and Agronomy of different crops. Savings culture became my obligation I started savings by 1000 shillings every week, at the end of the year that’s 2019 march I had saved about 130,000 without interest. This savings interested me even more, this time we started savings again by march 2019 this time our share valve increased to two thousand shillings, this year 2019 I was enticed one hundred thousand shillings the stocked tamarind of a friend got for me market in Soroti.
From the sale of Tamarind, I was blessed with a profit of 300,000 shillings, from this money I bought three goats which will helped in case of arising problems at home. In march 2020 we shared out the savings and I got 270,000 shillings. From the 270,000 shillings’ part of I used it to run my family, open land and I opened a retail shop which I’m still continuing with. By April 2020 I had saved some money in the group. On the 12/4/2020 I again borrowed 200,000 shillings were I restocked my retail shop, used part of it to plant my beans and part of it I used it for family affairs. To this I’m very pleased to the DDS-NK for improving my life, family and my community now I’m opened to many opportunities e.g. I’m now a Village Health Team (VHT) in my community and I pray for more continuity of this Programme of DDS-NK, and great thanks to the funders of DDS-NK activities i.e. Mennonite Central Committee for their support in Karamoja.