Kiva-Powered Education in Uganda

Meet Agnes. Agnes is a huge fan of Kiva. She's currently repaying her 6th Kiva loan and enthusiastically states that it likely won't be her last.

An outspoken mother of four children, Agnes describes living with four children as "chaos" - but pride is evident on her face as she rattles off their achievements. Her eldest daughter recently finished a business degree, her second eldest is studying IT at university, and the two younger ones are currently excelling in high school.

Agnes lives in a suburb of Kampala where she used to be a member of a borrowing group. When some other members of her group had difficulties repaying their loans, Agnes set off on her own and applied for an individual loan from UGAFODE. Her income comes from a small poultry business and two rental properties which she manages. The revenue from both businesses is irregular, so Agnes uses Kiva loans to "smooth" her income and pay her children's tuition fees, which all come due at the same time each year.

In Uganda, where estimates of youth unemployment range from 60-85%, it is a practical necessity for young job seekers to have a university degree. Although Agnes recognizes that there are short-term sacrifices involved with debt financing her children’s education, she firmly believes that the long-term rewards of having four well-educated children in the family will far outweigh the costs.

When asked how she felt about being a repeat microfinance client, Agnes replied: "What could I ever have done without UGAFODE? I have educated all my children using the loans. Thank you UGAFODE for the tremendous work, and Kiva lenders for partnering with us. We are forever grateful."

You can support a UGAFODE borrower like Agnes by clicking here and making a loan today.