Success Story: From Isolation to Inspiration – The Transformation of Matuga Jino

Matuga Jino, a 40-year-old father of six, had never participated in any group activity throughout his life. Living with his family, he struggled to provide consistent income and had no clear business idea or direction for improving his household’s wellbeing. Like many others, he relied on small, irregular sources of income that could barely sustain his family’s basic needs.

In January 2025, Matuga’s life began to change when he heard about the Community Savings and Credit Group (CSCG) program from Kenyi Emmanuel, a Community Process Facilitator (CPF) with CRESS Africa Foundation (CAF). Curious about the opportunity and encouraged by the range of training packages offered, including CSCG methodology, climate-smart agriculture, financial literacy, mindset change, and business plan development, Matuga made a bold decision to join Aliodrozu CSCG, which means “Chase Poverty Out” in the Lugbara language, located in Wandi sub-county Yumbe District supported by CRESS Africa Foundation.

For the first time in his life, Matuga became part of the CSCG. Through the trainings, he gained practical knowledge in saving, borrowing, record keeping, and planning for business growth. The mindset change sessions particularly transformed his outlook, helping him believe that poverty was not permanent and that he could take control of his future.
Immediately after completing the initial trainings, Matuga took a loan of UGX 250,000 from his CSCG as start-up capital. With this, he established a small general merchandise shop in his community. He carefully applied the financial management and business planning skills he had acquired to manage stock, set fair prices, and reinvest profits.

Today, Matuga earns an average of UGX 25,000 per day, translating to approximately UGX 650,000 per month. From this income, he reinvests part of the profits to expand his stock and strengthen the business. He also continues saving consistently within the CSCG and pays interest on his loan, contributing to the group’s overall growth and sustainability.
His improved income has enabled him to better provide for his six children, ensuring more stable access to food, school requirements, and other household needs. Beyond financial gains, Matuga has gained confidence, leadership skills, and a sense of belonging within his community.

Matuga’s journey from isolation and uncertainty to entrepreneurship and active community participation demonstrates the transformative power of CSCGs when combined with capacity building and mindset change. Through Aliodrozu CSCG and the support of CRESS Africa Foundation, he is truly chasing poverty out of his household, one step at a time.