Tanzanian Savings Groups | Purpose Group

Elisongoya is a resilient 40-year-old farmer. The lives of Elisongoya, her husband, and their four children took a positive turn, thanks to Elisongoya’s involvement in her Purpose Group.

“Before joining the group, I worried a lot about my inability to provide for our family. My husband and I lacked a stable income which caused us not to have a stable household. The turning point came with my decision to join a Purpose Group, a decision that opened doors to a brighter future,” Elisongoya happily recalls. A Purpose Group is like a Savings Group that includes more important benefits in communities Plant With Purpose works with.

“After I joined the group and received training on saving, organic agriculture, and environmental restoration, I adopted the lessons.”

The methods of regenerative agriculture taught at Purpose Groups are not only linked to healthier land but also increased incomes, due to the abundance of crops.

“I was able to earn money and pay school fees until my children reach university. Their education came through money generated from different income generating activities such as selling bananas in the market, vegetable production, and pig keeping. All this initiated with the knowledge I got from the group.

“My family is grateful for my choice to join the group as they all benefited by getting home basic needs and school needs met,” Elisongoya recalls.

“At the moment, my concern for the children is that they should get a good education, go to university, and be able to employ themselves. I want them to have a financial freedom that evaded me and my husband for a very long time. I also continue to invest in their ability to participate in income generating activities such as cultivating the garden, feeding the animals, selling vegetables at home, and going to the market to sell bananas. We go together so that they can get practical knowledge on how to be independent in the future,” Elisongoya shares.

“Since joining the Purpose Group, I have changed my life. I have been able to send my children to a good school and pay for their fees and needs. I am a proud mom. My first daughter is currently pursuing a degree in law at the University of Arusha. This is a success! My husband and I only studied up to secondary school, but our child exceeded our accomplishments by reaching the university. I will work hard in the group to make sure she completes college and pursues her dreams,” Elisongoya said. 

“With loans from my Purpose Group, I have also been able to build a nice modern house that I did not have before due to loans taken from my Purpose Group. I have used loans for business establishment, school fees, and house construction here in Tanzania. The previous house we were living in before had 2 sleeping rooms while the current one has 4 sleeping rooms. This has improved privacy for my children as the boys and girls are sleeping in separate rooms. This also gives them time to study at home separately as they are in different stages of education,” Elisongoya highlights.

Elisongoya finishes, “I thank God for Plant With Purpose.”