Agricultural Empowerment for Rural Farmers

We are excited to share the inspiring stories of the Village Cooperative Model 

Agaaliwamu Farmers Group;

Our very first cooperative, founded in 2016 with just 16 members and a dream for a better future.

With COSMA’s support training, agro loans, seeds, and fertilizers they turned that dream into reality.
Today, they are 78 members strong and have bought land, Built offices & storage, Started a catering and events business in their subdistrict  geographical area,

Now their future plans is to save for a maize milling machine to add value to their harvest
Every Monday, they meet like in this photos to make small internal savings and repay their due loans and plan their next steps.

This is what resilience, opportunity, and support can achieve

Dembe Farmers Group;

A small but powerful community of dedicated farmers united by a shared vision; To grow together and lift each other out of poverty through cooperation and shared opportunity.

Formed with the support of Cosma village cooperative program, Dembe is typical example shared community development, It brings together men and women who pool their savings, access small credit loans, and support one another in farming and family development.   

Through training, teamwork, and trust, members have learned to manage finances, invest wisely, and improve their livelihoods. Located in Nakasenyi Subcounty, this vibrant group is made up of 30 dedicated farmers working hand in hand to build better lives through unity, accountability, and shared growth.

Dembe operates under a strong village cooperative model. The group elects three leaders a Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer who guide and manage all group activities. When a member wishes to apply for a Cosma community loan, they do so with the support and approval of their group leaders.

Loans are issued with a 2% interest rate and a repayment period of 6 months to 2 years, depending on the borrower’s capacity. Once a member receives a loan, the group leaders take responsibility to ensure timely repayment and accountability. This structure builds ownership, discipline, and teamwork among all members. 

Out of this approach, Dembe Farmers Group has become one of the most successful groups in the Cosma program. Members have used their credit loans to pay school fees, invest in livestock and crop farming, and expand their income sources transforming not just their own lives, but their entire community. We’re incredibly proud of Dembe and the shining example they set for others!

Together, we’re proving that community-driven development works and that every small loan can spark lasting change.

Just three years ago, Makanika and Lydia were struggling to feed their family of ten in Kigogwa village. Their maize farm yielded little, school fees were out of reach, and hope was slipping away.

That changed when they joined the Vunza Farmer Cooperative through Cosma. With access to improved seeds, hands-on training, and a credit loan, they doubled their farmland and transformed their yields. Today, eight of their children are back in school, and the family has diversified into goat and chicken farming boosting both income and soil health.

They’ve gone from survival to sustainability, managing a thriving maize farm, a flourishing banana garden, and new jobs at a local plantation.

“The impact is huge,” says Lydia. “Cosma has changed our lives.”

This is more than a success story—it’s proof that with the right support, families can break the cycle of poverty.

Help us reach more farmers like Makanika and Lydia.

Your gift plants the seeds of lasting change.