A Good Day At Pommern And Kitowo

We headed out today for a double header.  We went to Pommern and then at Kitowo on the way back.  To get to Pommern you drive down the hill from Iringa and take the turn off into Ipogoro.  From there you just keep on going another hour and a half.  When we arrived at Pommern the SACCOS officers and the Pastor were all out waiting for us.  We paused for a generous chai and hurried into the meeting room where the SACCOS members were waiting for us.

There were 25 members packed into a small meeting room.  They sang a song as we came in, then we had a prayer and the meeting started.  This SACCOS has grown from 50 last year to 60 this year.  They have grown their capital from 10,600,000 to 17,044,000 Tsc ($10,600).  This year they will make 59 loans to their members.  They have a 100% repayment rate and have a waiting list for loans.  

As Itiweni gave her lesson we talked quietly with the Pastor.  One question we had for the pastor concerned the church offerings during the years since they have had a SACCOS.  We were told that they had gone from 500,000 Tsc/month to over 1,500,000/month!  The Pastor told me that she knew of over 40 children being sent to secondary school.  The chairman thought it was much closer to 80 or so, which would be more in line with what we have discovered at other SACCOS locations.

We closed the meeting with another song, then did some interviews.  Rahab Mgata, 39, is married with 5 children.  She took out her first loan last year.  She borrowed 300,000 Tsc and planted peas.  She told us that after paying her loan she had a profit of 600,000 Tsc ($375).  She used her profit to pay her children’s school fees and added 30,000 Tsc to her savings.  She is hoping to get a loan for 500,000 Tsc this year.

Aurelia Msilu, 51, is married with 5 children.  She has been a member of this SACCOS for 3 years.  She also has borrowed to plant peas.  She used her profit to pay school fees and buy a pig.  She will fatten the pig and then sell it.  She is not sure what her final profit will be but has already made a profit of $250.

Fabi Kalolo is 38, married, and has 4 children.  He has been a SACCOS member for 2 years.  His last loan was for 500,000 Tsc ($315) to plant tomatoes on his 1.5 acres.  After repaying his loan he made a profit of 2,000,000 Tsc ($1,250).  He has used his profits to increase his savings, buy an ox to pull his plow, and improve his shamba (farm).

After finishing our interviews we said good bye and headed for our next stop, Kitowo.  Last year when we stopped at Kitowo they were just organizing.  We talked to them about what they needed to do, gave them a constitution, and Itiweni, our SACCOS coordinator has been visiting them this past year.  Today they are completing registration.  They have raised 6,400,000 Tsc ($4,000) on their own!  This is the most we have ever seen a community raise in one year.

When we got to Kitowo they had us go right into their meeting.  Our friend Malila, the coop officer, was already there finishing their paperwork with them.  He greeted us and we joined the meeting.  This SACCOS has 57 members.  There were 28 present today – enough to make a quorum and complete the paperwork.  Malila told us that he is going to Dodoma (the capital) later this week.  He expects to get four of our SACCOS registered next week – Kitowo, Ilambilole, Mgama, and Pommern!

We each made some remarks, then Peter and Itiweni both gave classes.  Itiweni got lots of questions.  We went to do a few interviews while Malila finished the forms for registration.  This SACCOS has not yet made any loans.  As a result the members we interviewed could only tell us about their plans.  Still, they had lots of details about what they hoped to do, how much it would cost, and how much profit they expected to make.  A very well organized and informed group of people.

Following the meeting we were served lunch.  It was a long day – and we still had work to do.  We started the day about 8 AM and returned to Iringa about 6 – just in time to do a little paperwork, grab something to eat, and get ready to go again tomorrow!

The road was busy on the way to Pommern this morning.

The SACCOS officers and the Pastor were there to greet us.

We had a generous chai., then off to the meeting.

When we went into the room we were met with a song!

Sandy handed out pens.

People took lots of notes.

Aurelia Msilu, 51, is married with 5 children.  She has been a member of this SACCOS for 3 years.  She also has borrowed to plant peas.

Rahab Mgata, 39, is married with 5 children.  She took out her first loan last year.  She borrowed 300,000 Tsc and planted peas.

Fabi Kalolo is 38, married, and has 4 children.  He has been a SACCOS member for 2 years.  His last loan was for 500,000 Tsc ($315) to plant tomatoes on his 1.5 acres. 

The old church at Pommern is very pretty.

But it was time to head back down the road to Kitowo.

So we quickly fitted some glasses and were off.

The church at Kitowo was already full when we got there.

There was a quorum of the SACCOS there to finish their registration papers.

Our friend Malila was busy helping them finish up.

Itiweni gave a class.  There were lots of questions.

Afterwards we talked to a few members.

Both Immanuel Mbingamno (below) and Erika Mkini (above) had good, well thought out plans for their loans.  This SACCOS is very well organized.

Before we left they signed the final papers for registering their SACCOS.

Sandy gave some of the members glasses and we were off!