Savings and Credit Schemes Boosted to Support HuGo Members | International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP)International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP)

Despite many years of their existence, members of Village Saving and Loan Associations (VSLAs) and Accumulated Savings and Credit Associations (ASCAs) in Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Area lack capacity in savings, record keeping, governance and micro-loan management. Composed of Human Gorilla Conflict Resolution (HuGo) groups around BMCA, VSLAs and ASCAs are models used to boost household incomes of individuals involved in human wildlife conflict management while strengthening their social cohesion. In the bid to address the existing gaps and empower the groups better, IGCP trained 22 leaders of VSLAs/ASCAs as Trainers of trainees with the hope that they will in turn train their members. Additionally, IGCP will provide seed money to the groups to enable individuals access funds that can support them to start and or strengthen their own income generating activities. Because the work of HuGo members is voluntary without a pay, it is important to provide incentives to them as recognition for the great role that they play and as motivation for them to keep doing what they do. According to, David Sebutozi of Gitenderi Protect Environment Group who participated in the recent training, “Saving and credit schemes have been instrumental in household development. The recent training enlightened me on proper loan management especially in calculating interest accumulated over time”. In the past, IGCP supported Gitenderi savings group with UGX 10m that has since boosted the group members’ businesses, household incomes and improved standards of living according to their Chairperson Mr David Sebutozi.