Partnership Overview

In Koboko there is a group of pastors' wives and widows who are doing business and seeking to empower themselves in a very small way. Life is extremely hard without income, and they have started their own very small savings and loan programme (a type of table banking). There are currently 50 women in this group, but the group has developed from within, as a cooperative, and presently has no external support. There is a leadership team, which is very committed and Thomas, because he is in Koboko regularly, helps supervise this group. 

The types of business that are being run include reselling of fish, vegetables, charcoal, flour and beans, sewing/tailoring, and small kiosks. However, the women and their families are still simply surviving at a subsistence level and the group would benefit from a top-up of funds to enable them to expand their businesses.  

History of Partnership

From 2009-2016 BHW funded a micro-finance loan programme run by Thomas and Joyce Lubari (UGA04b). They lead a church in Jinja which comprises of some of the poorest people in Uganda, have a real heart for these people and this micro-loan programme was an exciting development to enable them to offer a helping hand to the people in their congregation. This loan programme has continued to limp along for a number of years but unfortunately most of the capital provided has been dissipated or lost as people have left the area, or died, or simply not paid.

However, in email conversations with BHW's Uganda Partnership Facilitator in June 2024, Thomas mentioned a group of widows and pastors’ wives in Koboko that he has been supporting who are presently running a microfinance table banking savings and loan programme. BHW considers table banking a considerably more viable programme than an externally funded loan programme and in late June the BHW Executive approved providing a financial boost for this programme.  

Beneficiaries

The 50 women who are part of the programme and their families. All of the women are pastor’s wives, widows, or married to people who are involved in ministry. They are part of the Life Gospel Ministries (LGM) network and the Koboko Pentecostal Church which was established by LGM in 1990. The women are all refugees who are traumatized because of the challenges they face of providing for the daily needs and school fees for their children.  

What We Like About The Partnership

It seems to be well run and is operating well. 
Thomas and Joyce have experience in running a loan programme and have learnt a lot from running the previous programme. 
This partnership deals with some of the poorest people in Uganda. Most have significant trauma to deal with and have been displaced from their places of origin with no likelihood of return.
Thomas and Joyce have proved themselves to be very committed to ministry to the poor and spend all their money on others and give their lives to help people.

Key People

Leadership Profile

Thomas and Joyce Lubari are both refugees from Sudan and have been living in Uganda since fleeing the war in Sudan in 1990 (this was an earlier civil way before South Sudan became an independent country in 2013). They had five children of their own, although one is now sadly deceased. They also often have other children in their home who they care for. They initially planted a church in the west Nile town of Koboko which borders South Sudan and the DCR. However, rebel insurgency hit Koboko and they fled to Jinja where they planted the church in the Njeru slum in February 1996. They continue to lead this local church in Jinja, but their hearts are in South Sudan and with the refugees.

Thomas has a background in agriculture and theology, has a master's in development and has recently received his PhD. He has also had training in trauma counselling. Joyce is trained in accounting and currently works in the administration department of a Bible School. 

Other People Involved

There are three leaders, a secretary and two treasurers, who manage the day to day running of the programme.

Vision And Annual Strategy

The group is under the umbrella of Koboko Development Forum, which was formed in December 2023 for the purpose of fostering development and social inclusion among the poor Kakwa people, mainly the refugees, to assist them get out of poverty. It consists of church members and non-church members. 

An initial boost of US$1,000 will be given with an additional $1,000 boost in a further 12 months. Following this the programme will be self-sustaining.