About the Project

The Pigs for Capital Growth and Food Security Project

Communities of the Rakai District, Kasaali Sub-county, specifically the Kasaali and Kyotera clusters of UWESO

The VSLA will initially own 3 pigs communally, all female, and between 9 and 10 months old

VSLA responsibilities:

1. choose the caretaker of the pigs and compensate the caretaker with one pig from the first offspring
2. choose members to form a pig project committee to monitor the project
3. provide the materials for construction of a pig pen and funding for food for the pigs and any medical treatment for the pigs
4. provide at least one other VSLA with three female pigs and training on the program and pig care each cycle
5. may receive pigs from another VSLA only once within a cycle
6. decide at the end of the cycle how many pigs will be sold and how many will remain with the VSLA to start the next cycle

Caretaker responsibilities:

1. receive training on pig care
2. report any problems that may arise to the pig project committee in a timely fashion, regardless of whether or not there is a meeting scheduled
3. build a pig pen and provide food and any medical treatment necessary for the pigs

Distribution of profits:

The profits from each pig will be divided among all 25 members in the form of shares.  For example, two pigs will be sold at 50,000USH, so if a VSLA has decided to designate shares to be worth 500 USH, then four shares (2,000USH) will be added to each member’s record of shares, including that of the buyer.  These shares can be added to the start-up shares, since there is a limit on the number of shares that can be bought per meeting. This essentially means that the actual price paid by the buyer for each pig will be 48,000USH.

Additional efforts toward sustainability:

UWESO will be providing training and start up materials to additional VSLAs in the communities, especially those that have spontaneously developed, without the direction of the UWESO staff and trainers.