CATT Update
New Motorbikes
This has been an exciting year for CRESS and was the third time CRESS has had to completely re-form in Africa in its 16-year history.
From January, discussions and actions took place to set up as a legal Indigenous Non Governmental Organisation (INGO) in Uganda. CRESS AFRICA applied for and received permission to work initially in Rhino Camp. They combined the Agriculture and Savings Groups into their Livelihood Project. The Livelihood Project focuses on Community Savings and Credit Groups (CSCG) methodology, sustainable climate-smart agriculture, mindset change, financial literacy and entrepreneurship, and enhanced vocational skills. The work in Rhino camp started by training new Community Process Facilitators (CPFs). who mentor and encourage the groups. The CPFs are refugees themselves and live in the camps. Other NGOs bring in teams from Arua who do not speak the South Sudanese language or know the local land or communities. CRESS AFRICA is a refugee-led indigenous NGO, so the camp attendees have respect for CRESS AFRICA CPFs. When
we visited in January 2025 we were delighted to see the fledgling groups thriving and putting to practice the principles of mindset change and climate-smart agriculture.
CRESS AFRICA has also been able to continue helping to manage the more mature groups in Mijale and Imvepi. We have been delighted with the feedback and photos from groups like Friendly Group and Morjita Mixed Group. They have been inspired to
work not only with their own small businesses and gardens, but as groups have set up businesses like shops, computer/internet access, grinding mills and furniture loan
businesses.
I am immensely proud of the new CRESS AFRICA and all they have taken on and achieved in their first year, I look forward to our continued collaboration.
Caroline - extract from Message from CEO
