Seed Effect

Santa Angwech joined a Seed Effect savings group in Lamwo back in 2022, knowing little about saving money or running a business. Through her group, she learned.

Today, Santa has bought a house for her children, started a small business, and is providing for her family.

Looking back at her life in South Sudan, she sees how much has changed. She's grateful for the opportunities she's been given and the life she has built for her family.

Read more about Santa's story: seedeffect.org/meet-our-members-list/story-santa-angwet

A common myth persists in humanitarian work: that refugees are too unstable, too poor, or too transient to save money, repay loans, or run a successful business.

Our experience tells a different story. In refugee settlements across Northern Uganda, members are saving, investing, and building livelihoods in the face of deep uncertainty. Many join with almost nothing, and nearly half start with no savings at all.

When refugees are treated as economy builders rather than passive recipients of aid, dependency gives way to resilience, and hope takes root.

With a safe place to save, access to small loans, and a supportive community, change begins: savings grow, businesses emerge, and families start building toward a future they can count on.

Give a box that changes lives.
Every $90 can help bring hope and opportunity to the hard places.

Behind every milestone is a team that shows up with purpose. We're thankful for our staff, whose unwavering dedication and daily efforts continue to bring our vision to life.

Thank you for bringing economic empowerment and the hope of Jesus Christ to the hard places.

Read the stories of our incredible members at seedeffect.org/members

It started with a sewing machine.

In 2007, on our first trip to what is now South Sudan, one of the women we were serving alongside spoke up. She said: "If only we had a sewing machine, we could start a business, earn an income, and send our children to school."
She wasn't asking for a handout. She was asking for an opportunity. She just needed someone to believe she could.

In 2009, in partnership with the local church, we began bringing the hope of Jesus and economic empowerment to the hard places. Today, we've served more than 130,000 Seed Effect members through Savings & Loan Groups in Uganda and South Sudan where they save together, lend to each other, and open every meeting in prayer and Bible study, providing for their families with dignity and investing in the next generation.

Thank you for partnering with us to make this all possible!

Read the full story of how it all began at the link in our bio.

Together, we're challenging a misconception: that refugees and those living in material poverty need long term handouts. People living in poverty are capable. What they need is access to better, more reliable financial tools and the opportunity to build on what they already have. That's the heart of our Seed Effect groups, where members save, launch businesses, and grow their financial standing, strengthening their self-reliance along the way.

On July 9, South Sudan marks another year of independence, a day that reflects the resilience, hope, and determination of its people.

True independence is strengthened when families have the opportunity to build secure futures. At Seed Effect, we walk alongside communities by equipping individuals with savings groups, financial training, and access to resources that help them grow businesses, support their families, and weather life's challenges with confidence.

Happy Independence Day South Sudan! Here's to a future filled with greater opportunity, dignity, and hope for every family.