2025 April Newsletter

At Suyana, being present on the ground is an essential part of how we work. Earlier this year, our team visited Uganda, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone to deepen collaboration with local partners and explore new opportunities. These visits are part of our hands-on approach and reflect our commitment to shaping impactful, sustainable solutions together with the communities we support.

In Rwanda, we visited pottery cooperatives supported by the Rwandan Youth for Change (RYVC) project. Led almost entirely by women from the marginalised Batwa community, these cooperatives are not only focused on income — they foster connection, ownership, and pride.

Their work blends traditional skills with a modern twist, adapting modern shapes, finishes, and functionality, making the products attractive for wider markets and tourism. Weekly reading and financial literacy classes empower participants to rediscover the joy of learning, often for the first time.

In Sierra Leone, our team witnessed the inspiring work of Siera Grassroots Agency (SIGA) — carried out under extremely challenging conditions. From rebuilding schools to empowering women through business training and a microfinance model that helps fund school meals, SIGA shows how community-driven solutions can thrive, even with limited resources. Their model now reaches close to 680 women — far beyond the original target of 100 — and boasts a 100% loan repayment rate, a powerful indicator of trust and impact at the heart of their work.

In Uganda, visiting our partner Teso Initiative for Peace (TIP) gave us a clear view of grassroots impact. One poultry group expanded its flock from 300 to over 1,600 chickens and increased its savings twelvefold. During our visit, the community launched “Chicken for Education” — a homegrown initiative led by TIP’s poultry officer, encouraging families to raise chickens to fund school fees. We met Jacob, a six-year-old whose mother gifted him a chicken as an investment in his future. The eggs and offspring will support his education, possibly all the way to vocational school. It’s a simple yet powerful example of how local leadership can unlock lasting opportunities.

In 2025, we will continue to expand our work in these three countries, drawing on over 20 years of experience in implementing holistic programmes from Latin America. By applying our proven ‘local for local’ model and building strong partnerships with organisations rooted in their communities, we ensure that our support reaches those who need it most — in ways that truly make a difference.