The First Seed Planted

A vision takes root

Love Mercy Foundation began 15 years ago with a primary aim: to empower women with food security and the ability to create and sustain their own livelihood.

Based on the micro-finance model of the Grameen Bank, which sought to alleviate poverty and empower marginalised people in Bangladesh through micro-credit, Cents for Seeds was designed with the singular vision of offering a hand up, as opposed to a hand-out.

Instead of money loans however, the program would use seeds. Women, who form 79% of the agricultural labour force, yet were disproportionately affected by poverty, low literacy rates and limited access to income and resources, would be the key beneficiary. Playing a major role in the family unit through caretaking and farming, women would be empowered to create their own future. These seed loans would enable women to grow their own food, become financially independent, and sustain their families.

The birth of Cents for Seeds

Cents for Seeds began with just 100 women in Barr Village. As a pilot of the program, it was a bold step into the unknown, but it worked. Women who once depended on food aid were now growing their own crops. They had enough to eat, and for the first time, many could sell surplus produce and send their children to school.

The way in which Cents for Seeds works might seem complex on the surface, but it really is quite simple. A $30 donation is enough to cover one women in the program. She’ll receive 30kgs of seed such as soya bean or sesame, as well as a gardening tool, access to financial literacy workshops and inclusion in a Village Savings and Loan Association group (VSLA). The donation covers all this, including a team of agronomists, trainers, and monitoring and evaluation officers. From this initial 30kg, she can harvest up to 300kg, enough to feed her family for an entire year. Once her crop is harvested, she then repays the initial loan (with interest) to be given to the next participant the following season. With the remaining harvest, she can store it at home, swap it at the market, or sell some for income. Women have built entire homes, sent children to school, and started small businesses on the back of their income from Cents for Seeds.

Following monitoring and evaluation data, impact assessments and community feedback, the Cents for Seeds program is currently transitioning to a 5 year program. This will promote self-sufficiency, enable Love Mercy to exit sustainably, and create opportunity for the program to scale.

Overcoming challenges

The early years were filled with learning curves and obstacles:.

• Unpredictable weather made farming difficult, forcing the team to develop strategies for climate resilience.

• Cultural shifts required patience and trust-building—convincing communities that women’s financial empowerment was a path to greater stability.

• Limited funding meant starting small and scaling carefully, relying on a growing community of passionate supporters.

But the impact was undeniable. By 2012, Cents for Seeds had grown to 750 women, and by 2016, it had reached 7,000 women. What started as a small-scale initiative had become a movement of economic empowerment, transforming not just individual lives but entire villages.

Lily used her share of profits to purchase a grinding mill and start her own business.

During a recent visit to Alangi Village in northern Uganda, our Cents for Seeds team witnessed firsthand the power of financial independence through Income Generating Activity (IGA) groups. These groups, born out of the Cents for Seeds program, provide women with opportunities to earn additional income, strengthen economic stability, and invest in their futures.

Lily, a member of the Alangi IGA group, is a shining example of what’s possible. With their first profit of $220, the group purchased goats, creating a sustainable source of income. Lily used her share to expand her farming practices, introducing rice cultivation, and over the past year, she has saved more than $1,000. She has also leveraged her earnings to buy a grinding mill, launching a business that processes millet and simsim for her community. By reinvesting her profits, she is not only securing her own future but also strengthening the financial resilience of those around her.

Beyond personal success, the Alangi IGA group is making an even bigger impact. Acting as a community bank, they provide loans to non-members at a 10% interest rate, redistributing the earnings among group members. Their innovation and determination are creating lasting change, proving that when women are empowered with resources and opportunity, entire communities thrive.

Laying the groundwork for the future

As Love Mercy continued to grow, so did its vision. It became clear that food security was just one piece of the puzzle. In-country impact measurement continually revealed women in the program needed access to a nearby water source, or their success in growing and harvesting crops would never reach its full potential.

In 2018, this realisation led to the establishment of Well Worth It, a program to drill and repair wells in remote villages to reduce the burden of water collection and to help offset the increasingly unpredictable rainfall in the region.

The seed that keeps growing

Today, as we reflect on these foundational years, it’s clear that the first seed planted in 2010 has blossomed into something far greater than we could have imagined. With 3,500 new women joining the program in 2025, Cents for Seeds has now reached over 32,000 women across 3 districts of northern Uganda, giving them hope for a future that may have once felt unimaginable. The local team in Uganda have grown to 13 skilled and incredible staff members, who know the lived experience of the communities we are standing alongside.

After community consultation, there are now 5 different types of seeds on offer, with one more undergoing a pilot. Our climate resilience strategy continues to expand, considering new water sources and methods of offsetting climate change.

But we’re not stopping here. The same spirit of determination, resilience, and faith that started this journey will drive us forward. In 2025, we look ahead with momentum, ready to expand Cents for Seeds, deepen our focus on climate resilience, and are working on a plan to scale the program in the hundreds of thousands.

The first seed has grown into a harvest of undeniable hope—and together, we will keep planting.

The Cents for Seeds team in northern Uganda.