Blessed Organic training boosts women’s livelihoods, family relations in Agago

26 October 2026, 10:28 pm

By Geoffrey Okwong

Women belonging to Yaa Ber Group in Agago District say training and market support provided through Blessed Organic have helped them reduce shea nut losses, generate income, support their children’s education and improve relationships within their households.

The testimonies were shared on October 23, 2026, when officials from World Vision Uganda and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) visited Blessed Organic’s factory in Oyutu Cell, Luna Parish, Pader Town Council, to learn about the organisation’s work and the impact of the support provided through the STAR project.

Blessed Organic works with communities involved in shea nut collection and processing, helping them improve post-harvest handling, product quality, value addition and access to markets.

Wilfred Okot, the STAR project coordinator at World Vision Uganda, said the project was designed to strengthen agribusiness resilience and improve livelihoods among communities in northern and northeastern Uganda.

The project supports businesses and producer groups through interventions intended to improve production, business capacity and market access.

Joachim Okot, the manager of Blessed Organic, said the organisation had benefited from training and support from partners, including World Vision Uganda and KOICA, alongside other partners involved in strengthening its business operations.

He said the training covered areas such as business costing and pricing, organic certification, packaging and labelling, helping the organisation improve its products and strengthen its competitiveness in the market.

Joachim added that efforts to establish buyer connections had opened new opportunities for the organisation, including a two-tonne trial order from Belgium.

Margaret. Laloyo, the director of Blessed Organic, said the support had contributed to improvements in branding, the organisation’s online presence and exposure to international markets.

She said opportunities to showcase products in international markets, including Korea and Paris, had helped raise awareness of the organisation’s products and attract potential buyers.

Laloyo also said grant support had helped the organisation pursue certification, an important step in strengthening the value and marketability of its products.

At the community level, members of Yaa Ber Group in Arum Ikom Village, Kazi Kazi Parish, Arum Sub-county, Agago District, said the training had transformed how they handled shea nuts, which previously suffered losses because of poor preservation methods.

One of the group members, Betty Adong said that before Blessed Organic intervened, they lacked knowledge of proper collection, drying and storage methods, causing some of the nuts to rot when exposed to rain.

She said the training, together with assistance in accessing markets, had helped members recognise the economic value of shea nuts and reduce post-harvest losses.

The member added that the group includes widows and mothers who now use proceeds from selling shea nuts to support their families, including paying school fees and buying school uniforms for their children.

Pauline Akech, the chairperson of Yaa Ber Group, thanked Blessed Organic’s leadership for the various training sessions provided to members.

Akech said the training went beyond shea nut handling to include household conflict management, communication and sharing responsibilities with their husbands and children.

She said the skills had helped members learn how to manage disagreements at home and improve relationships within their families.

Akech added that the group had also received training in post-harvest handling, seed selection, planting and general crop management, enabling members to preserve produce from their gardens, feed their families and sell surplus food to generate income.

She said the training had helped members understand how to manage agricultural produce from the garden to the household while reducing losses and improving food security.

Charles Otti, the secretary of Yaa Ber Group, said Blessed Organic had also trained members in liquid soap-making, providing them with another opportunity to generate income.

Otti said the additional skills had enabled members to explore other income-generating activities instead of relying solely on shea nuts.

He added that the training had contributed to improved relationships between members and their husbands, as well as with their children, noting that some households had previously experienced tension arising from domestic conflicts.

Otti further said members had been trained in making liquid fertilisers, which could help improve agricultural production.

The beneficiaries’ accounts highlight how training in post-harvest handling, value addition, household management and alternative income-generating activities can help rural communities improve their livelihoods.

For Yaa Ber Group members, the benefits extend beyond earning money from shea nuts to supporting children’s education, improving household food security and strengthening family relationships.

The wider support to Blessed Organic also highlights the role of partnerships, business training and market linkages in helping local enterprises improve product quality and reach new buyers.