“I no longer need to beg my husband” — meet Dorothy, one of MCS’s farming pioneers
In Magola Sub County, Tororo District, women have traditionally worked in their husbands’ fields. They planted, harvested, and tended livestock — but the land, the crops, and the income belonged to someone else. For Nyakoi Dorothy, that was simply the way things were.
Until MCS stepped in.
A community where women are locked out
Women make up 51.5% of the population in Tororo district, yet most have no access to land, no independent income, and no financial safety net. The illiteracy rate among women sits at 49.5%. Cash crops and livestock — the most profitable activities — are dominated by men. Women are largely confined to subsistence farming on land they do not own, producing food for families rather than income for themselves.
The Ugandan constitution guarantees women equal rights to work and equal pay. In practice, the gap between policy and reality remains wide.
Dorothy’s transformation
When MCS first began working with Dorothy, she was dependent on her husband for every purchase, every decision, every basic need. With support from MCS — seeds, guidance, and encouragement to claim what was rightfully hers — everything changed.
Today, Nyakoi Dorothy tends a tomato garden, a banana plantation, and a goat shelter. She sells her produce at market. She sells her milk. The income is hers.
“MCS has given me an opportunity to be financially independent. I can now sell my produce and buy whatever I want instead of pleading with my husband.”
She is one of ten women supported by MCS this year. Each one now owns and farms her own land — a profound shift in a community where that was unthinkable just a few years ago.
What comes next
MCS is committed to reaching more women in Magola Sub County. Plans are in place to provide seeds, pesticides, and small start-up loans to bring more women into economic participation. The goal is not just income — it is dignity, independence, and a community where women are equal partners in building the future.
If you would like to support this work, please visit our donations page.
