Impact Makers: Maggie Bukowa

NAME

Maggie Bukowa

TITLE

CEO, CredorSave Loans

LOCATION

Rufunsa District, Lusaka, Zambia

ABOUT

Maggie Bukowa is the CEO of CredorSave Loans, a community-driven, women- and youth-led social enterprise founded in 2020 to advance climate resilience and financial inclusion in Zambia’s Rufunsa District. CredorSave provides smallholder farmers, particularly women and youth, with accessible, non-collateral loans (meaning they do not need to put up land, property, or other assets as security) to support clean energy adoption, irrigation, improved livestock, and climate-smart agriculture.

Under her leadership, CredorSave has enabled more than 10,000 people to transition to sustainable practices, including the adoption of household biogas systems that reduce deforestation, lower emissions, and improve health, while also producing organic bio-slurry that enriches soils and boosts crop yields. With ambitions to scale across Zambia by 2030, Maggie is hoping to turn the enterprise into a replicable model of rural climate finance that integrates clean energy, food security, and women’s empowerment.

MOTIVATION

“I was born into a family of smallholder farmers who relied on the land to feed and educate us. I’ve seen firsthand how unpredictable weather, poor access to finance, and rising input costs can trap hardworking farmers in cycles of poverty. That experience fuels my passion to change the narrative; to prove that with the right financing and technology, smallholder farmers can thrive in a changing climate. Through Credorsave, I’m working to bridge the gap between clean energy, food production, and financial inclusion. I’m driven by the belief that without adequate and inclusive financing for frontline farming communities, climate action cannot be achieved.”

IMPACT

• 10,000 people reached since 2020 through inclusive climate finance in Rufunsa District.

• Biogas adoption per household saves 2,400 kg of wood and prevents 4 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year.

• Deforestation reduced by replacing charcoal and firewood with clean biogas energy.

• Soil health improved through the use of bio-slurry as fertiliser, reducing chemical use and saving households around $300 annually.

• Food security strengthened via access to irrigation systems, climate-smart livestock, and diversified farming practices.

• Women empowered by removing the burden of firewood collection, opening up time for education and economic activity.

• Financial inclusion expanded with non-collateral lending and group-guaranteed loans, helping farmers build financial histories.

• Youth employment created by training 2,000 young people in biogas construction and maintenance.

• Low loan default rate of <1% is proving the resilience and reliability of rural farmers when given fair access to finance.

• Replicable model emerging for climate justice and inclusive finance across Zambia and Southern Africa.

ADVICE

“Start where you are, and start with what you know. Climate impact doesn’t always come from big budgets or grand solutions. It grows from understanding the everyday struggles of people and finding ways to make their lives better within a changing climate. Listen more than you speak, collaborate widely, and never compromise your integrity for speed. The path will be hard, but real impact is built over time. Through persistence, empathy, and the courage to act even when you don’t have all the answers. Every small, honest effort compounds into real change. But most importantly, innovate for products and services that are actually useful to easing the many challenges that the world faces.”

Contact

Facebook | LinkedIn