Two years ago, 38-year-old Harriet Kanagwa was a rural house wife who always waited for her husband to put food on the table. “I neither had a business nor start up income. My greatest challenge was providing food and medical care for my children.”
But in 2018 she heard about women groups that were being formed by Share An Opportunity Uganda (SAO U) and on 11th/06/2018, Harriet, a resident of Lujejenzu village, Bukiiti parish, Bunyafa Sub County in Sironko District joined Tambila hadwela Self Help Group formed by SAO.
This was the turning point of her life. “We would meet every Thursday to save and also discuss some of the challenges we were facing as women. I started by saving 500/= and during one of these meetings, we were trained in business skills and this opened my eyes to how I could get a source of income.”
She adds, “I borrowed 10,000/= for the start and bought one bunch of bananas which I sold within two weeks giving me a profit of 4,000.” At the start, she was selling the bananas from her porch.
“When My husand saw that my business was doing well, he built me a stall where I continued selling bananas.”
Harriet says that this enabled her to pay off the first loan with an interest of 500/=. “I got another loan of 20,000/= to boost my business.” She used the money to buy two bunches of bananas. “I sold each at 15,000/= yielding a total of 30,000/= and profits were 10,000/=.” She paid back the loan with an interest of 1,000/=.
Her business kept on growing and in February 2019 she borrowed 120,000 which she used to buy goat. The goat gave birth to two kids, a male and female.
“I now get one liter of milk every day from the goat for my family. I am able to buy food and pay medical bills for the children in case there is need.”
“My future plan is to buy a Fresian cow that will provide enough milk for the family and surplus for sell which would help me raise enough money to take my children to private boarding schools.”
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