“My husband is proud of me”

When Share An Opportunity Uganda with support from Kindernothilfe (KNH) started the community empowerment programme in Sironko in 2018, women in the community embraced the programme.

After being trained in various income generating activities, most of the women decided to trade in the sale of bananas. However, 47-year-old Juliet Nambuya had another option.

“Most of the women in our community are my friends and I realized that we all had a common need and that was utensils at home. So when Share An Opportunity Uganda trained us in income generating activities. I choose the sale of utensils; specifically cups and plates.”

Nambuya, a member of Yafulapola (Start slowly) Self Help group (SHG) got a loan of UGX 50,000 from the group. “I used the money to buy one dozen of ceramic plates, two dozens of plastic plates and a dozen of plastic cups.”

She sold some to the women in the different SHGs and the rest she sold in the market. “I made UGX 10,000 as profits. I used some of the money to pay back my loan and remained with capital to continue with the business.”

Once she had cleared the loan, she got another one of UGX 200,000. This loan fetched her more profits which she used to diversify in the income generating activity.

“I used some of the money to expand my utensils business and also diversify into livestock farming. I bought two turkeys and one goat.”

Nambuya explains, “The turkeys hatched 17 chicks and my goat gave birth recently to two kids.”

Nabumya says that while her utensil business fetched her some good profits which she used to build her oldest son a house, “The business was greatly affected by the lockdown so I have decided to concentrate on the livestock. My target is to sell the chicks at UGX 30,000 in December. I will also sell the two kids in March.”

She will use the money from both sales to buy a Friesian cow for milk production for both home consumption and sell. “I realized that we need a daily income as a family and this is the easiest means.”

“I thank SAO for teaching us about making money because my family’s livelihood has completely changed for the good.”

“I now contribute to the daily needs of the home and because of this, my husband is proud of me. we can now sit and plan as a couple unlike before. The number of meals in our home increased from two to three meals a day.”