Angwech Angela - Uganda
Angwech Angela
Angwech Angela, aged 34, has seven children, is married to Ochen Geoffrey, and is a member of Aye medo ngeca Farmers Group. Her first time to get involved in Enterprise Uganda programs was in 2014 when some gentleman approached the group and briefed them about Enterprise Uganda. She got training in different areas through the group. What she remembers most are the trainings in business and gender issues. She was taken to Ngetta which was an on-site training where she acquired skills to run a business.
Before SWEP, she used to think about how to grow and develop as a person but with limited knowledge, skills and confidence. Because of the different training programs, she got motivated and doesn’t have fear anymore.
After returning from Ngetta, she started a business of selling clothes with UGX100,000 but increased this capital to UGX700,000 within one month after training. She also expanded her business rearing cattle, growing groundnuts, pigeon peas, cassava, sorghum and beans among others. Her sales per season have increased from one million shillings before intervention to four million shillings after intervention while profit from selling clothes has doubled from UGX100,000 per week to UGX200,000 per week. From her savings, she was able to buy two cows and increased them to six cows and two oxen.
“I had most of these farming businesses before, but I was not handling them properly,” she says. “For example, I used to find a challenge of raising capital and sustaining the business. My business was at a very small scale at the time but after the training, I started getting some gradual changes. In every season, I now know how to handle my finances, especially inflows and outflows, borrowing and how to go about it. I used to sell casually without any deliberate effort to note down the cost of farming. I now know how to make projections, how and when to buy seeds, record all my farming expenses and can even predict the yield and estimated revenues.
“I have not yet experienced any negative changes, not even domestic violence, because my husband and I are transparent in our business. My husband is not so hard on my money but I always inform him of the businesses. I declare what transpired to him at the end of the season and we plan together.”
currently employs 20 people during planting and has increased her savings from UGX100,000 to UGX600,000 at the time of sharing group money and feels peace in herself since she can access money to meet the needs of seven household members even when her husband is away. She plans to expand her business and complete the house and advises other women to stop being dormant and get engaged in business. This can help when their husbands are no longer there.
Angella currently employs 20 people during planting and has increased her savings from UGX100,000 to UGX600,000
The Strengthening Women’s Entrepreneurs Project (SWEP II) was a 3-year project seeking to economically empower 5,000 rural and semi-rural women in Northern and Eastern Uganda (The Greater North) to become the main vehicle for expanding production, increasing household income, alleviating poverty and enhancing economic growth. - Charles Ocici (Executive Director)
SWEP II has shown that it is possible for women, even those in rural areas, to enjoy economic emancipation through adopting and practicing an entrepreneurial mind-set. The increase in household incomes, savings and investments as a result of gender-sensitive entrepreneurship and business development skills shows the capacity of women to transform their lives and those of their households if guided into the right direction. There was also a marked improvement in household relationships and appreciation of the civic responsibility of the woman in the community. This highlights the fact that an economically empowered woman is also a better mother in the home and citizen in the country. - Rosemary Mutyabule (Director, Business Development Services)
Used with permission from Enterprise Uganda. Project Report can be downloaded here