Separated woman unveils her hidden potential - Uganda
Separated woman unveils her hidden potential
Lacen Rose, aged 50, is a single mother of six children. She returned to her parents’ home after separating with her husband in 2006. It was very challenging for her to look after six children and she decided to join Kweyo Grower’s group in 2009. She started saving and brewing local alcohol (waragi) and selling it to the market. This sustained her during that period.
After attending SWEP II trainings in farming as a business, saving for investment and mind- set change, she organized herself and selected the most profitable crop. She started growing groundnuts and got eight bags during the first season which she sold at UGX720,000. She used these proceeds to pay school fees and also boost her savings. She currently grows simsim, groundnuts, beans and maize.
Using her savings and proceeds from agriculture, she was able to buy two cows at UGX550,000 and UGX750,000. She has grown her herd to eight and currently sells milk to her community to supplement her income. She saves in two VSLA groups which include Kweyo growers and Patuda Fund. Her savings have been progressing from UGX111,000 in 2014, then UGX600,000 in 2015, to the current UGX800,000. She continued brewing for school fees for her child amounting to UGX280,000 per term (S.4). She also buys cassava and sells it in the local market and has added five turkeys which she is rearing.
Rose boasts of having 3 meals per day, which never used to happen; buying 5 mattresses, three bicycles (two for her sons and one for herself) and household utensils; and increasing capital and assets from two million shillings before SWEP II to the current 10 million shillings. She encourages other groups that never participated in the project to be given the same skills such that they can be like her. She advises women to join groups and think of getting knowledge, not money. Women should also cooperate with others to be able to realize development.
Her savings have been progressing from UGX111,000 in 2014, then UGX600,000 in 2015, to the current UGX800,000.
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