Empowering Women on the Global Margins: The Transformative Power of Vocational Skills in Uganda

In the heart of Uganda, a profound transformation is underway. Through the collective efforts of Rockflower and its partner organizations, Youth & Women Initiative for Sustainable Development (YWISD) and Rwenzori United Group for Life Improvement (RUGLI) women and girls on the global margins are breaking free from the cycle of poverty and finding independence. By providing vocational training in tailoring, baking, and weaving, these initiatives are not just teaching skills; they are rewriting destinies.

The Kisoboka Project by YWISD

Chairperson Ms. Angella Nankindu handing over certificates & sewing machine to Sanyu Nakyondwa

Kisoboka, meaning "you can do it," perfectly encapsulates the spirit of YWISD's project in the Wakiso District. By training 100 women and girls in tailoring and baking, the project has become a beacon of hope. This initiative, initially planned to last 12 months, has no plans of slowing down as they move into their second year of education and expand their reach.

One remarkable story is that of Nagadya Jacklyn, a 32-year-old single mother. Jacklyn, who never attended school due to cultural biases against educating girls, found herself struggling to support her daughters. "Bakery has changed my life," she shared, revealing how the project enabled her to envision a brighter future for her family. “I now see their future brighter as I am now able to make profits by baking and selling products as the market is so big in my community.”

Another beneficiary, a 22-year-old named Nampima Luwera, narrated her journey from feeling ashamed of the life she was forced to lead, to gaining newfound confidence in her abilities and strengths. Forced into prostitution at 19 and battling HIV/AIDS, Luwera found salvation in the baking skills she acquired. "I have started my small baking business... I will live with dignity in my community," she said, her voice resonating with gratitude and pride.

The youngest, 17-year-old Gift Kyomuhendo, impoverished and left without parents at a young age, shared how tailoring skills provided her a lifeline. "I am now able to provide food and other basic needs... I now have hope of saving and starting my own business," she expressed.

Ssentongo Charles, the Chairman Local Council One, highlighted the project's impact on the community. "It's a great opportunity and blessing... I am so grateful for YWISD and Rockflower for empowering women and girls in our community," he stated.

RUGLI's Weaving Path to Independence

Kabugho Agnes, 19, with a basket she weaved

Parallel to YWISD's efforts, RUGLI's initiative focuses on weaving shoulder bags, a skill in high demand. This project targets disabled women, young mothers, and those marginalized by societal challenges. It has already proven a huge success, and its effects continue to snowball as more women share the skill of weaving bags.

Biira Ellen's story stands out. From weaving, she progressed to buying her own sewing machine, a symbol of her growing independence. Kansimbasi Annet, a 32-year-old woman who faced rejection from her husband and parents, found solace and economic empowerment through this project.

Arinaitwe Brenda, a 21-year-old who had to drop out of college, shared her journey of resilience. "I opted to join as soon as possible but I later brought my friend Kyakusiima Fiona to learn weaving. We will combine and do business together. I’m happy to be here,” she said, expressing her dreams of supporting her sister's education.

Fiona, grappling with stigma after dropping out due to pregnancy, found a new beginning in weaving. "I'm happy to be part of the beneficiaries to this project funded by Rockflower in the USA," she stated with newfound confidence.

Shammim, a primary 7 dropout with two children, highlighted the ripple effect of her newfound skills. She has gone ahead to teach my daughter how to weave bags and she now affords to buy 3 meals a day and also pay school fees for her children.

Uniting for Change

These stories, each unique yet interconnected, prove the transformative power of vocational training and underscore the impact that can be made through small scale funding. Through Rockflower's partnerships with YWISD and RUGLI, women in Uganda are not just learning skills; they are reclaiming their dignity, reshaping their futures, and, most importantly, breaking the cycle of poverty.

In the words of these courageous women, there is a universal message of hope and empowerment. Rockflower's commitment to investing in the lives of women and girls on the global margins is not just changing individual lives; it is uplifting entire communities, one skill at a time.

RUGLI’s Bag Weaving Project Has Uplifted Families

Rwenzori United Group for Life Improvement (RUGLI) works to empower women, raise awareness around HIV/AIDS, provide support to disabled, and elderly people and equip vulnerable community members with opportunities to improve their livelihoods. Recently, they provided an update on their project, Weaving Bags for Economic Independence, in which they’re providing training in weaving shoulder bags and entrepreneurial skills to women, including disabled women and young mothers, so that they can support themselves and their families.

The organization identified weaving shoulder bags as an in-demand skill that they could train large groups of women to do in order to start their own businesses. Many women in the area have been unable to support their basic needs, and have come to RUGLI for help. In response they’ve employed a number of community based trainers who have been teaching bag weaving skills and will continue to check in on the participants afterward.

This project is ongoing, and will be shaped largely by the goals and needs of the participants. Since all trainers and participants live relatively close to each other, they will continue to weave bags together, and can decide if they want to create individual businesses or form a collective. RUGLI shared testimonials from the participants on the impact of the project.

Tusiime Agnes told them, “I have been so honored to be part of this project. My children now have hope that after selling our initial products our lives changed completely. I am a mother of 5 children and the man died of HIV/AIDS in 2014 and ever since then we have suffered. We only ate once a day, my children lacked even clothes to wear. The skills I have learned and the startup capital provided to me have really helped me a lot. Thanks, RUGLI for always helping me whenever I am in need, may God continue to bless the work of your hands. Moreso, I have started a small business shop which has increased income inflows into my family and I have also put my children back in school.”

Another participant, Nyamwiza Venacia, explained, “I lost my dignity and honor when I was a 16 years old when I was raped and got infected with HIV/AIDS. This gave me the honor of being a mother but I never had any employment that could help me look after my child. I was dragged into prostitution so as to be able to provide the best I could for my child who never had a father. I have been a prostitute for 5 years now and I regret the day I began practicing it but I never had a way out. When RUGLI offered help I was really so grateful and positive about it. You have taught me weaving and entrepreneurship skills, provided us with startup capital and I have established my business. Thank you so much for what you have done for me, with this I believe people will have some respect for me as I will be able to provide basic needs for my child doing a decent job.”

Kabugho Moreen said, “I cannot express my happiness of what RUGLI has done for me, I am a single mother with one child. I dropped out of school when I was in primary four and after 5 years I got pregnant. When I got pregnant my parents chased me away from home to go to the person who was responsible for the pregnancy, life became so hard because the man also ran away. I have been struggling to earn income to support me and my child for the last 10 years, tried looking for jobs but life here is so hard, of lately (four months back) I was fired from the job where I was working as a maid and they were paying me UGX15,000 ($4.80 USD) per month. But because of this training acquired, I can manage to get that very amount in a day or two. I am able to get relevant needs for my child and I hope to get more. Thank you so much RUGLI and Rockflower for the support extended to us. We are grateful that you have changed our lives as women mothers.”

It’s astounding to see how education in just one skill can change the lives of entire families. The majority of these women did not have the opportunity to complete a formal education and have had no access to career training. With RUGLI’s support and belief in the power of education, they have been able to uplift and provide economic stability to these determined women.

100 Gardeners in 100 Days: Will you be one of them?

Climate change related catastrophes are increasing in their frequency and severity. Here in the United States, Puerto Rico is recovering from the devastation left by Hurricane Fiona and as I write this email Hurricane Ian has left a trail of enormous destruction in Florida.

For us, the last eight weeks has seen a steady increase of emails from our partners around the world, asking for emergency help in the face of their own intense climate change induced disasters.

Rockflower is not set up to provide emergency humanitarian relief, our mandate is to provide early stage investment for social enterprises and community based organizations improving the lives of women and girls on the global margins. However, as was the case during COVID, partnership is an ongoing responsibility and one that requires a listening and attentive ear during times of crisis.

These are real people, with real names, in real moments of need. Siddique in Pakistan has been working around the clock for weeks to ensure that the 45,000 people under the care of CSP are given the assistance they need as a result of the devastating flooding which has covered a third of Pakistan in water.

Moreen in Mbale, Uganda has been assisting those whose lives have been upended by recent flooding there, and Juliet and Mary in Kasese, Uganda, have been helping those affected by the recent mudslides who have lost homes and family members. Michael in South Sudan was left speechless by the devastating flooding in his home town in South Sudan.

All of this can feel overwhelming, but one thing I have learned from all the years of doing this work is that small acts of intervention really do matter.  We have sent funding assistance to these partners, which has provided some much needed respite, but we need to do so much more. I started to think about what that “more” would look like.  

Many of you are already monthly gardeners to Rockflower and for your generosity we are eternally grateful. But often I hear people say "I don't have much to give - what difference would $25 a month really make?" My reply is always - I can promise you it would mean a great deal. 

Starting today, October 1st for 100 days through to January 7th 2023, we plan to sign up 100 new monthly Gardeners. 

If 100 people sign up for just $25 a month, that will be an extra $2,500 a month and $30,000 a year, which will add significantly to our emergency fund. These climate related disasters are only going to increase and the needs will be even greater. Whilst we continue to support and fund those whose innovations are providing much needed climate adaptation, like our most recent partner Flicker of Hope in Kenya, we must also find a way to offer support at times of dire need. 

Please consider becoming a monthly Rockflower Gardener - I can promise you that it will be one of the best investments in hope and possibility you will make.

-Tine Ward, CEO, Rockflower

Uganda: Spotlight on Stories of Hope and Resilience

Rockflower is a global venture philanthropy fund maintaining partnerships across the world, in particular across the African continent. As the pandemic continues to have a disproportionate impact on those countries without access to vaccines and medications, we have chosen to spotlight the situation in Uganda where we currently have nine partnerships -  Farm Life, Foundation for Women’s Dignity, Hope for the Future Organization, Hope for Rural Women (HORUWO), Kinyamaseke Youth in Development (KYID),  Rwenzori United Group for Life Improvement (RUGLI), Women Advocacy and Development Services (UWADS) Youth and Women Initiative for Sustainable Development (YWISD) and Dare Now Uganda (DNU). 

In recent months, our partners in Uganda have faced immense challenges caused by the spread of the recent Delta variant of COVID-19, which has brought a halt to all planned activities during the most recent 42 days of lockdown. Many Ugandans are now without income or community support and are struggling to fulfill basic needs such as access to food. Our partner organizations work hard to support their communities and create stability, and throughout this time have found themselves overwhelmed with requests for food, and other basic necessities. 

Through the generosity of our supporters, Rockflower has been able to ensure that funds have been made available to support our Ugandan partners throughout this time. Funds that would normally be allocated to community based projects for women and girls, are now being used for the purchase of food to keep them alive. 

The situation in Uganda has worsened in recent months despite evidence that in the early stages of the pandemic, the country was extremely successful at protecting its citizens. In 2016, Uganda founded a global health security program at the Infectious Disease Institute at Makerere University in Kampala in order to combat and plan for pandemics. Early in 2020, the government quickly developed border screenings, laboratory testing capacity, community surveillance and infection control in health clinics and hospitals. As a result of this expeditious rollout of safety measures, Uganda was reporting fewer cases and deaths than other countries of similar population size.

It wasn’t until the Delta variant began spreading rapidly that the condition worsened. This variant of COVID-19 transmits more easily and has led to a higher percentage of severe illness, including those requiring oxygen support. Uganda has a population of 44 million and so far has recorded a total of 91,355 cases of COVID-19 and 2,483 deaths, according to the latest data from the health ministry. The virus has spread to 108 districts, out of which 20, including Kampala and Wakiso, have been significantly affected. 

On June 19th, Uganda re-imposed a 42 day complete lockdown, which only allowed citizens to leave their homes for essential purchases and included a ban on the use of any private vehicles other than those operated by essential workers. The response from the broader population was not welcoming of the lockdown. Many believed that it would do more harm than good, and those who may be in dire need of resources and support are afraid to approach local law enforcement, and would prefer to stay silent.

Unfortunately, the only measure that can truly stop the spread of COVID-19 and pull Uganda out of this desperate situation is the ready availability of vaccinations. COVID-19 is now considered a preventable disease thanks to the numerous vaccines that have been proven effective, but without access to these vaccines, the pandemic will continue to spread in unvaccinated populations. 

In March of 2021, Uganda received their first donation of vaccines, and felt confident that they would soon be able to vaccinate 50% of their population. In March they received 864,000 vaccines donated through CoVax and another 100,000 donated from India. Although still beneficial, this number is a drop in the bucket against Uganda’s population of 44 million. First responders and high risk patients were prioritized, but once these vaccines were used, vaccination efforts were shut down until late June when France donated another 175,000 doses. Since then, Uganda has not received any additional doses.

The Ugandan government has so far failed to purchase any vaccines, with officials saying the country had been priced out of the market by richer nations in the West, and therefore has been relying on surplus donations from other countries. Like many nations, Uganda was hoping to purchase vaccines produced in India, however due to India's recent devastating outbreak, they are no longer exporting doses. 

The phrase ‘vaccine diplomacy’ has long been the topic of conversation regarding how vaccines will be distributed across the world. The issue is that this phrase represents a political rather than science-based effort to vaccinate populations. It has become a matter of politics and money. Developing countries that have the capacity to produce vaccines are unable to negotiate for the licenses from drug companies and countries without strong bilateral relationships may get passed over. This vaccination distribution method does not eliminate hotspots of the virus, which will lead to even more dangerous variants emerging. The world is quickly losing time, and will require a global resolve to end the pandemic equitably.

Rockflower has received updates from a number of Ugandan partners informing us of their current situation, and in many cases asking for help. Our partner organizations are pillars of support for their communities, and have therefore been inundated with requests for help throughout the lockdown. Nankindu Angella, Chairperson & Co-founder of Youth and Women Initiative for Sustainable Development (YWISD) explained the challenges faced by her community throughout the current lockdown.

“It's a hard and challenging time for us community leaders, we were working on improving the market then boom the lock down came in and everything is now so hard. Now we have put the training on hold to observe and follow Standard Operating Procedures for COVID-19. Since we supported our beneficiaries during the previous lockdown even now they keep coming to us for help and we have done what we can, we are supporting very many women in the community who cannot feed their children. I myself am a single mother, I clearly understand what many of these women pass through now since many work for day-to-day food.”

Our partner organizations have been forced to suspend activities, which in many cases has caused the loss of the sole source of income for women and girls who support themselves and their families. Rockflower partner, Biira Mary, the Executive Director of Rwenzori United Group for Life Improvement (RUGLI), sent us an update explaining the economic impact and long-term devastation caused by the pandemic.

“COVID-19 has created a lot of devastating social, economic, and political crises that are going to leave deep scars for years to come. The impact caused may  reverse   the progress made in tackling global challenges  for many years  putting at risk the lives and livelihoods of people living in underdeveloped countries  but pressing many vulnerable people, the youth and persons with disabilities. The dreadful virus has caused a lot of gaps in the development process increasing the vulnerability of youths due to lack of essential resources such as clean water, food, medical supplies and even basic information. The disease has proved to be a tragic longer-term impact, with the potential for mass unemployment, and the risk of increasing inequality, marginalization, and poverty.”

Upon receiving these and many other messages from our partners in Uganda, Rockflower was able to put together a small but impactful emergency relief fund to help with food and other basic necessities for these communities. We are looking at all opportunities to raise additional funds including an additional surge of cryptocurrency donations to sustain this fund and provide life-saving necessities to women and girls who have been greatly affected by the pandemic. Sarah Namunyagwa, a single mother who has participated in YWISD projects in the past, is one beneficiary of the emergency relief fund. Her gratitude for such a small gift of food, is extremely humbling.

"I don't know how much I can thank you for this food, may God continue blessing you abundantly. I had nothing, totally nothing, to feed my 4 children in this COVID lockdown. I am a single mother and having gone through weaving training and you gave me hope to change my life but COVID is making it very difficult for me. Last month I was learning online marketing and I hoped to increase my sales and better the livelihood of my family but COVID lockdown came and all is at pause now yet basic needs are needed…you have not given up on me again you have provided food to help us survive, just extend my gratitude to your partners.”

As of July 30th, the full lockdown in Uganda has been lifted and the country is now looking toward rebuilding all that was lost during this time, providing basic necessities to those who are still without and continuing to fight COVID-19. The challenges faced by these communities are far from over, especially because the country is still severely lacking vaccines for its citizens. 

As our partners begin to resume their activities, the opportunity to gain income via e-commerce is one that could greatly improve their situations. Currently the gender gap that exists on online platforms is excluding billions of dollars from the wallets of female entrepreneurs and the opportunity for economic improvement via their training and participation is immense. The Council for Foreign Relationships noted, “Watershed moments to transform women’s economic status globally are few and far between, but COVID-19 and the post-pandemic recovery offer one of these rare and critical junctures. We cannot afford to miss this opportunity for development and an equitable future for all.”

A few of the outstanding goods being made by some of our partners are shown here by one of our partners, Hope for the Future. We continue to believe in the possibility of new and emerging lines of commerce to benefit their beautiful and innovative work and look forward to exploring these and other opportunities for growth.

Rockflower remains committed to providing support for all of our Ugandan partners so that they may resume activities to support the women and girls of their communities.  Please consider donating to Rockflower’s Emergency Fund, either through traditional channels such as our website’s donation page, or through cryptocurrency via our partnership with The Giving Block. Please be assured that even a small donation can be extremely helpful for women and girls struggling to fulfill their basic needs and those of their families. 

Progress on RUGLI’s Tailoring their Futures Project

Rwenzori United Life Group (RUGLI) has been a Rockflower partner since 2018. The success of the Bio Briquette project has inspired other innovative income generating ideas, including training and teaching women valuable skills in clothing alteration and sewing. This has also provided the necessary knowledge and capital to own and operate their own small tailoring businesses through the Tailoring their Futures project. This project allows women and girls who previously lacked or struggled with obtaining a source of income to have a means of providing for themselves and their families.

RUGLI sees this initiative as an opportunity to even the playing field for women, in what historically has been a male dominated industry in this region of Uganda. By providing women with the knowledge and skills to enter this space, RUGLI is working to break down barriers in the tailoring profession and provide a sustainable source of income for those in need of economic empowerment.

Recently, RUGLI Executive Director, Biira Mary, updated us on the progress of the project, and the great impact that it is having on the lives of women through a number of inspiring stories and testimonials.

Read on to hear the stories of the women who are hard at work, tailoring their futures and taking success into their own hands with the help of RUGLI:

Barbara’s Story:

Barbara is a RUGLI trainee who has greatly benefited from the Tailoring their Futures project. She is a widow, and in 2006 lost her job and found herself with no means of supporting herself and her daughter, Katrina. She heard about Rwenzori United Group for Life Improvement (RUGLI) from a friend, and applied for the tailoring/design course. Over the past few months, Barbara has gradually grown her business and she now shares a workshop with another woman and rents a stall in the market in Kasese a couple of days a week to sell her garments.

Barbara started out making one dress at a time because that was all she could afford. She gradually earned enough money to buy more materials and increase her stock. Barbara is now able to pay for her daughter’s school fees from the money that she earns through her tailoring business. Katrina is doing really well at school and she hopes one day to become a doctor.

Doreen’s Story:

Doreen, a now dedicated and ambitious tailor and entrepreneur, has seen significant improvement in her business and has recently begun selling additional materials in her store.  Doreen started her tailoring business with the capital she received from Rwenzori United Group for Life Improvement (RUGLI) and with the profit she’s earned, she started grain selling from Kiburara to Bwera, and Kikorongo downtown where she has made much more money.  

When she started, she profited from tailoring and began grain selling, but now it is the other way around — she gets profit from grain selling to support her tailoring business and now she earns double the profit.  Doreen still continues to trade grains to the 3 downtowns in Kasese District.   As a woman, she faces many challenges including theft and other security  issues, but her growth cannot be challenged. Even though she is in an industry mainly occupied by men, she has managed to compete strongly and equally.

Mbambu Jolly’s Story:

Jolly, a recipient of training and assistance from RUGLI and Rockflower, has gradually developed both her skills and business while her capital and stock have increased. The more active she is in her business, the more skills she gains. Jolly’s success comes from her ability to create fashionable items that her customers are excited to purchase. Sometimes, her customers bring her designs and she is able to copy them and make her bestselling clothes. Because of her business she can now afford to smile and has the ability to support herself— she has purchasing power and independence.

Musoki Martha’s Story:

Martha operates her business near the Mawa market. She has managed to gain valuable customers because of her innate customer service skills. Martha also adds value to her business by buying second hand clothes that she upcycles and sells at a higher price. Martha has turned her shop into a workshop where she also teaches those that want to learn how to create a tailoring business or how to use a sewing machine. She earns income through instructing others, which adds to her profits.

Martha’s work is not without its challenges though. One issue that she faces in her work is that some customers are unwilling to pay after their tailoring is completed. Additionally, poverty in the area makes it difficult for people to purchase new or upcycled clothes, and many opt for cheaper, secondhand items, which detracts from Martha’s business. These challenges, despite her innovative business ideas and hard work, make it difficult for Martha to afford her rent. However, Martha plans to continue pushing and innovating until her business truly succeeds.

Biira Agatha’s Story:

Agatha has been an extremely successful trainee of RUGLI’s tailoring project. As a result of the skills she gained from working with RUGLI, Agatha is currently employing four girls in her shop who help her with the daily running of the business.

Agatha is proud of the growth and success of her business, even after facing the challenge of a broken sewing machine that nearly forced her to halt operations. Agatha has since fixed her sewing machine, and is proud to report that some of her goods are exported to South Sudan where there is already a booming market for her items. Her business is extremely prosperous, and she is seeing a lot of changes in her life. Agatha is able to pay school fees and rent, and she now trains other women from different areas in her trade.

These stories are testimony not only to the strength and hard work of these inspiring women, but to the reach and impact of the work done by RUGLI. This project, which continues to gain momentum and success, still requires further funding. RUGLI hopes to expand this program, and continue empowering women, but requires more sewing machines, materials and space to do so. Please consider donating to Rockflower, so that we can continue to support this project, and ensure that RUGLI can help even more women break the cycle of poverty, and gain financial independence through tailoring.

Rwenzori United Group for Life Improvement

Uganda

President Yoweri Museveni continues to extend the lockdown initially set for 14 days beginning on March 30, increased for 21 more days until yesterday, May 5, when it was extended again for 2 additional weeks. Uganda has had one of the strictest lockdowns in Africa with only essential businesses functioning, dusk-to-dawn curfews, and bans on transportation. While the lockdown was extended yesterday, it will begin to ease as businesses including hardware shops, restaurants, wholesale stores, and others will be allowed to reopen.

Concerns and Challenges

As we have seen with many of our partners during the pandemic, Rwenzori United Group for Life Improvement (RUGLI) has reported that families who rely upon their daily business lack basic needs, such as food and medicine.

Adaptation Measures and Emergency Fund

RUGLI provided sanitation equipment and face masks to local women in Kasese. Rockflower provided support through our Emergency Fund. RUGLI quickly utilized the funds and identified vulnerable families to receive food parcels.

Benefits of Bio-Briquettes

The Rwenzori United Group for Life Improvement (RUGLI) recently delivered the results of the Bio-Briquette Project that was funded last year. Funding from Rockflower bought two compression machines and other materials utilized in the bio-briquette production process.

The project had two key objectives: to add value to agro-waste and household by-products that would otherwise be unused resulting in local pollution; and, to utilize the unwanted biomass resources to develop and promote the use of more efficient and cleaner substitutes for fuel, such as wood and charcoal (the major cause of deforestation and environment degradation and indoor pollution health hazards).

RUGLI is located in Uganda, where members are acutely aware of the impact of climate change. Bio-briquettes are a solution that resulted from the community’s realization that they must actively participate in climate mitigation and adaptation measures.

The bio-briquettes are not only improving the local environment, but the women beneficiaries are reaping the benefits of an increased standard of living and profits gained by skills training. The training provides women with the opportunity to learn how to make high quality bio-briquettes out of local materials, for instance organic waste made of coffee grounds, rice husks, banana peels, and charcoal dust. 67% of the community has begun producing briquettes and therefore more households are utilizing them for cooking.

Annet, a 30 year old mother of five living in Kasese, stated “the briquettes are cheaper, dustless and burn longer.” Annet used to spend over UGX 115,500 (about $35 USD) every month on charcoal to cook food for her family, which accounted for 50% of her monthly income. Due to the introduction of “green charcoal,” or bio-briquettes, in her district, she only spends about UGX 59,400 (about $18 USD) on charcoal per month. The bio-briquettes have helped her save time and money that she can put into her own business, selling food crops in the market.

Betty Kasigazi, a member of RUGLI, said “the training and equipment has allowed us to take part in an income generating activity that enables us to provide for our households without destroying our environment.” The training has also helped to change the perception of the role women must play as they have generated household income and environmental protection. The women operating the bio-briquette business are becoming economically empowered as the supply for briquettes is lower than the demand. A kilo of briquettes is sold at UGX 1,320 (about $0.40), which is much less than the price of traditional charcoal. “If {RUGLI] sells all of the briquettes produced in a week, each member receives about UGX 350,000 (about $100). This helps us to pay school fees and buy basic household items like soap, paraffin, salt and sugar,” Betty adds.

This project demonstrates how simple innovations can lead to socio-economic transformation, as well as ownership. It can be used as an example to inform other productive sectors, such as forestry, where women have always played a significant role in sustainable forest and land management through agroforestry to collecting fuelwood and developing non-wood forest products for food, medicine, and shelter.

Women should be given the opportunity to take part in the design and creation of sustainable solutions to climate change and forest conservation challenges as household managers, farmers, and consumers. Bringing women to the decision-making table promotes both gender equality and sustainable development.

The success of RUGLI’s Bio-Briquette Project is an inspiring example of how simple actions can transform societies and how, when empowered, women can break down barriers between men and women.

Success Stories from RUGLI

Muhundo Bridget

One evening, Muhundo Bridget was watching television when she happened upon a documentary on briquettes. An entrepreneur began describing the production process and demonstrating how the machines worked. Muhundo became interested and found out more through RUGLI. She began to envision herself as an entrepreneur but did not know where to start. Due to her enterprise, Practical Action approached Muhundo and introduced her to the WEEK Project.

Muhundo was given the skills, knowledge and confidence to begin her business. She met with other entrepreneurs, like herself, and started manufacturing the briquettes. Demand is high and she intends to increase her production and deliveries while improving her facilities. Because of the rainy season, it takes longer for the briquettes to dry so Muhundo would like to grow her space and upgrade the drying rack. But, since she is a part of RUGLI, she is able to dry her briquettes in the production house.

Muhundo has high ambitions and is excited for her new entrepreneurial journey.

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Kasine Moreen

During the Rwenzori United Group for Life Improvement (RUGLI) field visit to Saluti Village in Nyamwamba subcounty, RUGLI met Kasine Moreen. She is married to Balinda Roland with 7 children and has lived in the area for the past 3 years. Kasine is a beneficiary of the project.

She said, “I am grateful to be selected to participate in briquette production here. It has not only reunited me with my husband and children, but has enabled me to be a role model in my community. Earlier this year, we did not have enough money to pay for our children to attend school. I had to take care of my children on my own and had lost hope when I saw them hungry and suffering. However due to this project, I have gained skills and knowledge to make briquettes and clay energy efficient cooking stoves that help me to earn money and put food on the table. We can afford to have 3 meals a day now! This and meeting with other women in RUGLI to share, discuss and learn from each other has instilled my confidence.

We are producing 40 kilograms of briquettes daily which equals around $35 a week.

I am happy, self-employed and grateful to be a part of this amazing project. I believe we should reach out to as many women as we can, it will transform societies!”

Read more about RUGLI in Issue 6 of our quarterly newsletter, It Takes Five.

Turning Biomass into Clean Alternative Fuels in Uganda

Rockflower is pleased to announce a new partnership with Rwenzori United Group for Life Improvement (RUGLI), a community-based organization in Uganda focused on creating community services aimed at empowering women in various communities for sustainable development through:

• Livelihood support/ sustainable agriculture

• HIV/ AIDS awareness

• Business enterprise support for women/youth

• Support services support for the disabled, elderly and the needy

Rockflower's partnership with RUGLI will support the production of a biomass briquette initiative that will turn agro-waste and household by-products into an alternative to charcoal and fuel wood.

Find out more about the Bio Briquette Project.