Power the potential of women and girls

After participating in a BRAC youth club and building a business, Juliet has silenced the skeptics. “Now no one is talking. Everyone in the village is quiet!” 

Juliet is a young woman from Uganda who I met Juliet a few months ago, shortly after she completed The Mastercard Foundation Accelerating Impact for Young Women (AIM) in Partnership with BRAC program.

Juliet’s friends describe her as a “workaholic.” She told me, “I don’t just loiter, I am always moving and keeping busy!” It makes sense, since she has four children (two boys and two girls) ages 2 to 9. All of her kids attend school, unlike Juliet, who had to drop out after second grade.

Before joining AIM, Juliet earned money by selling vegetables and beans from her small garden. Her income wasn’t stable, though. She once had a small popcorn business, but had to sell her modest machine when she fell on hard times. When Juliet heard about the program, she decided to enroll, even though “in the beginning, it was not easy — it was kind of hard.” The community mocked girls in the program and doubted it was worthwhile.

Juliet is part of her local BRAC Village Savings and Loan Association with other young women from the program. She shared, “I learned how to portion my money: this one is school fees, this one is for food; not all of it is for saving, and not all of it is for eating. I learned how to prioritize in a better way.”

But Juliet forged ahead. She met with her group three times a week, making friends, and learning about business, savings, and children’s health. With a microloan from BRAC, Juliet decided to revamp her popcorn business and bought a more sophisticated machine than the one she had before. Now, she spends the mornings gardening while her kids are at school, and the afternoons selling popcorn while her husband watches their children.

Juliet’s hard work is paying off! She shared, “My business is prospering. The capital [loan from BRAC] increased the sales. And so did the training on how to manage the business. Now, I am saving some money. When the money accumulates, I want to rent a room to open up my own full shop to start stocking items like bread, pineapple juice, and other items.”

When she’s not working, Juliet spends time with her family. “My kids teach me what they learn from school and we all enjoy the fun. They love to teach me what they learned.”

Juliet’s story is proof that when provided with tools, opportunities, and support, individuals can lift themselves and their families from poverty.

Links:

• Read her story on the BRAC USA website
• Donate to empower girls like Juliet