CHANGING Ugandan Lives through Entrepreneurship

The Tuherembutho Financial Association

The group began with 9 members and the mission of improving the socio-economic conditions of refugees in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement. For 2 years each member of the group contributed $3 per week to the fund. 

Participants saved money by doing casual labor in the markets and farming on the their small plots of land allocated by the UN. 

Last year, all members of the group attended IDEA4Africa's Entrepreneurship Workshop. Having been encouraged to consider other ways to expand their savings group,  they spent the next 12 months educating other member of the community about saving, encouraging them to join, and creating systems  to guide the entity.

This February, the group opened their “mini bank” and are now providing loans to small groups. They have created 21 savings cells of 6 people per cell that saves up to $3.00 week. This is an insignificant figure for the developed world, but for people living in the refugee camps this change in their mindset to set aside money each week is huge.

Adidja's Onja Maisha

Adidja is the founder of Onja Maisha, a Swahili phrase that means “Taste Life”. It is a food and drink spot that serves one of the zones in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement. Adidja is a widow and responsible for a household of 7+ including her mother and siblings.

 Adidja fled violence in Congo and has been living in the settlement. After attending IDEA4Africa’s Entrepreneurship Workshop, Adidja realized that her last business of selling CDs wasn’t solving a problem for her community. Encouraged by the lessons that focused on understanding the needs of the community, Adidja recognized that during the hot months, people walked more than a mile to get a cold drink after doing hard labor in the heat. 

With her limited savings of 1,000,000 UGX, ($265) she bought a small freezer to get started and provided a limited selection of pre-packaged cold drinks. She shortly applied to Coca-Cola for a larger refrigerator. Our team sat learning about Adidja's idea in her 10X5 ft space.
 

Adidja is receiving a $300 loan to help build a shaded structure that will provide seating for her clients. She is preparing and selling special ginger drinks that she used to have in Congo, along with dairy products and snacks. "It’s like I’m bringing the taste of Congo to them.”