This initiative supports women and their families to become socially and economically stable using locally available resources in their communities. Women, girls and youth are supported to start small village businesses, from which they can generate income and become self-sustainable. They are also empowered to address social issues such as inequality and gender-based violence in their families and communities. Other interventions include, but is not limited to;
MICRO BUSINESSES.
Micro businesses are small scale enterprises developed in remote villages to bring about economic development especially among women and unemployed youth out of school. These businesses include handcraft making, knitting, book making, handbag sewing, street food and others. Women, young mothers and girls out of school are also equipped with skills and knowledge in entrepreneurship and business management and support women to start businesses.
VILLAGE SAVING AND LOANING.
community members in remote areas are able to access small scale and affordable credit from self-mobilized resources. Members use their saving groups to get financial resources whenever needed to further invest in their businesses. This means that these members can use the acquired knowledge, skills and access to financial services to start new village business, buying improved seeds or paying for their children’s education.
Success Story – Mother’s Creations Kasaana:
In rural communities of Lwengo, many households are headed by single women who lost their husbands due to HIV/AIDS scourge. Their day generally consists of fetching water, care taking for the children or the ill, cooking, cleaning, and farming. They have difficulties in acquiring income from only farming activities. Our Women Empowerment Program is enabling them to be economically independent from earning additional income with micro enterprises at grassroots level.
Mother’s Creations Kasaana is a project initiated by one of our volunteers in 2017. The women are currently focusing on creating unique and modern bracelets made from paper beads. The paper is then finished with a material; making it strong and waterproof. Each bracelet is hand-made, one of a kind, and eco-friendly.
Volunteer and micro-investments impact on women:
“My daughter had been attending school barefoot during the entirety of the last term. With the help of the volunteers, I was able to make some additional income. I was finally able to buy a pair of shoes for my daughter. She is always excited every morning to put her new shoes on!”
“With the additional income, I am now able to buy a higher quality of maize seeds. They are currently growing well. I hope that the harvest I have will be healthy and can contribute to feeding my family and pose as additional income.”
“As a women’s group, we had been learning to make and sell bracelets and purses for about a year now. However, our sales were low and it was difficult to earn income. With the help of our volunteer, we were able to improve the quality and designs of the bracelets. I hope that in the future, we will have potential to penetrate better markets and also transform my family’s life through the sale of these products.”
Integrated Villages Uganda 