Many women in Uganda have the will and the talent to build their own livelihoods – but they lack capital, training and networks. This is precisely where our Rafiki project comes in. “Rafiki” means ‘friend’, and that is the core of this program: to accompany women on their way to self-employment through support, knowledge and community.

The project offers targeted measures such as microloans, mentoring programs and business training for women who want to set up small businesses. The participants develop their own business models and receive training in financial planning and marketing. This support enables them to build up a stable income in the long term, provide for their families and play an active role in shaping their economic environment. Rafiki not only changes individual destinies, but also strengthens entire communities.

The Bakyala Tukole project began with the production of reusable hygiene products to close an urgently needed supply gap. However, it soon became clear that the women on the Ssese Islands not only need better hygienic conditions, but also economic prospects.

Today, the project is much more than a production facility – it is an initiative for economic independence and social recognition. The women learn to make handicrafts with their own hands, including bags, jewelry and lovingly crocheted figures. They sell their products at local markets and thus generate their own income. But it is about more than just financial security: the participants gain self-confidence, strengthen their position within the community and open up better long-term prospects for themselves and their families.

Tuyambagane means “Let’s help together” – and that is exactly what this empowerment project is all about. While Bakyala Tukole focuses on the Ssese islands, Tuyambagane is aimed at women on the Ugandan mainland. It combines traditional craftsmanship with economic independence and enables the participants to develop their own source of income by producing woven baskets, bowls and plates.

The women learn all the steps of the art of weaving – from dyeing the materials to the various weaving techniques and selling their products in local pop-up stores. In addition to craft skills, the project also teaches entrepreneurial knowledge so that the participants can be economically successful in the long term. Tuyambagane not only empowers individual women, but also contributes to the preservation of Ugandan handicraft traditions and promotes cohesion within the community.