To be a successful entrepreneur is the dream of many Ugandans. Brian Rwothomio has faced challenges in manintain his business. With support from Advance Afrika, he acquired essential skills, which helped him to make profit.

The 25 years old Rwothomio Brian resides and operates his business in Padea trading center in Zombo District. Having completed senior four in 2016, Brian joined his father in the Hardware business, where they sold spare parts of bicycles, motorcycles as well as building materials like nails and paint. His father later decided specializing in selling only bicycle spare parts. But Brian realized, that there were some things missing in the shop that were on high demand, therefore he sold some trees on their land and managed to get money, that he used to buy nails and paint. That time they were heavily demanded by the community in Padea as well as the Congolese border.

When Brian’s father handed over the business to him, the COVID-19 lock down started and the cross borders exchange stopped, yet especially the Congolese contributed at least 60% of his customer base. Brian faced also difficulties in transporting stock of spare parts from Kampala due to the high transportation costs. In order to keep business alive during the lock down, he had to increase the price of the commodities and reduce his business expenses , but this has shortened also his income. To survive, he started selling second hand clothes in order to get extra money. When the lockdown was lifted, business started slowly returning to normal and his customers from across the border were able to come and start purchasing again.

At this time Brian had the chance to be among beneficiaries of Advance Afrika’s project in Zombo, which had a component of supporting youth in gaining entrepreneur skills. The training helped him to understand the requirements of business like book keeping, financial management, marketing and sales, negotiation and planning. The project beneficiaries received a booster kit for business, like a banner, which helped Brian  greatly in advertising his products: “The banner provided a clear display to customers of the items that I am selling. It also makes the business look new to some customers thus attracting them to buy from my shop,” said Brian.

He started to keep record of the customers to whom he sells goods on credit and gained a good overview over his expenses. Brian gives an advice to other entrepreneurs: “To succeed in a private business, it is very important to acquire knowledge from experts and learn how to manage a shop or a business to make good profit. I am very glad to could join such a training and learn new skills.”

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Communication skills are key to achieve good results

Advance Afrika is enhancing skills in communication and digitalization with a 2 day interactive training program, facilitated by technical advisor Dr. Mark Degner, seconded from the German organization Bread for the World.

The workshop program served as a refresher and also a learning unit to foster internal and external communication and apply digital technologies in all project activities. With little theory and more practical exercises the participants have been engaged in realistic media interview situations, how to handle conflict scenarios, how to gather and structure information to write content for articles or postings on social media platforms.

A strong focus was on benefits of digitalization and use of digital media. Advance Afrika will strengthen digital skills of staff and make use of new technology. CEO Sharon Atukunda emphasize the importance: “Digitalisation has reached all areas of our society. It is therefore important to permanent update skills how to create meaningful and easy to use digital services for our project beneficiaries, but also to enhance our marketing and fund raising activities.”

These capacity initiatives come along with a new Communication and Digitalisation strategy in Advance Afrika, which will be developed in participation with all staff to assure maximum commitment. As a first spin off the new Digital Media and Data Protection Policy for the organisation will be published soon to match Uganda data security requirments for NGOs.

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Saving is crucial for everybody, regardless of income, level of education or age. It gives financial security and opens new opportunities in earnings. Advance Afrika has trained many beneficiaires in various projects in how to establish a saving group and gain from saved capital. Mrs. Leonida Tumwebaze has joined such a group. She is 48 years old, married for 15 years with 4 children, and lives in Mabona parish, Rukiri Sub County in Ibanda district.

“I had never run any business to support my family because my husband has always told me that he does not have money to start one“, tells Mrs. Leonida. One day Leonida was approached by Kemigisha Rosette who happens to be the group mentor and told her about an organization called Advance Afrika that is operating in Rukiri Sub County. Advance Afrika organized trainings in aspects of VSLA Village Saving and Loan Associations to strengthen such informal groups in the sub county.

Leonida picked interest and joined the group “Mabona Bakyala Twebiseho Group” which has been trained and equipped through mentorship. She started saving and already a few month later, she acquired a loan worth 300,000 shillings. “My husband and I decided to use this money to set up grocery shop in the trading center. I used 200,000 shillings to buy vegetables, fruits, and silver fish to start with and the rest of the money was used to pay rent and make some furniture,“ tells Mrs.Leonida about her decision.

She was able to pay back the loan with its interest very well from the sales she got from the produce. Today, she wishes to extend her appreciation to Advance Afrika for the support extended to her family. Her financial condition have extremely improved on the standards of living where she is able to earn daily from her family business. Now she can support her family with the basic needs. As long as the condition allows her, she is continuing with saving for their future prospects.

Protecting the dignity of women and children is a three-year action implemented by Advance Afrika with support from European Union. It focuses on addressing violence against women and children (VAW/C) in Buhweju and Ibanda districts,

“I started driving in 1992, after the loss of my father. At this time I was in senior two, with such a tragedy, my family did not have enough money to continue paying for my education,“ tells Mr. Uwondo Emilio, 52 years old, living in Zombo District. With the little money available, he joined a driving school and after he got his license, he started to drive a small pick-up transporting food stuff to surrounding markets. Two years later, he was already driving a bigger truck bringing second hand clothes and silver fish to remote areas of Zombo and on his return journey, he transported farmers´ produce of Irish, beans, matooke and maize.

But the transport sector has it´s own challenges, ranging from health, to social and economic challenges. Truck drivers mostly work on pressure. Their bosses demand to deliver goods in time, yet roads in rural areas are often in bad condition, causing break downs or delays in time, which leads to problems with the clients. During Covid 19 lockdown movement was restricted countrywide and drivers had to get permission from the Resident District Commissioner before leaving their particular area. Mr. Emilio noted there was a habit of police officers collecting money from truck drivers at the various check points that were spread across the country. Under these conditions he was forced to borrow money from his saving group and invest in planting beans, matoke and maize as food and for sale.

When he had the chance to attend a training for truck drivers organised under IERC project by Advance Afrika, Emilio was sensitized about Occupational Health of truck drivers, especially in the topic of “coping mechanisms to prevent transmission of diseases”. He learnt that transmission of diseases such as HIV/AIDs can be controlled through the use of condoms and behavior change. Many amongst his fellow truck drivers are affected by HIV or other sexual transmitted diseases. They do not get time to take their ARVs or are not interested, which has led to the loss of a number of truck drivers. After the training Emilio started to sensitize other truck drivers how to maintain health, use condoms and leave behind sexual risky behavior for their own protection and to fight prostituion. Currently he is a member of Paidha Truck Drivers Association and has gained reputation and respect among other drivers.

Emilio Uwondo is a beneficiairy of “Improving the Economic Resilience of West Nile Youth in the Face of Covid-19“ (IERC), which is a two year action implemented by Advance Afrika in partnership with Faraja Africa Foundation with funding of the European Union.

Under “Action for Livelihood Enhancement in Northern Uganda (ALENU)” Advance Afrika has provided skills in beekeeping management and sales of apiary products for rural communities. One community- based farmer group located in Oboko Village, Pamora Upper Parish, Atego Sub-County in Nebbi district comprising of 25 members (15 F, 10 M) received technical trainings in establishing a social enterprise. The group named Dikiriber FG selected apiary enterprise and received production materials including 125 KTB modern hives, smokers, gumboots, gloves and bee suits.

To date, the group has earned about UGX 5,000,000 million from the sales of honey and created value addition through other bee related products like shoe polish, jelly, propolis, candles and soap. The profit is re-invested in production processes to increase their harvest and improve quality. During the 2021 Women Celebration, the group show cased their products and was recognised by the district leaders, who pledged to support and boost their production.

The project intends to support the group with more booster funds to scale up production, do better branding and packaging. Soon their products will be certified by Uganda National Bureau of Standards as it meets the required market standards. “There is huge demand and potential for bee-keeping and apiary value addition because of health benefits and low costs in production. It is a good opportunity to increase household income for rural communities”, recommends Ms. Daphne Egwar, Project Coordinator of ALENU Project.

The ALENU project contributes to the flagship Development initiative for Northern Uganda (DINU) supervised by the Office of the Prime Minister and funded by European Union to consolidate stability in Northern Uganda, eradicate poverty, under-nutrition, strengthen the foundations for sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development.

The 31 year old Roger Okut Ocaya living in Nyanza cell, Pager division, Kitgum municipality, faced in year 2019 a prison sentence and served one year in Kitgum and in Orom Tikao prison.

During his imprisonment he participated in entrepreneurship and life skills trainings provided under the BOPLYN project, which helped him to acquire a positive mindset. “The main discussion was no longer the way one used to rape or steal, but how one was going to work and manage his business he had in the plan after the prison,”said Mr. Roger.

After his release, he was excited to see his family and friends again, nevertheless survival was challenging and he was confronted with stigma. Roger was not swayed by backbiting and worked to realise his ideas. While in prison, Roger was among the shortlisted members whose business proposal in beads making was selected and supported by Advance Afrika, Immediately he started to produce handbags, necklaces, wallets and wristbands with beads and sale his products, which helped him to generate income and be reintegrated in his community. Later Roger invested in a mini bakery to diversify his income opportunities. But he still wanted to reach higher goals and searched for more options.

He decided to go back to school at Kitgum Business Institute, studying business administration. He paid his tuition with earnings from his businesses. Through his efforts in school, he was elected as the Guild President of Kitgum Business institute. Next to this, Roger is heading Kitgum Ex-inmate’s association. He is a role model in his environment and he is invited to speak on radio shows about his experience. Roger is encouraging young men to turn away from bad habits and criminal intentions, Honesty and sincerity pay off more in the end and ultimately lead to personal success, like Roger did.

“Bridging opportunities for effective and productive livelihoods of youth prison inmates and ex-inmates in northern Uganda” (BOPLYN) is a three-year action implemented by Advance Afrika in partnership with Edukans and Uganda Prison Service with support from European Union.

Stakeholders present shared their comments; Bakine Herbert Tumutendereze, CDO Kicuzi appreciated social workers and teachers who have been involved in the project advocating for an end to sexual violence and early pregnancies of teenagers. He encouraged pupils and students to report any cases of unlawful sexual activities to the authorities.  The District Councilor of Burere, Hon. Byamukama Gerald encouraged the community to identify the root cause of GBV in each one of their homes (pointing out- alcoholism, unemployment) and later identify ways to resolve these problems at a household level. Other leaders including Mr Nuwagira Richard, the chairman LC 3 Bihanga and the OC, Bihanga police station noted they are still some cases of sexual violence and the perpetrators will be brought to justice.

Despite the success registered in the forum theater performances, the communities are still grappling with teenage pregnancies and forced marriages. The stakeholders pledged to lobby programs that involve more men in the struggle on how best to address issues of Violence Against women and children to realize a violence free society.

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