Connecting Grassroots Women to Development

UGANDA WOMAN March - September 2013 1
Issue 2, March - September 2013
WOMANUGANDA
CONNECTING GRASSROOTS
WOMEN TO DEVELOPMENT
THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA

UGANDA WOMAN March -September 20132

CONTENTS
10
14
13
18
Cover Story Flashback to Women’s Day 2012
Interview - Irene Muloni
Donors/ UN Women
5 Uganda Womens’ Anthem
6 Minister’s Message
7 Minister of State’s Message
8 Editorial
9 Readers’ Views
18 UN Women
24 Grassroots Stories
30 Pictorial
32 Grassroots Stories
44 Equal Opportunities
Commission
50 Gender Sector Statistics
54 Nakasongola Gender Profile
56 Book Review

Published by;
Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development,
P.O. Box 7136,
www. Mglsd.ug.co
www.facebook.com/mglsd
KAMPALA, Uganda.
Editor-in-Chief: Christine Guwatudde Kintu
Managing Editor: Jane Sanyu Mpagi
Deputy Managing Editor (Administrative):
Elizabeth Kyasiimire
Deputy Managing Editor (Editorial): Mondo Kyateka
Contributing Editor: Maggie Mabweijano
Editor: Pamela Irene Batenga
Administrator: Jane Ekapu
Sub-Editor: Hilda Twongyeirwe
Consulting Editor: Ikebesi Ocole Omoding
Contributors:
Joanitah Akoyo, Angela Asako, Devine Asalo, Christine
Karya Atuhairwe, Kenneth Ayebazibwe, Sophia Klumpp,
Dickson M. Kahonda, Noel Komunda, Diana Kafureka
Kyangungu, Everest Kyalimpa, Robert Mangusho, Brian
Masimbi, Rachael Mutesi, Diana Kagere Mugerwa,
Francis Okiror, Martin Orem, Moses Owiny, Simon
Buyinza Semaka, Crescent Tirinawe, Innocent Tushabe,
Hilda Twongyeirwe, Dawson Wamire
Layout and Graphics: Paul Wambi
Printing: New Vision Printing and Publishing Co. Ltd
Cover Picture:
Sylvia Nakimera, of Masaka, with her friesian cow
which she received from the NAADS programme.
Inside Front:
Joyce Akwero, a student nun competing in javelin
throwing at an athletics meet(Photo by New Vision)
Inside back:
A woman constructs a Ferrocement tank for water
harvesting.
Back cover:
An illustration of the International Women’s Day 2013
(Adopted from: www.citizenwarrior.com)
WOMANUGANDA
27
33
COMMUNITY BASED EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN
TURNING SKILLS INTO BUSINESS

UGANDA WOMEN’S ANTHEM
Chorus:
Mothers, Daughters
All Women everywhere
Stand up and embrace
Your role today.
We are the proud mothers of our Nation
The Backbone without which it can never stand
We wake up, wake up
We wake up at the crack of dawn
And feed the nation with our brains
With love and joy we care
For our baby Uganda.
Mothers, Daughters
Your role today.
Step by step with tender care
We nurse her we mould her at home and in school
Leading, leading
Spearheading her identity, production and development
In Government and Profession
Name it woman is there.
Mothers, Daughters
Your role today.
We call on you women of Uganda
Wake up if you’ve not yet embraced your role
Wake up, wake up
Beside our men lets play our role
In solving all our nations needs
In every walk of life
To develop Uganda.
Mothers, Daughters
Your role today.

MINISTER’S MESSAGE
Fellow Ugandans, I salute the women of Uganda on the International Women’s Day
2013. I am pleased to have the opportunity to share my views with readers of the Uganda
Woman Magazine. In my new portfolio as the political head of the Ministry of Gender,
Labour and Social Development, I have a strategy to promote the appreciation of the
Ministry among the general public through various communication channels that include
the media, publications and the Ministry’s website. It is therefore gratifying to find in
place a magazine that highlights issues of concern on gender and women’s development.
My Ministry, which is responsible for the affairs of women, children, youth, workers, the
elderly, people with disabilities and traditional or cultural leaders, is referred to as the
People’s Ministry and the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day; “The Gender
Agenda: Connecting Grassroots Women to Development”, is also the theme of the
Magazine. This issue focuses on the extent to which the legal and policy environment has
translated into concrete initiatives that have benefitted rural communities and especially
women.
Coming from the rural district of Kiruhura where I was raised, I am quite familiar with
the characteristics of grassroots communities. The Local Council system that is at the
village level, the multitude of Community Based Organisations, the self-help groups
as well as the economic groups, all reflect a strong grassroots foundation that has been
nurtured and strengthened by the NRM Government.
The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, which is the lead agency of the
Social Development Sector, plays a key role in linking Government programmes to the
grassroots communities and as Minister, I pledge that these linkages will be strengthened
for the benefits of the people of Uganda. Specifically, this will include strengthening the
Office of the Community Development officers.
I wish to take this opportunity to personally thank everyone who has agreed to share their
experiences with us. I encourage all of us to strive to enhance our connectivity with our
communities for the betterment of our country.
Through this magazine, I pledge my unwavering total commitment to taking the women’s
struggle to yet another level.
John M. Nasasira (MP)
MINISTER OF GENDER, LABOUR AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Minister’s Message

It is always a great pleasure to interact with the Ugandan women on the auspicious
occasion of the International Women’s Day. The day is important for highlighting issues
of women.
TheglobalthemeforInternationalWomen’sDaythisyearis:“TheGenderAgenda:Gaining
Momentum”. In Uganda, it has been domesticated to: “The Gender Agenda: Connecting
Grassroots Women to Development”. The theme calls for celebration and reflection at the
same time because we know that Uganda has gone a long way in attracting and ensuring
women’s participation in development but we are also aware that there are challenges and
gaps that need to be addressed.
The message of International Women’s Day is amply carried in this second issue of the
Uganda Woman magazine. The Magazine is a publication of the Ministry and I am pleased
to note that the magazine is now positioning itself to constantly and creatively address the
issues that concern the ascendancy of women in Uganda.
The stories in the Magazine reveal how women have benefitted from and sustained
various programmes. Some stories are an exposition about how a woman has led others
to empowerment while others are more individual but actually show how the capacities
offered by the programmes of Government have provided the environment on which
these women have thrived.
Accordingly, I urge all the women to take advantage of this day to show case what they
have done to empower themselves and their communities.
On behalf of the women of Uganda, I take this opportunity to thank H.E Yoweri Kaguta
Museveni for his continued support to the women of Uganda. I thank him for the various
programmes that have pushed women to the front of the development process. I also
thank the President for spearheading a legal regime that has not only allowed the women
to thrive but has sustained the struggle against vices which are largely a result of negative
cultural practices and ignorance.
I wish, on this note, to thank the various stakeholders for their contribution to the
empowerment of women. We realize now more than ever, that these partnerships have
sustained the women’s movement. They should not only be maintained but should be
strengthened for the benefit of women and the country at large.
I also wish to take this opportunity to appreciate the United Nations Joint Programme on
Gender Equality with whom the Ministry works to produce this Magazine. In the same
vein, I thank the staff and the contributors to the Magazine for a job well done. In a special
way, I acknowledge with appreciation the leadership of Nakasongola district for having
agreed to host the National Celebrations for Women’s Day.
I wish all the women and men of Uganda very happy International Women’s Day
Celebrations.
Rukia Nakadama Isanga
MINISTER OF STATE, GENDER LABOUR AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
(IN CHARGE OF GENDER AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS)
Message from the
Minister of State for
Gender and Culture
MINISTER’S MESSAGE

EDITORIAL
I am pleased to welcome readers to the second issue of the Uganda Women Magazine, a
bi-annual publication of the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development. This
Magazine, which was launched by H.E The President at the International Women’s Day
2012, is a platform for sharing the triumphs and challenges of women in Uganda.
The maiden issue celebrated the achievements of women during the 50 years of Uganda’s
Independence while the second issue is an account of the various efforts of Government
and other stakeholders to reach out to women at the grassroots level.
The issue is a continuation of the account of the tremendous progress that women have
made over the years as a result of the conducive policy and legal framework for women’s
empowerment and gender equality. The stories demonstrate the interplay between the
policy environment and the translation of policy into practice.
The Magazine focuses on initiatives that have had a bearing on women’s empowerment
and gender equality. The stories detail the engagements of various stakeholders such as
the women themselves, the Government departments, Community Based Organizations,
Non Government Organisations, the Private Sector and the Donors, with grassroots
communities in terms of service provision.
The publication also presents the challenges faced by women in the process of attaining
gender equality and women’s empowerment. Furthermore, suggestions have been made
on the direction that should be taken to mitigate the challenges.
As the chief editor of this magazine, I am indebted to the women who have accepted to
share their stories with us. Similarly, I am grateful for the efforts of the various stakeholders
to document the successes and challenges of the programmes they have implemented on
behalf of the women of Uganda. We have come a long way and we are on the right path to
achieving gender equality and empowerment for the women of this country.
It is in this spirit that I congratulate all Ugandans on the International Women’s Day 2013
and invite you to enjoy reading this publication.
Christine Guwatudde Kintu
PERMANENT SECRETARY/ EDITOR IN CHIEF
Editorial

By Kenneth Ayebazibwe
INTERACTING WITH THE
UGANDA WOMAN MAGAZINE
Profile
SPECIFICATION STATUS REMARKS
First published March 2012 Is the best women magazine in Uganda
Issue published One
Circulation Global
Global (5000 copies are printed and distributed. The publication
is uploaded on the Face book page of the Ministry which is www.
facebook.com/mglsd
Frequency bi-annual
Pages 60
Price(local) Free
Quality Best available quality
Testimonies:
The Uganda Women Magazine
is a bi-annual publication of the
Ministry of Gender, Labour and
Social Development. The publication
is a 60-page gloss-format premium
publication featuring the state of
women achievers in Uganda. The
Uganda Women Magazine is an
independent publication that is
reader-focused and managed by a
highly skilled publishing team with
extensive experience in magazine
and newspaper publishing.
Five thousand copies of the Magazine
are printed per issue and distributed
to various stakeholders in the
country. In addition, the Magazine
is uploaded on the Ministry website
and on its Facebook page. The
digitally delivered edition is extended
readership to those who live outside
the print distribution area and made
the Magazine global.
With updates about the Uganda
Women Magazine, 177 likes
automatically received instant update
of the magazine. With a fan base of
friends to the Ministry page, 60,982
fans too received updates and weekly,
the Magazine reached 83 persons
online. With an online readable and
downloadable copy on http://www.
slideshare.net/moglsd2012/uganda-
woman-2012, 213 persons read and
downloaded the digital format for
their ownership and readership.
GREAT WOMEN
Great women for great things!
Waiswa Adam
ADVANCED MATERIAL
Thank you Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. The idea is great!
More so, I would like to commend you Uganda Women Magazine.
My concern, though, is that the content of this magazine seems to be targeting high
level women and does not speak out for the lower level women. Yes, the idea of
availing the magazine free is great, and we need a section for men to share their
thoughts too. But thanks for the great work, women!
Helga Nagaba
I’VE BEEN INSPIRED
I love the quality of this magazine, your team is very smart, you have opened women doors in East Africa and
Africa, just like someone’s quotation, “where the smart work, doors are opened.”
Thank you for making us ladies feel that we can do our best in all areas. It is my humble request that you
go back to the roots and involve grassroot women. This is an opportunity for Uganda women to shine! Long
live Uganda Women Magazine!
Bitamisi Hernrietah
Kenneth Ayebazibwe is the E-Resource Centre Manager in the Ministry of Gender
Labour and Social Development (MGLSD)
Uganda Woman
Magazine can be
accessed online:
www. facebook.com/mglsd

By Jane Sanyu Mpagi
Connecting grassroots women to
development is not only an economic but
also a human rights issue.
Grassroots women are those women that
do not make decisions that affect their lives
regarding initiation and implementation of
development interventions. In Uganda the
grassroots women are mainly rural women
but also include the urban poor and those
marginalised by factors such as limited
education, unemployment and negative
cultural practices that relegate them to a
subordinate position.
When one hears about gender equality and
empowerment of women, the grassroots
women rarely come into the picture.
The tendency is to view women as a
homogenous marginalised group. Yet, the
realities of women are shaped differently
by different factors such as physical ability,
economic and social status, education
levels, ethnicity, residence (rural or urban)
and/or marriage status.
National legislations and international
instruments guarantee equal rights to
men and women. The Constitution of the
Republic of Uganda guarantees equality
and protection for all people including
women and it prohibits gender-based
discrimination in all aspects of social,
economic and political life in the country.
It also mandates the State to provide equal
opportunities to women and equal access
to resources and benefits among other
rights. This is in line with regional and
international instruments which Uganda
has ratified. For example the Convention
on All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women which Uganda ratified in 1985
stipulates that women like men have
equal right to own property, rights to
rest and leisure and rights to an adequate
standard of living in health and education.
The Convention requires the State to pay
particular attention to rural women.
Further, the Government has developed
legislations,policiesandstrategiesbasedon
the Constitution. Some of these are critical
for grassroots women’s empowerment.
These include: education policies and
programmes which mostly target children
and expansion of health facilities to the
Local Council II level, among others.
The Government policies on Affirmative
Action and legal provisions which have
had a big impact have enabled a sizeable
number of women to enter into decision
making organs in Parliament and other
organs of Government. The constitutional
requirement that every district is
represented by a woman in parliament
has increased the percentage of women
in the national legislature to 35%. In
Parliament, women have embraced the
role of decision making very vigorously. A
number of them are chairpersons or vice
chair persons of different parliamentary
committees. Grassroots women, though
not directly in Parliament, have role
models they look up to in Parliament. They
also access information and support from
their representatives so that they are able
to tap into Government initiatives.
WHY GRASSROOTS
WOMEN SHOULD
BE CONNECTED TO
DEVELOPMENT
COVER STORY
The Speaker of Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga
attending a cultural function at grassroots level.
ShawnMakumbiphoto

A significant increase in the number of
women in political decision-making at
different levels at Local Government level
has also been attained as a result of the
provisions of the Local Government Act
which provides for a third of the seats at
these levels to be reserved for women. As
such, country-wide, women have attained
self-confidence and their capacities have
been built in management and decision
making.
The conducive policy environment created
by Government has been embraced by
women’s and other organisations to reach
out to grassroots women and connect
them to development. A number of
organisations have done advocacy to
promote the rights of grassroots women in
the country, while others have worked with
them on income-generating activities with
emphasis on projects in creative industries
and trade, among others.
Despite these gains for grassroots
women, it is important to note that
access to resources and the presence of
gender sensitive policies and laws do not
automatically reflect the empowerment of
women, especially the grassroots woman.
This is because different women differ in
the way they make choices and transform
these choices into desired outcomes.
Hence the need to upscale initiatives
linking women to development
One factor that justifies the inclusion of
grassroots women into development is
that currently they contribute substantially
to economic growth. With this argument,
women, who are half the country’s
population, need to be assisted to enhance
their potential to contribute more to the
national economy.
Statistics have consistently revealed that
agriculture is the main occupation for
women in Uganda and also the main
source of income for rural households in
the country. About 72% of all employed
women are in agriculture and about
90% of rural women make a living from
agriculture. This trend of feminisation of
agriculture has positioned women at the
COVER STORY
fore-front of producing food for domestic
consumption and also for internal and
external markets.
However, women’s role in agricultural
production is often hampered by
inadequate extension services, lack
or inappropriate technology and
inaccessibility to credit. While women
can access land for production, ownership
and control are still major challenges.
Connecting women to development
in this regard would mean accessing
grassroots women with extension services
(advisory services, inputs and technology)
and land. When women control land and
other resources, they are able to improve
household food security, economic
livelihoods and will be able to gain greater
control over food production. They are
able to use land as collateral to access
credit and hence improve their livelihoods.
Women’s rights to land are recognised
by Government through land reform
initiatives at the national levels which have
endeavoured to cater for women’s rights
A woman and girl-child grind coffee beans with an
improved machine
ShawnMakumbiphoto

CONNECTING WOMEN TO DEVELOPMENT
of literacy. In addition, gender based
violence in form of physical, sexual and
psychological abuse is prevalent in the
country. While both men and women can
be victims of violence, women and girls
are more affected due to unequal gender
relations that are perceived to be normal
within most societies.
Further, grassroots women capabilities
have to be expanded so that they are able
to read and write and lead long and healthy
lives free of violence. They should also be
able to earn a decent living and participate
in making decisions that affect their lives.
It is only when women at all levels have a
voice and participate in decision making
at the household, community and national
levels that they will be able to make choices
that influence their destiny and that of the
country significantly..
Ms. Jane Sanyu Mpagi is the Managing
Editor of Uganda Woman and the
Director for Gender and Community
Development in MGLSD.
within the different land tenure systems
that is customary, freehold, mailo and lease
hold. In the Land Act of 1998 as amended
in 2004, the fundamental rights of women
in access and control over economically
significant resources are protected. The
law protects the rights of women, children
and persons with disability with regard
to access ownership and occupation of
customary land. The law further protects
the rights of women by emphasising the
consent of the spouse in the event of any
transactions on family land.
In this case, transaction means sale,
exchange, transfer, pledge, mortgage or
lease of family land. The rights of women
to land are further entrenched in the
National Land Policy, where Government
re-affirms its commitment to take
measures to reform land laws in order to
protect women and children. Whereas the
Land Law and Policy guarantee the rights
of women to occupy and use land, cultural
norms and practices in some communities
are contrary to these principles. Grassroots
women are mostly affected by the
patriarchal attitudes and practices which
deny women inheritance rights.
Further, reproductive or unpaid work in
the household is normally performed by
women and girls. This work in the “care
economy” is essential to the wellbeing
and livelihoods of all people in the society.
However, women’s lack of resources and
power mean that they perform these
critical activities with very labour intensive
technology. Consequently the grassroots
women have a heavy workload and
reduced time for income earning activities,
engaging in further education and leisure.
This scenario has also escalated child
labour and high dropout rate of girls
from school as they take over the women’s
household responsibility in the care of
their siblings and housework especially if
their mothers find work outside the home.
Despite the challenges, grassroots women
have responded to Government policies.
They are involved in organising and
forming self-help groups to tackle issues
of poverty and wealth-creation. They are
engaged in projects which contribute
to household incomes and also directly
benefit children. They participate in
home hygiene, education campaigns,
environment protection and preventive
measures against child killer diseases.
Using traditional coping mechanisms,
grassroots women have been able to
handle the challenges of HIV and AIDS.
Supporting women in these roles will
contribute to economic growth because
women will be able to contribute to
poverty reduction for the households.
Despitethegrassrootswomencontribution
to economic growth, they still face
challenges that must be addressed. For
instance, over the last decade, Government
investments have led to improved access
to essential services by grassroots women
and girls. However, the uptake of these
initiatives is inadequate due to low levels
Business women in trading activities
ShawnMakumbiphotos

FLASHBACK
Message from the President - 2012
I would like to congratulate all the women of Uganda
upon reaching this important International Women’s
Day of March 8th 2012. As you know, women constitute
51% of Uganda’s population and, therefore, they are
essential to Uganda’s development.
On January 29th 1986, when I took my first Presidential
Oath, I offered to serve the people of Uganda and release
them from bad governance. I have since put in place
an ideologically oriented and democratic leadership in
which everybody participates. For that reason, women
have been given an opportunity to take leadership
positions at all levels of Government right from LC1.
You will recall that I assured Ugandans and the entire
world that the NRA/NRM’s coming to power was not
a mere change of guards but a fundamental change.
Now, 26 years down the road, right thinking people are
able to see the irreversible developments that the NRM
revolution has created. My job as President has been
and remains that of laying strategies for people-centered
policies.
On this day, when we take stock of the achievements
registered so far, I join all of you in celebrating the
monumental progress that has been made to empower
and emancipate the women of Uganda. I testify that the
women of Uganda have been a formidable pillar behind
the success of the NRM Government.
The Uganda Woman magazine is a candid account of the
women’s walk from socially and politically constructed
bondage to freedom and empowerment. This magazine
is timely especially because it coincides with Uganda’s
Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Therefore, as we celebrate the International Women’s
Day, our most critical undertaking must be that
of consolidating our gains and building on the
achievements so far made to fully transform our society
from a pre-industrial to a modern, industrial and self-
sustaining economy. As a revolutionary, I believe that
for us to sustain our political, economic and social gains,
our struggle must remain people-centered and follow a
correct and popular ideology and strategies as articulated
in the NRM Manifesto and the National Development
Plan.
It is for these reasons that we are investing a significant
amount of money in the various sectors in order to build
a competent, equitable and competitive indigenous
labour-force.
As head of Government, I pledge my continued and
total commitment to the eradication of all forms of
discrimination against our women.
For God and My Country
Yoweri K. Museveni
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA
MGLSDphoto

Communication Engineer, Senior
Protection Engineer and Manager
Information Technology. When UEB
was unbundled, I transferred to Uganda
Electricity Distribution Company Ltd
(UEDCL) where I served as Manager
Customer Service and appointed
Managing Director in 2002. I resigned this
position in 2010 and joined politics.
I have also served on voluntary basis
on both Governmental and Non-
Governmental Organizations. I am a
member of the technical committee of
the Uganda Millennium Science Initiative
managed by the Uganda National Council
of Science and Technology. I am the
Chairperson for Finance Trust, a micro-
finance deposit-taking institution; and
Finance Secretary for Bulambuli NRM
District Executive Committee.
Previously, I was a board member of
the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority,
Kilembe Mines Limited and the Uganda
Polytechnic, Kyambogo, now, Kyambogo
University. I was the Vice-Chairperson of
the Private Sector Foundation, Uganda,
and the Chairperson of Tunyi Girls’
Secondary School.
I served as a committee member of
the Uganda Institution of Professional
Engineers, Uganda Women’s Effort to Save
Orphans (UWESO), Uganda Women’s
Network (UWONET), Action for
Development (ACFODE) and the National
Association of Women Organizations in
Uganda (NAWOU).
On the international and regional basis,
I was a member of the first science and
technology advisory group to the United
Nations Economic Commission for Africa
(UNECA) and a senior Fellow for the
Africa Region of the Gender Advisory
Board to the United Nations Commission
for Science and Technology (UNCST).
I also served as the Vice Chairperson
of the East African Sub-Region of the
African Women Development and
Communication Network (FEMNET).
I am an advocate for gender equality,
women’s empowerment and utilization of
Science and Technology for sustainable
development.
I am married to Mr. Felix Muloni and
we have been blessed with four beautiful
children.
Question: Hon. Minister,
would you like to give a
profile of yourself.
Answer: I am the Minister of Energy
and Mineral Development and the Woman
Member of Parliament for Bulambuli
District. I graduated with an Honours
Degree in Electrical Engineering from
Makerere University, Kampala in 1986. In
2004, I got a Master’s Degree in Business
Administration from Capella University
in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the USA.
I am a corporate member of the Uganda
Institution of Engineers and a Certified
Public-Private Partnership specialist. I
am also a professional Balanced Scorecard
Practitioner.
In 2003, the Forum for Africa Women
Educationists recognised me with the
Sarah Ntiro Award as a Model Excellence.
After graduation I was employed by
Uganda Posts and Telecommunications
Corporation for 5 years after which I
joined Uganda Electricity Board (UEB)
as a Communications Engineer in
1991. I rose from this position to Senior
Irene Nafuna Muloni, is the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development and
the Woman Member of Parliament for Bulambuli District. In an interview with
Uganda Woman, she speaks about the place of women in the Sector.
“Iam an
advocate for
gender equality
and women’s
empowerment”

Q: How are the programmes
in your Ministry benefiting
grassroots communities,
including women?
A: The Government programmes that
my Ministry has implemented that have
benefited grassroots women include the
rural electrification programme. This has
enabled them to access electricity which
in turn has improved the income of
women by increasing working hours and
the emergence of the small and medium
scale industries for women. Some of these
include telephone charging services and
salons among others.
Further, women and girls are generally
at a higher risk of being attacked at night
and so lighting on the streets and around
their homes has improved their personal
security. For the girl-child, lighting has
improved grades in her education.
Also, electricity has improved women’s
safety at home. There have been occasional
fires, especially, in the rural dwellings
caused by kerosene lamps or candles.
These have been largely eliminated by the
availability of electricity.
Electricity has also improved health
services. For instance, lighting in health
clinics provides a safe environment for
maternity wards for safe delivery at night
and improved vaccination services as a
result of refrigeration facilities.
Secondly, the Uganda Domestic Biogas
Programme has provided a subsidy for
each household to have a biogas system
installed. We have made the technology
affordable, especially to the rural women
who have small incomes. It has provided
clean energy for cooking; reduced the
dependency on charcoal and firewood.
This has given women more time to engage
in other income-generating activities.
Also, biogas is used for lighting and this
has allowed children to revise their school
work effectively. All this happens without
paying energy bills.
Thirdly, we have implemented the Solar
Photo Voltaic Target Market Approach,
under the energy for rural transformation
programme. This programme is providing
subsidies and credit for the solar photo
voltaics in the rural areas. This has also
improved lighting in those areas.
We have also promoted the energy-saving
cooking stoves in the households. The
benefits include; reduced health risks
related to indoor pollution, reduced
accidents for children who could get burnt
by open cooking fires.
Q: Are you aware of their
challenges? If any, which are
they, and what has your
Sector done to address these
challenges?
A: Rural electrification is a challenge
because of the low connection rate due to
relatively high connection costs and house
wiring, but we are providing connection
subsidies to customers using ready boards
in poor households so that the connection
costs are made affordable.
Another challenge is the low literacy levels
which impact on the speed of adoption
of electricity. We are helping the rural
communities by showing them how
electricity works and its benefits.
Q: We are aware that the oil
sector is in its early stages
of development. What are
you doing to ensure that
grassroots women benefit
from the sector?
A: Even though we are in the early stages
of developing the oil and gas sector,
the Ministry with other Government
departments, agencies and other
stakeholders are closely working together
to ensure increased women participation.
The Ministry has undertaken sensitization
of women to ensure fair compensation
during the land acquisition process.
Before the compensation is undertaken,
the wives and women heading homes
have an input and have a say on the terms.
Compensations are disbursed in the
presence of the family representatives, that
is, husbands and wives, and witnessed by
the local leaders of the areas.
The Ministry also encourages the oil
companies to focus on gender issues
during implementation of corporate social
responsibility projects, for example, health
projects such as the Sebuguro Health
Center III and Kyehoro Maternity Center,
both in Hoima District. There is the Buliisa
Health Center IV in Buliisa District and
distribution of safe water to communities
through drilling boreholes. Mosquito nets
have also been distributed to pregnant
mothers and children in Kyehoro Landing
Site.
The oil companies at Government’s
insistence have also started several
INTERVIEW
Q: Of the development
programmes you have been
involved in, which have
benefited women the most?
A: As I mentioned earlier, the rural
electrification programme and the
improved cooking stove programme
have benefitted many women and
improved standards at home and in health
centers. Also, the programme has eased
communication because it has increased
access to phone-charging facilities.
Q: How have the grassroots
women contributed to energy
management in Uganda?
A: Grassroots women have participated
in the planning process for the provision of
energy services in their areas. We usually
consult them when the programmes
are being designed, realizing the gender
dimension is important in the provision
of the services. Through the promotion
and sensitization campaigns, they have
attracted other people to acquire and/or
installtheserenewableenergytechnologies.
By using energy saving technologies, they
have contributed to efficient utilization of
energy in Uganda.

projects to help women in their areas of
operation. These projects include bee-
keeping, distribution of sewing machines,
making of life jackets from local materials
and growing of various food crops, like
vegetables in the Kaiso Tonya Area. As a
result of the oil activities, many women
have set up roadside stalls from where
they can sell their agricultural products
to motorists and other passers-by. The oil
companies have also set up an Enterprise
Center through which they train people
on how to improve their businesses. This
has enabled many, including women to
participate in oil activities through the
supply of goods and service.
A number of schools have been built
through the corporate responsibility
activities. These schools include: Nkondo
Primary School, in Kaiso Tonya; Kyehoro
Primary School, and the Carl Neft
Memorial Primary School in Bugoma.
Q: Did these women
contribute to the oil debate,
and if so what was their
contribution?
A: Yes. The women’s voices have been
heard. Women’s interests and views are
presented in the Uganda Parliament by
the respective District Women Members
of Parliament. I believe that these MPs
consulted them on how they want the oil
and gas sector to be governed. These views
informed the oil and gas debate.
Also several civil society organizations
(CSO’s) operating in the Albertine Graben
appeared before the Natural Resources
Committee of Parliament during the public
hearings on the Petroleum Exploration
Development and Production Bill 2012.
I believe that the women’s voices were
represented through these CSOs.
Q: When is the oil going to
start flowing?
A: The first oil will generate electricity.
This thermal generation will come in
very quickly within the next two years as
a stop-gap measure as we construct large
generation facilities like Isimba, Karuma,
and Ayago hydropower plants. We are
going to build a petroleum refinery for
petroleum products that will meet our
demand in the country and neighbouring
states. If we build a refinery that will
The discovery of oil has excited everyone.
You saw what happened in Parliament. I
am at the helm of it. Every Ugandan wants
the oil to flow to their household.
Q: Apart from oil, what is
the involvement of rural
women in the mineral
development?
A: The mineral sector provides a
livelihood for almost 200,000 women and
men. Indirectly it benefits more than four
million Ugandans while injecting almost
350 million dollars into the local economy.
Women mainly benefit from mining
thorough spin-off employment such as
small business development.
Women are mostly involved in artisanal
small-scale mining. Here, they contribute
a workforce of 60-70%; for example, in
Lake Katwe Salt Mine, stone aggregate
in north and central Uganda and gold
and marble mining in Karamoja. Women
employment in large scale mining is very
low at about 5%.
Gender aspects into the national policies
on the natural sector have been drawn
from the 2009 “Guiding Strategy for
Gender Equity in Mining”. Article 16 of
the Kampala Declaration of 2011 at the
International Conference Center on the
Great Lakes Region, requested member
states to mainstream gender aspects
into the national policies in the natural
resources sector. Uganda is only the
second country after Papua New Guinea
to develop such a strategy.
There are negative effects which affect
women’s participation in mining. These
include migration of families to the
mining areas leading to the mushrooming
of shanty semi-urban communities with
loose family ties. These have encouraged
temporary marriages, growth of sex trade,
contracting of HIV and AIDS, alcoholism
and domestic violence. Also the impact of
compensation, relocation and resettlement
affects mainly women who don’t make
decisions like men who are considered the
household heads.
Q: What is being done in
the Sector to mitigate the
adverse effects of mineral
development on the
environment and the spread
of HIV and AIDS?
A: There are a number of mitigations
initiatives in place. These include: the
Mineral Policy of Uganda (2001) whose
objective is to minimize and mitigate the
adverse social and environmental impacts
of mineral development. There are mining
inspections to assess the compliance
with the existing laws and regulations on
the environment and the protection of
human health and safety. In this regard the
monitoring unit of the Ministry has been
strengthened.
The Ministry has also promoted the
application of environmentally friendly
technologies and methods in mineral
extraction apart from ensuring the health
and safety regulations in all stages of
mineral development through regulation
and education. It has undertaken the
responsibility of clean-up operations of
the past negative mining environmental
impacts.
There is on-going capacity building of staff
on the environmentally related training
in order to apply the modern friendly
technologies while conducting regular
INTERVIEW
process 20,000 barrels a day, it will take us
about three years; and if we build one to
process 60,000 barrels a day, it may take
about five years.
So far we have discovered about 3.5 billion
barrels of petroleum from only 40% of
the explored area. Uganda is blessed; our
success rate of oil finds is high, standing at
about 90%. We believe that the remaining
60% will also give us a high success rate.

environmental impact assessments. Also,
the local leaders have been involved in
the decision-making concerning mining
activities in their communities and the
recruitment of environmental specialists
to operationalise the policy.
On HIV and AIDS, the Ministry, through
the HIV and AIDS Work Place Policy
has developed a number of mitigation
measures. These include the sensitizaition
of the communities on the impact of
HIV and AIDs on the energy sector, the
distribution of condoms as a preventive
measure in fighting against the disease and
financial support to the staff who publicly
declare their sero- status.
There is also free counseling for the staff
every Thursday and Friday of the week
in managing stress, alcoholism and drug
abuse at the work place, capacity building
for the task force and the peer educators,
promotion of the use of information,
education and communication materials
and the involvement of people living with
HIV and AIDS in a number of activities.
HIV and AIDS management has also been
integrated into Ministry’s programme.
Q: What is the strategy to
involve women in training
for employment in the
energy and mineral Sector
including oil exploration and
management?
A: There is a training policy in place and
we are partnering with other institutions.
There is involvement of women in
reviewing of the training policy; and giving
priority to women in the employment
opportunities. In my Sector I have women
engineers, scientists and technicians. We
have a woman energy engineer, a woman
petroleum engineer, a woman mining
engineer and a woman nuclear scientist. It
is very exciting and shows the capability of
women.
Laws that initially prohibited women’s
involvement in mining were reviewed
and this restriction removed. Now that
oil is coming on board they should take
full advantage of it. The Albertine Graben
is going to change. So women should
tap into the employment opportunities.
They should raise kids and send them to
school to acquire skills to enable them be
responsible citizens. They should tag them
to the opportunities that are coming.
Q: Your last word Hon.
Minister.
A: I want to appreciate His Excellency,
President Yoweri Museven as an individual
for promoting women. In the same vein, I
want to appreciate the First Lady. This is an
exemplary couple that has really promoted
good values in our society. You can see the
confidence the President has in women. It
sends a clear message to women to be very
hard working, committed and to uphold
integrity.
I pay tribute to men for the support they
give to women and for recognising us as
partners in development.
I want to thank my loving husband and
family for the love and support they have
given me in serving our beautiful country.
It takes a lot of understanding and patience
to make things work.
I urge women to be result-oriented,
hardworking and committed to whatever
they are assigned to do. We need to really
continue working together. We need a
critical mass to change things for the better,
understand and respect one another and
make this country a better place to live.
Through that we shall foster good working
relationships as long as we focus on issues.
These young children are our big worry.
They have a lot of energy which if
misdirected can end in disaster. They need
guidance, nurturing and mentoring.
INTERVIEW
Hon. Irene Muloni (left) in the interview with the Acting Commissioner of Gender and Women’s Affairs,
Ms Maggie Mabweijano, and the Consulting Editor, Ikebesi Omoding (right).
MGLSDPhoto

By Martin Orem
The United Nations Development Fund for
Women (UNIFEM), has been supporting
women’s engagement in peace-building,
economic empowerment, GBV prevention
and women’s participation and leadership
in Northern Uganda since October 2006.
In 2010, when UNIFEM was renamed UN
Women, a new programme geared towards
strengthening capacities for Gender
Equality and Women’s Empowerment in
Uganda was designed. The programme is
aligned to the National Development Plan
objectives and the Uganda Gender Priority
areas. The programme anchors some of the
outcome areas in the Joint Programme on
Gender Equality.
The programme has enhanced the
consolidation of UN Women activities in
the original areas of focus and strategic
expansiontonewareasincludingKaramoja
sub-region. The Karamoja Program Office
was opened in 2011 and is implementing
activities in three thematic areas of Women
Economic Empowerment, Gender-Based
Violence and Access to Justice.
Karamoja sub-region has the highest levels
of poverty and the lowest levels of human
development in Uganda (UNDP: 2007).
The mainstay of economic resources
in the district is agro-pastoralism;
livestock-keeping and limited subsistence
agriculture. Traditionally, women are
engaged in informal or subsistence
activities which do not earn income. Men
are the sole decision-makers and owners
of households and community resources
including livestock and land. The unequal
power relations configured by culture
prohibit women from exploiting their full
potential to contribute to the needs of their
households and also induce gender-based
violence.
Today, there is an apparent decline in
the reliance on the livestock livelihoods
system. Many households have lost their
herds due to cattle rustling, disarmament,
livestock diseases and droughts, among
others factors. The need to adopt
alternative livelihood strategies has added
a burden to women and girls, especially
those in households which have lost their
livestock.
To address this challenge, UN Women
through Arbeiter Samariter Bund(ASB), is
supporting 374 women and girls in Moroto
to adopt appropriate economic coping
UN WOMEN SUPPORTS GENDER
EQUALITY IN KARAMOJA
DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS
A dance performed by a Karamajong community ensemble
SawnMakumbiphoto

strategies which include: production
of high value horticulture, business
skills training, introduction of Village
Saving and Loan Association, rainwater
harvesting infrastructure in manyattas
for domestic use and production, art and
crafts-making and solar lighting.
There is an indication that targeted women
in manyattas have been able to increase the
income of their families through various
activities. The income is being used for
basic family expenses; for example, Nangor
Maria aged 45, from the manyatta of
Aonyei Kaloi, Nakadeli Parish; Rupa Sub
County had this to say on the change she
has since realized as a result of the project:
“This project has helped me a lot because I
sold cowpeas and greens to meet some of
my family basic necessities, like medical
bills and home commodities. This has
helped to reduce domestic violence in my
familysinceI’mnowabletomakedecisions
with my husband without disagreements
and we do garden work together.”
UN Women and partners will therefore
continue to prioritize the provision of
skills, knowledge and workload reducing
technology transfer to women and girls
as strategy for reducing gender gaps in
society.
The testimony from Nangor indicates
that poverty is at the root of the high
levels of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in
Karamoja.
In Karamoja, gender-based offences are
considered a private issue and they affect
mainlywomen. TheprevalencerateofGBV
in Karamoja is put at about 50%. Issues of
GBV include forced and early marriages,
wife beating, rape and courtship rape. All
these vices are acceptable practices in this
area.
Accordingly, UN Women with partners
such as ASB, FIDA-Uganda and Refugee
Law Project(RLP), is working in Moroto
and Kotido with local governments,
traditional, religious and women leaders
to enhance their understanding of gender
and women’s rights including Uganda’s
commitments to women’s rights under
national and international instruments.
The main strategies being used are
sensitisation on gender related legislation
and engagement of traditional justice
authorities to engender their means of
mediation. UN Women partners target
and work with male and youth groups
as critical constituencies for behavioural
change. Our partners are involved in
dissemination of the Domestic Violence
Act (2010) (DVA), training of leaders
on DVA and survivors referral services
pathway, media campaigns against GBV
and events such as the 16 Days of Activism
and the International Women’s Day.
Formal justice service provision in
Moroto, as well as in the other six districts
of Karamoja is largely ineffective due to
the challenges posed by limited personnel
and logistics, infrastructure, funding
and remoteness of the sub-region. The
Karamoja situation is compounded by the
fact the area is just emerging from a conflict
situation which has had serious impact on
the administration of the rule of law and
other basic Government services. In this
context the local communities of Karamoja
have turned to seeking for justice through
elders and traditional practices and norms
which equally do not provide recourse to
justice for women.
Through the work of the Legal Aid Clinic
of the Law Development Centre, FIDA-
Uganda and Refugee Law Project (Kotido),
UN Women has been providing primary
and secondary legal aid for women in
Moroto and Kotido districts. The following
specific activities are being carried out:
FIDA is providing direct legal assistance to
survivors of GBV and women whose rights
to housing, land, property and inheritance
have been violated. FIDA is also working
to integrate gender and human rights into
existing traditional dispute resolution
processes in five selected communities
in Moroto. Accordingly, there has been
training of community legal volunteers
and exchange events between elders.
In Kotido, RLP has been providing direct
legal services for GBV related cases,
training to increase access to legal aid
support in the kraals, Manyattas and
district levels. It has also developed a
referral pathway with partners to guide
survivors of GBV to access particular
services and create community space for
dialogue.
Community empowerment sensitization
however remains a critical activity to
counter the stereotypes, perceptions and
beliefs shaped by culture which have
promoted the silence around GBV.
Although UN Women is relatively new in
Karamoja, it has been possible to establish
viable partnerships upon which future
work with the Local Governments, CSOs,
UN Agencies and other stakeholders is
expected to build. The partnerships are
also aligned to UN Women mandate to
hold the UN system accountable for gender
equality. UN Women intends to play this
role by coordinating a gender thematic
group with the partners in Karamoja.
At the national and Karamoja regional
level, UN Women is also involved in the
coordination of the Joint Programme on
Gender Equality.
Martin Orem is the Project Officer/Head
of Office, UN Women- Karamoja
DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS
Women addressing a gathering at an International Women’s Day function in Moroto
MGLSDphoto

By Sophia Klumpp
“AFRIpads is thrilled to be
acknowledged for its achievements
in developing an innovative sanitary
product and business model that
delivers tangible social impact for
thousands of girls and women in
Uganda. We believe that women
and girls across the globe must
be empowered to manage their
menstruation effectively, affordably
and with dignity in order to capture
their full participation in productive
spheres like education and work if
systemic change is to be achieved.”
said Sophia Klumpp, Founder and
Managing Director as she received an
award for this life changing innovation.
AFRIpads (Uganda) Ltd. is a social
enterprise that manufactures cloth
washable sanitary pads to affordably
and hygienically meet the feminine
hygiene needs of the millions of
women in East Africa. Founded in
2011, AFRIpads places particular
emphasis on curbing the high rates of
menstrual-related absenteeism among
primary and secondary schoolgirls in
Uganda.
Every month, millions of girls in
developing countries, like Uganda,
skip school and are at risk of dropping
out simply because they cannot
afford to buy sanitary products
when they menstruate. These
unnecessary absences of 3-5 days
each month can amount to as many
as 50 skipped schooldays per year,
with enormous consequences on the
academic potential of the country’s
young women, and with further
consequences on Uganda’s overall
economic development and growth.
AFRIpads is contributing to the
LIFE CHANGING INNOVATION FOR GIRLS
A F R I p a d s
PRIVATE SECTOR
A girl-child from Abwoc Kalamoniya Primary School in Gulu shows herAfriPad
AfriPadphoto

spreading into East Africa. In June 2012
the company received another accolade
when the founders were honoured with
the Social Entrepreneurship Award from
the PPR Foundation for Women’s Dignity
and Rights.
For more information on this innovation,
please visit www.afripads.com or contact
info@afripads.com.
reduction of these high rates of
menstrual-related absenteeism through
a simple solution: low-cost, reusable
sanitary pads. The AFRIpads Menstrual
Kit contains washable cloth sanitary
towels that provide menstrual protection
for up to one year at one-fifth the cost
of mainstream commercial brands. The
Deluxe Menstrual Kit costs Uganda
Shs. 11,000/= while the comprehensive
Menstrual Kit costs 14,500/=.
The product is an innovative solution
to an everyday challenge, filling the
product void on the market between
expensive disposable pads and the
ineffective materials that girls largely
rely on, like rags, toilet paper, pieces of
foam mattress, leaves, and mud. So far,
AFRIpads are being distributed through
Marie Stopes Uganda’s Blue Star clinics
in Mbarara, Sheema, Bushenyi, Ishaka
and Ibanda. The distribution should have
spread countrywide by December 2013.
Also, AFRIpads can be bought from all
the Living Goods branches in Kampala,
Mpigi, Jinja-Mafubira and Masaka
districts.
The impact of AFRIpads Menstrual Kits
extends far beyond the school-aged
girls. The company currently provides
formal sector employment to over 50
Ugandan women, putting much-needed
income into their hands and driving
economic growth in rural areas. In just
three years, the company has empowered
nearly 150,000 girls and women with its
AFRIpadsMenstrualKits,helpingtokeep
countless girls in school. Not only is the
product an affordable feminine hygiene
solution, it is also environmentally-
friendly since the product is washable
and does not generate waste, in addition
to being logistically simple as it can be
washed and re-used for up to one year.
In Uganda, this sustainable change is
being generated from an unlikely source:
a sanitary napkin.
AFRIpads was recognized by WOMEN
DELIVER (a leading agency in global
reproductive health) as “One of the most
inspiring innovations improving the lives
of women and girls worldwide” in the
“Technology and Innovations” category.
Out of more than 6,000 applicants,
AFRIpads was nominated because of
the impact the company has on girls
and women in Uganda, which is now
PRIVATE SECTOR
Sophia Klumpp is Founder &
Managing Director of AFRIpads
Girl children from Muyenga High School, Kampala showing off their AfriPads
AfriPadphoto
School Girl Testimonies

MEET JOSEPHINE KASYA,
THE FIRST FEMALE DISTRICT
CHAIRPERSON IN UGANDA
By Hilda Twongyeirwe
Ms.JosephineRubaiza,nowMrs.Josephine
Kasya, is the first born in a family of six.
She has two sisters and three brothers.
She recalls that as she was growing up, her
mother, Ms Peace Mudari, taught them
to be responsible from a very young age.
Her mother was a midwife. Whenever she
would be on duty in the labour ward, she
would identify women that were in labour
but without any caretakers. She would
then dash home and ask Josephine and her
siblings to prepare porridge or hot water
and follow her to the ward. At first they
would do it begrudgingly, but they soon
learnt that it was the right thing to do. They
started looking forward to helping those
helpless women. They started to enjoy it
and to make it their way of life.
Josephine’s father, Mr. John Rubaiza, was a
teacher. As she grew up she watched him
at his work. He was a very orderly man
and he teamed up with his wife to make
the children very orderly. Her parents
did not allow them any opportunity to be
disorganised. So, when the parents would
be away, she and her siblings would scatter
things and be children but when they
would hear them returning home, they
would quickly put everything in order
again and pretend that nothing had been
out of place. However, as time went on, she
realised that being orderly was a very good
trait. She started doing it not just to please
her parents but for herself. That way, she
managed to do her duties faster because
then she did not have to look for her books
the whole day and she did not forget the
important things she needed to do.
As the first born, she was the major
recipient of her parents’ lessons. Now as
a leader, she realises how important it is
to be orderly. She says that people are not
stupid as some leaders think. If a leader
is disorganised, his subordinates can
tell. If all the time it is the same person
walking late into a meeting, apologising
for assignments not accomplished, and
missing or mixing appointments, then
that person is disorganised. Certainly,
Josephine is not a disorganised leader.
Those traits developed from childhood
have been a major help to her in her
current position. She encourages parents
to help their children form positive traits
from an early age. “That will help them
form character,” she says.
Josephine is married to a very supportive
husband who is now a retired Social
Worker. Once in a while, she consults him
over issues to do with her work and he
gladly advises. Josephine says that she has
not had any challenges with her husband
because of her job. “He understands that
I have my other passions in addition
to home.” She says that right from the
beginning of their marriage they agreed
not to depend on hearsay and rumours
about each other. That helps them to
maintain a beautiful relationship that
gives her a stable environment that in turn
enables her to do her job well. She also
tries as much as possible to inform him of
her programmes so that she does not give
him room to suspect any illicit business.
PROFILE
Ms Josephine Kasya (right), receiving the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister,
Amama Mbabazi in Kanungu district
NewVisionphoto

Mr. and Mrs Kasya have six children.
Josephine quickly adds that by the time she
had them, the situation was not as bad as it
is now. She does not advise women to have
many children in Uganda today. However,
she enjoys the company of her children and
says that during campaigns, they always
take leave to come and give her support.
Her last born is at university while others
have graduated and are working.
Josephine has lived all her life in a rural
area and she admires the transition she has
been part of especially with the coming
of electricity, the women empowerment
programmes, and political transition. She
says that for people born in the urban, in
homes with electricity, they do not see the
magic of touching the wall and you flood
the room with electricity. She is happy to
be part of the leadership that is striving
to improve livelihood in the rural areas.
She encourages Government to improve
service delivery programmes for the rural
areas in order to reduce the gaps between
the rural and urban. That way more people
will opt to remain in villages, thus reducing
urban congestion.
Although Josephine maintains that she is
not chairperson for women only, she has
done a lot for women. She has started
women groups for economic sustainability
and she too, is a member of some of the
groups. In one group, they contribute
money and buy goats for each other. As a
result many women now own goats which
they can sell and get out of any crisis.
Another group to which she belongs has
grown into one of the strongest catering
services provider in Kanungu. Josephine
has further empowered the women with
knowledge about their rights such that
sometimes husbands address their wives
as Kasya’s women that should not be
joked with. “That gives me pleasure and
satisfaction,” Josephine relates. She has
inspired a spirit of togetherness among
women with the aim of guarding against
what she has heard of as Pull-her-down
Syndrome. She has succeeded in making
women work well together. However, she
is not happy that most ordinances and laws
are written in English only. She hopes that
they will be translated into local languages
so that the women in the rural areas can
understand them since they directly
impact on their lives. She hopes to find
partners that are interested in empowering
women especially with regard to human
and women’s rights so that she reaches all
corners of the district with empowerment
programmes.
However, Josephine says that most of her
approachesaddresscommunitychallenges.
Even when she starts a project for goats for
women, she knows that the goats will not
belong to only the women but the whole
family. She knows that a woman will not
sell the goat and waste all the money like
some men have done. Improving a woman’s
economic status directly empowers the
whole household. Josephine’s passion is to
empower the electorate economically and
to bring services closer to them. That is one
of the reasons she was actively involved
in lobbying for the creation of Kanungu
District.
She believes that women cannot be
empowered if they and their husbands are
poor. She has therefore concentrated a lot
onimprovingpeople’slivelihoods.Recently
she raised Shs. 30,000,000 and gave it to
farmers to buy tea seedlings. She is helping
the community to expand tea growing.
She is also looking for more money to
buy coffee seedlings for the communities
in areas whose terrain cannot support tea
growing. With financial support from
UNFPA she has started Small Men Action
Groups (SMAGS), whose major aim is to
involve men in addressing gender related
challenges such as domestic violence and
reproductive health.
Josephine joined active politics in
1994 when she became a councillor
at the district. In 1995 she stood for
Constituent Assembly but lost to Hon.
Winnie Matsiko. In 1998 she was elected
Vice Chairperson of Rukungiri District.
While in that position, she lobbied for
the creation of Kanungu District. For that
reason, when the district was created she
stood unopposed for District Chairperson
in 2001. In 2006 she stood for the same
position with one man whom she defeated.
Josephine believes that she defeated him
because she had achieved a lot in her first
term of service. Her district was recipient
of the Water and Sanitation Improvement
Award. She had also improved the road
network and education in the area. Her
achievements campaigned for her.
In 2011 Josephine contested again.
Another man joined the race and he gave
her a run for her money. Some people had
started saying that they had had enough of
the woman and they just wanted to change.
She was very disturbed that they did not
have a major reason against her but just
the fact that she was a woman. It made her
feel like quitting politics but she pressed on
and won again. Her political catch word is;
Try Me. She is a very confident woman
and she tells the men that women should
PROFILE

MAKING A LIVING
FROM TRAINING
OTHERS
By Crescent Tirinawe and Everest Kyalimpa
Agnes Achanda is the proprietor of God’s Grace Vocational Training
Institute which trains women in tailoring.
She was born in 1972 in Mbaro Village, Nyaravur Sub County, Nebbi
District. She is the first born of eight children. She completed primary
school from Kaya Primary in 1986. In 1990 she completed her O’ level
at Nebbi Secondary School but due to lack of school fees she stayed out
of school until 1991. In 1992 her sister took her to Mbarara Secondary
School in Mbarara District. Unfortunately, her sister died and Agnes
was forced to drop out of Senior Five. She enrolled in a fashion tailoring
school in Mbarara Municipality. She completed the course in six months.
In 1997 she joined Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) in
Kampala where she was awarded a certificate in tailoring 1998.
GRASSROOTS STORIES
always be given chance before they are judged. With
that, she has mentored many women especially
councillors into leadership. She has also encouraged
education for the girl-child and she feels very happy
when parents go to her to discuss education issues
relating to their daughters.
Josephine believes that what makes her successful
as a leader is because she empowers others. She
recollects a quote that inspires her; that “leadership
is what happens when the leader is not there.” She
shares information with the people she works
with, she mentors them, empowers them without
holding back and invests in trust building. That way,
everybody gets to do their part well. Also, she has put
systems in place which help the office to run without
much stress.
She says that she works with systems even at home
and that helps her not to get into major crises. Her
children are able to step in when she is not at home
and likewise, her workmates are able to step in, in
case for some reason, she is not able to be at office.
She believes that being transparent has also helped
her, especially with her family.
This historical woman started her education journey
from a church school in Bushenyi. She later moved to
Lugazi where her mother was transferred and studied
at Lugazi Primary School from Primary One to Five.
She later transferred to Kajahi Primary School where
she studied Primary Six and Seven. She passed her
exams very well and she joined Kyebambe Girls
School where she studied from 1971 to 1974. She later
joined Ngora Teacher Training College from 1976 to
1978. In 2004 she joined Hertfordshire Institute for
a Distance Learning Course. She graduated with a
Diploma in Gender and Community Development.
Before joining politics, she was a Grade Three
teacher.
Josephine is no ordinary woman. She is one of the
only three female District Chairpersons in Uganda.
Of the three, Josephine has served longest. Asked
whether she will stand again, she simply says that
politics is her way of life. “Whether I am the leader
or the led, it is all politics,” she says, her contagious
smile spreading to her eyes.
Asked about her secret to looking young and
energetic, she says that she exercises mainly by
walking. She also eats healthy; a fruit for lunch and a
light early dinner.
Josephine says that if she became president of
Uganda, she would build a big bank for women and
give them a good rate for loans. She has witnessed
women do so much with so little and she wonders
how much they would do if they had the means.
Josephine believes in people and she is happy to have
gotten the opportunity to lead.
Hilda Twongyeirwe works with Uganda Women
Writers Association (FEMRITE)
Agnes earned her first salary as a house maid with an Indian family
in Kampala. She saved her salary and over time, she was able to buy a
sewing machine. Later she started teaching in a vocational institute. She
was forced to leave because she was not paid. In 2006, with the services
of one of her trainees, she started a tailoring school. It started with seven
girls who had dropped out of school and later even those without any
formal education were enrolled into the school. Currently, the school
enrols more than 20 students for each in-take. The landmark year when
the school passed out 40 trainees was 2009. Since inception, the institute
has passed out over 200 trainees.
Agnes Acanda at her sewing machine
MGLSDphoto

The school has expanded and established
a branch in Pakwach to train women and
other school drops in vocational skills for
self-sustenance.
Agnes says that the inspiration to start
the school came from a background of
poverty especially amongst the rural
women and girls in her home and in the
region as a whole. While in Kampala, she
had observed that many women did not
prioritise marriage. They did whatever else
they wanted to do before contemplating
marriage. Agnes decided not to bow down
to the pressure of marriage. She realised
thatinthevillages,girlswerebeingmarried
off at a very early age before they decided
what they wanted to be in life. Agnes did
not want to fall in the same trap, so she
decided to start her school first. She had
also observed the dependency of women
on men for everything and men’s laxity
towards providing for dependants in their
homes. She also hoped that the business
would help to support the high number of
orphans in Nebbi region. All these issues
encouraged her to make her own money.
She describes the start of her business as
tough because she had only one sewing
machine which she used for training as
well as tailoring clothes for her customers.
As her business picked, she used the school
fees paid by trainees to buy more machines
and training materials. By the end of 2012,
she had 12 sewing machines.
GRASSROOTS STORIES
Agnes’ training services include tailoring,
workshop practices and tie-and-dye. She
proudly notes that graduates from her
institute are employed by other vocational
schools such as Goli Women’s Centre, Akab
VocationalCentre,ErusiVocationalCentre
and Packwach branch for God’s Grace
Vocational Training Institute (GOGVOTI)
which was opened in September 2011. In
addition, Agnes trained 40 youths under
NUSARTI in skills for income generation
and People with Disabilities under the
National Union for Disabled Persons in
Uganda(NUDIPU) in skills for income-
generation.
Shehasstructuredhertrainingin3-months
modules. Trainees are examined in both
theory and practical skills. She is happy
with the moral support from the Mayor
and the Resident District Commissioner.
In future, Agnes plans to include hair
dressing, entrepreneurship education
and decorations in the curriculum of her
school.
Agnes works with a team of seven
competent directors who help her in
managing the school and she employs
four people. She has a modern design
machine for the institute. Her institute is a
registered CBO with Nebbi District Local
Government. She has acquired land where
she plans to construct her own buildings.
She plans to register the institute as an
NGO to enable her operate in the whole
country. She hopes to mobilise resources
to enable her obtain transport means to
monitor her business efficiently and to
support young vulnerable girls and women
to study in her institute.
Despite her achievements, Agnes has
had her share of challenges. The institute
has 12 machines yet ideally each trainee
should have her own machine for training
purposes. Further still, the institute is
encumbered with constant load-shedding.
In addition, students do not pay school
fees in time which impacts negatively on
payments to instructors. The instructors
are paid less compared to the effort and
skills invested. There is also high dropout
rate due to financial constraints and other
related issues.
Agnes appeals to mothers and girls to be
innovative for self-reliance and decent
living. She encourages women to be job-
creators instead of job seekers. She believes
in teamwork for a better Uganda and
therefore appeals to Government and civil
society to support training in vocational
skills to curb unemployment.
Crescent Tirinawe is a Senior Gender
Officer and Everest Kyalimpa is a
Gerontologist. Both work with the
Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social
Development
A group of young people who have undertaken Acanda’s training
MGLSDphoto

GRASSROOTS STORIES
influence on Luwerekera village
community. Their group has been a
role model for other groups and this
has encouraged group formation and
knowledge sharing. The group has also
started a children’s rights advocacy
movement, supported by ANNPCAN
which has facilitated them to purchase
recreational items like drums, traditional
attire for staging performances and board
games to attract the youth to attend
trainings and workshops on children and
human rights.
The women of Bakyala Kwewayo attribute
their success to hard work, dedication,
perseverance and support from
Government. They encourage husbands
to support their wives in order to increase
household incomes.
They are also depending on Government to
providemorefundingthroughCommunity
Driven Development Programme projects
so that other groups and individuals can
have an opportunity to develop themselves
and the community. They have also
requested for exchange visits so that they
can learn and share experiences with other
self help groups.
Noel Komunda is a Monitoring and
Evaluation Officer in the Ministry of
Gender, Labour and Social Development
and Angela Asako is a contributor to this
Magazine.
SELF-HELP GROUP GETS
SUPPORT FROM CDD
By Noel Komunda and Angela Asako
Bakyala Kwewayo is a self-help group
in Luwerekera village, Kyanamukaaka
sub-county of Masaka District. It started
as a group of 12 women with support
of Kitovu Mobile, an organization that
fosters development.
These focused and self-driven women
drafted a Memorandum of Association
and a constitution and registered their
association at the district. They started
contributing shs.200 and later sh.500 on a
weekly basis. By 2011 they had saved one
million shillings.
The group got into contact with the
Community Driven Development
Programme that had dispatched funds to
help grassroot associations start up viable
small-scale businesses. The group made
a request to purchase a maize milling
machinetobringthisservicenearertotheir
community. Their request was approved
and the group received shs.3,500,000 to
buy the machine. The project took off and
the villagers no longer travel long costly
distances to mill their maize.
Bakyala Kwewayo has also bought a
“100x70” foot piece of land through selling
their extra produce. On this piece of land,
the women are making bricks to build a
structure for their maize mill. They have
also planted a nursery to nurture clonal
coffee seedlings which they sell to farmers.
Bakyala Kwewayo is a very organized
group with strong leadership. Their books
of accounts are up-to-date. They keep
their money with Kyanamukaaka Savings
and Credit Co-operative Society and the
Post Bank. With the advice from Kitovu
Mobile, each member has established a
small-scale business. Some brew alcohol,
weave baskets and mats, fry pancakes,
grow and sell cassava and sweet potatoes,
among others.
The general welfare of all the members
has improved greatly. Their families can
afford the necessary health care, education
and food. The group members usually get
invitations to workshops and trainings
organized by different development
organizations. Consequently, the members
have been empowered to participate in
the leadership of Local Councils, church
and school committees because of the
exposure, skills and confidence the group
has accorded them.
Their group has had its challenge. They
have been slowed down by high power
costs to run the maize mill. They have
also had to pay for training to improve
their book keeping skills. There are some
members of the group who face hindrances
from attending meetings because their
spouses are not supportive. Some are
burdened by too many demands and they
find it difficult to save shs 500 per week.
Bakyala Kwewayo has had a positive
Members of the Bakyala Kwewaayo Self-help group show off their grinding machine and nursery bed (right)
MGLSDphotos

the heifers bear female calves, they are
passed on to other beneficiaries while the
male ones are retained by the project and
later sold to buy more heifers for other
beneficiaries. Since inception, the scheme
has distributed over 200 heifers.
The third project titled; Hope for Widows
(HFW), promotes the social and legal
welfare of widows. The project is geared
towards eliminating discriminatory
practices and traditions against widows,
raise community awareness on widows’
rights and promote awareness and
enforcement of those rights. In 2011, WOP
conducted sensitization activities in 45
villages in Agule, Akisim, Chelekura and
Kameke sub-counties
Gender Based Violence (GBV) is another
area that is being addressed in Pallisa.
According to the legal officer for the
Women Centers Project of Action Aid
Pallisa, Lillian Abalo, sensitization on
issues of GBV is lopsided and has ignored
men who need to be brought on board to
enable them appreciate the value of the
woman in the home. The men view gender
as an issue of women and therefore their
response to GBV is passive.
Abalo explains that poverty and over
dependency of women on men are the
major causes of GBV in Pallisa. Though
the project has made concerted efforts
to reconcile the parties in conflict some
couples have still divorced or separated. “In
cases of separation, sharing of the property
acquired while in the matrimonial home
is a challenge as well as compensation
for damages incurred in the course of
By Francis Okiror
The Woman of Purpose (WOP)
community-based organization was
formed in 2004 to reach communities
in Paliisa that lacked resources and
opportunities. It equipped its members
with practical life and vocational skills
with the intention of making them self-
sustaining and independent. So far, WOP
has implemented three projects which
include; the widows housing scheme, a
cow scheme and a widow’s project.
The objective of the Widows Housing
Scheme is to improve living conditions of
widows most of whom previously lived in
dilapidated mud-and-wattle houses roofed
with grass. Most of these beneficiaries are
victims of HIV and AIDS and have several
orphans under their care.
According to the WOP Executive Director,
Mrs. Jane Opolot, the housing project
provides iron sheets for roofing and some
of the construction materials such as
bricks and cement as well as doors and
windows. Since the scheme was launched
in 2006 it has benefitted 410 widows and
their dependants.
The Cow Scheme is meant to raise house-
hold incomes, improve nutrition and
create self- sustainability among widows.
The scheme started with distribution of
heifers to twenty needy women within the
first nine months of its commencement.
Veterinary personnel were hired to train
and supervise the beneficiaries in the
management of the heifers.
The Project Manager revealed that when
COMMUNITY BASED
EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN
GRASSROOTS STORIES
violence,” Abalo adds.
The project has set up a matching grant
to support survivors of GBV to cope with
life after separation or divorce. So far
76 survivors, the majority of whom are
women, have benefitted from the grant.
The beneficiaries are given small grants
equivalent to their savings so that they
embark on implementation of income-
generating activities. The beneficiaries are
trained in identification and management
of the Income-generating activities.
Twenty million has been disbursed to two
groups of GBV survivors. The first group
received shs. 11 million while the second
received shs. 9 million.
One GBV survivor, Samali Nairuba, from
Kadesok village in Kamuge sub-county
said, “My husband enjoyed battering me
every evening after drinking and I was
forced to throw in the towel after several
counseling sessions, by both our families
and the Women’s Center Project, had failed
to bear any fruits. I am now a beneficiary
of the matching grant.”
(Co-authored with Brian Masimbi and
Joanita Akoyo. Masimbi is a Statician
in MGLSD, Akoyo is a contributor to
Uganda Woman Magazine)
FrancisOkiroristheDistrictInformation
Officer of Paliisa
Beneficiaries of the Cow Scheme receiving heifers
MGLSDphoto
Widows participating in the
construction of a permanent house for
a beneficiary of the Widows Housing
Scheme
MGLSDphoto

WOMAN OWNS 100 ACRES
BANANA PLANTATION
become suspicious, they stop supporting
their wives.
Kagombe joined other farming groups
like Kitooma Banana Grower’s Group.
She is also a member of Mbarara District
Farmers’ Association which currently has
about 7000 members. She is currently the
association’s treasurer. Her involvement
in Government and private sector
programmes has seen her achieve a lot
for herself as a mother and farmer. She
notes that she has been exposed to other
taking care of banana plantains so as to
get better yields. In addition, she identifies
markets and better prices for the nearby
farmers. She employs 30 women and men
on her banana farm.
Kagombe is not involved only in banana
farming. She also owns a herd of goats of
over 30 animals which provide manure to
the banana plantation as well as additional
income for the family. She also practices
fish farming in her 7 fish ponds. She sells
fish to other intending farmers.
Kagombe’s story poses a challenge to other
women and is an indicator that although
they do not possess land, they can still
work in partnership with their husbands
for a better life.
She points out that some of the hindrances
to women’s involvement in commercial
farming include; lack of support from
their husbands and over dependence on
men. She advises other women to take
on farming as business and count on its
immense benefits. “Farming is regarded
as a dirty job but it does not stop someone
from looking good,” notes Kagombe.
She advises men who are scared of women’s
empowerment to change the attitude
and appreciate the role women play in
the development of their families and
communities. She is also of the view that
it is important to engage men in women
empowerment initiatives because this is
when they will appreciate the contribution
women make and begin to change their
attitude.
For future prospects, She hopes to expand
her market to Eastern Uganda and
supply bananas to the processing plant in
Bushenyi once it is fully established.
(Co-authored with William Kayumbu,
DCDO Mbarara; Vincent Nuwagira,
CDO Nyakayojo Sub-county and Henry
Mushabe, CDO Kamukuzi Division,
Mbarara)
Noel Komunda is Monitoring and
Evaluation Officer in MGLSD, and Asalo
is a contributor to the Uganda Woman
Magazine
GRASSROOTS STORIES
Edrai Kagombe from Nyakayojo sub-
county in Mbarara District used to work as
asecretaryatNtareSchool.Sherealizedthis
was not enough to raise income to support
a family of 7 children. She ventured into
business but it collapsed since it required
balancing family responsibility and work.
“The business was also not sustainable
because of high costs of operating such a
business. All the profit went into rent” she
recalls.
Meanwhile, she used to see people selling
Matooke and earning more than she did.
She notes that she discussed with her
husband the idea of farming. The husband
was supportive and agreed to provide her
with part of the land which was formerly
used for cattle-grazing. She received one
acre from her father-in-law and after some
years, she bought more land and currently,
she owns 100 acres of banana plantation.
She points out that this was also possible
because she was open with her husband in
her business. She notes that when the wife
and husband do not plan together, they
cannot support each other. “Some women
are not open to their husbands about
what they earn and that raises suspicion,”
reveals Kagombe. She adds that when men
areas of the country through various
learning visits and workshops. Being a
member of various organizations has also
enabled her to get networks and market
her produce. This has enhanced her social
and leadership skills. She has also been to
many agricultural trade fairs in Jinja and
other parts of the country where some of
the groups in which she is a member have
won various agricultural awards.
She supplies food to Kamwokya Market in
Kampala and to Serena Hotel. She harvests
between 600-800 bunches of bananas per
harvest and sells them directly to markets
in Kampala.
She has been able to train other farmers
in the community about establishing and
Edrai Kagombe in her banana plantation
MGLSDphoto

GRASSROOTS STORIES
KAABONG DISTRICT ADVANCING
THE CAUSE OF WOMEN
By Kenneth Ayebazibwe and Innocent
Tushabe
Kaabong District Local Government is
eight years old. Over the last few years,
the district has expanded and developed
partnerships with local organizations
as well as development partners to
conduct programs focused on helping
women in the district. These partnerships
have provided support for programs,
such as microfinance, education, child
development and women empowerment.
Additionally, the district has helped
to develop grassroots organizations,
including women’s groups and networks, to
ensure that women are active participants
in the development planning process.
As in most districts in Karamoja region,
access to basic needs is a challenge for the
poor. For women, the impact of poverty
has even greater implications on their
economic and political participation.
In addition, socially-sustained cultural
attitudes increase gender-based
discrimination in terms of ownership of
production assets, work burden, resources
such as land and property, health and
educational opportunities, decision-
making, mobility, among others.
To enable the voice of women to be
heard, Kaabong District has associated
with grassroots community-based
organizations including; Dodoth Agro-
Pastoral Development Organisation
(DADO) and War Child Uganda. The
organisations are empowering women
through prevention of violence against
women and promoting women livelihood
activities in five sub-counties of the
district. In each sub-county, one women’s
group is supported with start-up capital.
The district has also organized several
peer learning initiatives, through exposure
visits where women learn about how other
community organisations are run. Women
have thus been able to raise issues of
concern to them in public fora and in turn,
this has increased women’s access to basic
services.
Furthermore, Kaabong District trains
grassroots women in leadership and
management skills to enable them run
community groups. In these arenas,
women can voice their issues, plan and
execute ideas to benefit their communities
as well as themselves. The district hosts
informal community discussions on the
issues faced by residents; such as land,
security, water and sanitation. Through
these activities, the community is now
armed with a strong knowledge-base with
which to negotiate with local authorities.
The district has also encouraged
women leadership. Ms. Ruth Atyang,
the Chairperson of St. Monica Skills
Development Centre epitomizes the
strength of grassroots women leaders, who
have evolved out of the centre’s work. Her
group received support from Northern
Uganda Rehabilitation and Empowerment
Programme (NUREP), to sensitise other
women in Abim, Kotido and Pader, to
encourage men to settle, have fewer
women and avoid cattle-rustling.
By collaborating with the district, groups,
organisations and Government at various
levels of development phases, women
leaders have developed their expertise
and knowledge for creating innovative
solutions to community problems.
Through heightened interaction with
leaders, these women groups have been
able to push for changes that benefit them.
Meanwhile, some challenges to women’s
advancement still persist. These include:
community attitudes towards women,
cattle-rustling and the ensuing instability
which in turn creates delays in decision-
making. Also, although legislation
calls for affirmative action and gender
representation, the number of women in
positions of authority is minimal.
(Co-authored with Baapom Konyang,
Acting DCDO Kaabong District)
Innocent Tushabe is a Programme
Officer under the UN Joint Programme
in MGLSD

PICTORIAL
Hon. Joyce Mpanga - Minister of State
Women in Development, President’s Office
1988 - 1989
1991 - 1995
Hon. Dr. Specioza Wandira Kazibwe – Minister
of Women in Development, Culture and Youth.
In 1994, she was also appointed
Vice President of Uganda
Hon. Byekwaso Lubega (RIP) - Minister of State,
Women in Development, President’s Office
1989-1990
1994-19961992-1994
Hon. Albina Opio - Minister of
State, Women in Development
Hon. Loyce Bwambale - Minister of
State, Women in Development
Hon. Janat Balunzi Mukwaya – Minister of
Gender and Community Development
1996-2001
Hon. Jane Frances Kuka - Minister
of State for Gender and Community
Development
Hon. Dr. Beatrice Wabudeya
Mukhaye – Minister of State for
Gender and Cultural Affairs
1998-1999
1999-20011997-1998
Hon. Vincent Nyanzi - Minister of
State for Gender and Cultural Affairs
Hon. Tomasi Kiryapawo Sisye -
Minister of State for Gender and
Cultural Affairs
1996-1997
PROGRESSION IN
THE POLITICAL
LEADERSHIP OF THE
NATIONAL MACHINERY
FOR WOMEN’S
ADVANCEMENT
1988 - 2013

PICTORIAL
2001-2006
2007-2009
2012 - To date
2006 - To date
Hon. Zoe Bakoko Bakoru – Minister of Gender,
Labour and Social Development
Hon. Sam Bitangaro – Minister of
State for Gender and Cultural Affairs
Hon. Rukia Nakadama Isanga –
Minister of State for Gender and
Cultural Affairs
Hon. Gabriel Opio - Minister
of Gender Labour and Social
Development
Hon. John Nasasira – Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development
Hon. Syda Namirembe Bbumba – Minister of
Gender, Labour and Social Development
2006-2007, 2009-2012
2001-2005

GRASSROOTS STORIES
(Co-authored with Ida Kigonya, Principal
Women in Development Officer in the
Ministry of Gender Labour and Social
Development).
Robert Mangusho is District Planner,
Kween District.
Sukut Women’s
Group Flourishes
By Robert Mangusho
Women in Kween District, like many
women in the rural areas of Uganda, are
constrained by social discrimination that
prevents them from owning land and
accessing credit, among others.
The land in Kween is mountainous and
women have to go uphill to look for
firewood to prepare food and to keep the
mud-and-wattle houses warm. However,
in a few of the homes, bio gas is generated
from cow dung and used for cooking and
lighting.
Cooking and lighting homes with these
fuels creates high levels of indoor smoke,
since most women use traditional open
fires and there is no chimney or adequate
ventilation. The smoke from indoor fires
exposes families to harmful levels of gases,
particles, and dangerous compounds, such
as carbon monoxide.
The majority of victims of exposure to
indoor pollution, are women and children.
For the low-income homes in Kween,
women often spend many hours a day near
a traditional open fire cooking meals. In
cold months, they may tend a fire for heat
for a large part of the night. The children
at home share the smoky environment and
exposure to toxic fumes and pollutants.
Consequently, many rural women,
particularly the elderly, suffer from
cataracts as a result of having subjected
their lives to smoke since childhood.
For these reasons, Sukut Women’s Farmers
Group (16 members) in Kabelyo Village,
Moyok, came up with different strategies
for home improvement. One of the
group members, whose son received post
graduate training in India, exposed the
rest to an improved stove with a ventilator
to let the smoke out. The built stove uses
a few pieces of wood or maize kobs to
prepare different meals. The group bought
the idea and now all the 16 families are
using improved stoves. Unfortunately, this
initiative has not completely eliminated
the smoke in their homes since they still
use firewood to warm their houses. The
stove cannot generate that warmth.
The group is also involved in income
generating activities, particularly small-
scale home-based businesses, compatible
with their household and care-taking
responsibilities.
In 2011, the Sukut Women Group received
shs. 2,500,000 from a grant of the National
Women Council to start a salon business.
The group bought a solar panel which
was mounted on the house of one of
the members. Now, the group provides
salon services to their community at an
affordable price of shs. 500 per hair cut. In
addition, the group has since introduced
mobile phone charging at shs. 500 per
phone.
The benefits accruing from the business
are varied. The group has helped improve
communication because of the mobile
phone charging services, it employs
a barber who receives a salary and
other benefits. Further still, the income
generated is used as a credit fund for the
group members. They lend to themselves
at friendly rate of 5% per month. They
use these funds to pay for the education
of their children, meet their family health
needs and to purchase fertilizers.
The group is also involved in passion fruit
growing. They were given free seeds and
technical information on how to manage
the crop for maximum yields. Despite
the achievements, the group has faced
some challenges including; theft of mobile
phones from the charging area, limited
training in financial management by the
group members and distant banking
services. The nearest bank is in Kapchorwa
and the roads are impassable during some
months of the year.
A woman prepares chapatis on
an improved stove.
MGLSDphotos
Members of the group stand
below their solar panel

Eunice Wekesa had always been interested
in knitting but had never dreamt of
becoming an entrepreneur. She narrates
that she learnt many things from her
mother and from the home management
classes. During her stay at the Teacher
Training College, she started making table
cloths for sale to colleagues.
Her breakthrough came when Eunice got
a teaching job in a school that needed
uniforms. “I continued doing knit work
as a passion,” she adds. She made uniform
sweaters and sold them to that school. With
the savings, she bought a sewing machine
and started knitting sweaters to supply to
other schools. With the expanding market,
she bought a bigger machine and started
making sweaters in larger quantities than
before.
She notes that although the school was
paying well, she resigned to concentrate on
her business. Before she resigned, she had
taught a child from Nepal and it is through
her relationship with this child that she
was able to visit India. While in India,
the Ugandan community requested her
to speak on their behalf. She had moved
with samples of her product and used the
opportunity to market her business. From
the discussions, she was introduced to a
better and bigger machine.
She acquired the machine in 2001 after
securing a loan from Gatsby Trust,
an organization that supports small
businesses.Eunice,whoisalsoamemberof
Uganda Small Scale Industries Association
(USSIA) notes that, “Being a member
of groups like Gatsby Trust, provided
unique opportunity for me to expand,”
she narrates. With her membership in
these organizations, she benefitted from
various trainings about business and
entrepreneurship.
Her successful venture into business did
not go without challenges. On a fateful
TURNING SKILLS
INTO BUSINESS
GRASSROOTS STORIES
day as she travelled to Kenya to buy yarn,
disaster struck when she got an accident
from which she did not recover until
after 6 years. Hope for recovery of the
business lay in the quality of products she
produced. “I started picking up from bits
and pieces while I still walked on crutches,”
she recalls. Another challenge came when
she got a stroke that took her back to the
wheel chair for another 2 years.
Shortcomings not withstanding, Eunice
thinks that all these years have been a
success for her. She managed to establish
her own nursery schools to which she
couldsupplyuniforms.ShestartedRubindi
Preparatory and Sheroner Kindergarten.
She has been able to educate her children,
four of whom are graduates. She attributes
her success to God and the good business
environment in the country.
She employs many youth, some of whom
are school drop-outs and single mothers.
She currently employs 6 people in the
knit workshop and 29 in schools. She has
partnered with a colleague in the running
of the schools. Her husband has been
supportive and he is one of the directors
in the school.
Eunice says that both women and men
have benefitted from her business. She
provides training to women at no cost
especially the school drop-outs and single
mothers. The reason for focusing on this
category of people is that women become
vulnerable when sudden changes come
and so they need to be prepared. Those
who have testified to this include a former
housemaid whom she trained and who
works in Gulu currently. The other is a
single mother who received training from
the institution and now provides outdoor
catering services in Ntungamo.
Eunice receives her inspiration from
personalities including the Speaker of
Parliament, Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, the
First Lady, Mrs. Janet Museveni and Dr.
Maggie Kigozi.
Eunice advises successful women to
mentor young ones and protect them from
running after riches instead of making
their own.
(Co-authored with William Kayumbu,
DCDO Mbarara; Vincent Nuwagira,
CDO Nyakayojo Sub-county and Henry
Mushabe, CDO Kamukuzi Division,
Mbarara)
Wekesa in her workshop
MGLSDphotos

Noel Komunda and Angela Asako
Sylvia Nakimera, is a simple farmer in
Kyanamukaaka sub-county, 14 kilometers
from Masaka town. She supports a family of
eight, most of whom are children under the
age of fifteen. She is one of the beneficiaries of
the National Agricultural Advisory Services
(NAADS) programme. The initiative gave
cows to individuals so that they could rear
them for subsistence.
Nakimera received an in-calf Friesian heifer
on 29th April 2009. Officials from NAADS
guided her on housing and zero-grazing
the heifer. When the heifer had just started
lactating, Nakimera and her family were able
to milk approximately six litres of milk twice
a day. However, lately, the cow gives only
three to four litres.
The milk has kept her children healthy and
also fetches the family an extra income. She
has also been able to pay school fees for her
children and provide them with the basic
school requirements.
Nakimera and her family use the dung to
fertilize their banana and coffee plantation.
This has saved her the expense of buying
manure which previously cost her up to shs.
70,000 whenever she bought it. Her banana
plantation is thriving. Moreover, the Friesian
cow has brought her high regard in the
community because any homestead that has
a Friesian cow is held in high regard.
Whentheheiferdeliveredthefirstandsecond
calves, unfortunately for Nakimera, one of
the calves became sickly and died. When she
sought the services of the local veterinarian,
it was discovered that the calf had swallowed
a huge polythene bag which had obstructed
its digestion process. Nakimera believes
somebody in the community maliciously
placed the material in the feeding troughs
of her animals. So far she has lost two
calves in this manner. She hopes that in
future, members of the community will be
supportive instead of engaging in sabotage.
Nakimera believes that the reason other
people have not been successful in a venture
like hers is because they are lax and unwilling
to put in the hard work involved in cleaning
and maintaining the kraal. They also need
to ensure that there is a substantial amount
of elephant grass in the feeding troughs and
practice routine vaccination. She encourages
others to be dedicated and persevere with
a project because a Friesian cow requires
careful maintenance.
Nakimera expresses gratitude towards
husbands and men in general who support
their wives and other women to undertake
ventures like hers because it gives them, much
joy to be able to contribute to sustaining their
families.
She cautions communities to beware of fake
people who claim to be from the Government
or non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
She tells of how widows in her community
were conned out of their money by a fake
organization claiming to be pooling funds
to enable them better their living conditions.
She observes that women who do not
have any income-generating activity are
vulnerable to these fake organizations.
Nakimera applauds the NAADS program
for enabling her to get out of poverty and
for enhancing her image in the community.
She recommends that followup on such
initiatives should be sustained.
(Co-authored with Hood Seremba, CAO
Masaka; Lilian Musisi, DCDO Masaka
District; and the CDO Kyanamukaaka)
NAADS REACHES OUT TO
GRASSROOTS WOMEN
GRASSROOTS STORIES
Nakimera showing off her zero grazing cow
MGLSDphotos

Connecting Grassroots Women to Development

Connecting Grassroots Women to Development

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