small income generating
Small income generating activities for women:
Women in underdeveloped
countries are the caretakers of the family, providing the cooking, cleaning,
and animal care for their family’s livelihoods. Rarely is there
time for women to improve their economic status through activities, yet women
find small amounts of income beneficial to their family. A lot of women
would like to be able to contribute to their families’ income and pay
for items such as school supplies.
As women tend to excel in artisan skills, they can commonly juggle making the crafts but are a disadvantage as to understanding how to market and sell them. Small business skills classes, as well as a location for these women to sell their crafts would be empowering and extremely advantageous. Tourism is a large industry and with the location of these villages, a small shop manned and run by these women entirely, could profit their families, communities, and themselves.
Current Status:
ECO helps support 2 women’s groups, one in the
village of Iruhurra and one in the village of Kanyawara, each with approximately
15 members. In 2005, ECO conducted 2 training programs for the women’s
groups. One training session taught the women how to dye the grasses
they use to make baskets using natural materials they could grow locally.
The second training taught them how to tie-dye fabrics used for wear. In
2006 the women were trained in more advanced techniques to enhance the quality
of their baskets.
In addition, ECO initiated its train the trainer approach. One representative from the local village went to the capital city learning enhanced techniques for creating quality recycled beads for jewelry making. That representative then taught the rest of the group members the skills she learned. In order to provide a venue to market the women’s crafts, ECO also helps support the opening of a small, local tourist shop in the village of Kanyawara. Seminars to develop small business skills are planned to educate the women on the financial and business aspects, so that the women have the skills to effectively manage that shop.
Small income generating activities for youth:
Uganda youth
are typically highly motivated and eager to find ways to earn to extra money
to continue their education and extend their learning beyond the school environment.
Children are enthusiastic to learn in non-traditional settings and with
the opportunity for them to earn money to fund these trips they would be
able to visit areas outside their township. Children know a variety
of beneficial trades that with a little bit of training and funds, they
could capitalize on.
Small animal husbandry is a commonly understood activity in Uganda, yet most children are unable to start up a project. By forming small groups of youth who are interested in raising animals, responsibility and ownership can be instilled in these children. The money earned would go to pay for school supplies as well as for activities that can give these children an opportunity to learn outside their communities through local field trips to tree nurseries and national parks.
Current
status:
With assistance from ECO, the youth groups currently
own and raise three goats. These animals are being raised and bred
to help support local activities the youth groups would like to participate
in. ECO also supported the training of recycled bead making for jewelry
for the youth groups by having one of our women’s group members train
the youth group members.