The work done by our country offices in East Africa is fundamental to the success of DSW. Without it we would not be the organization we are today. Through this blog we will periodically bring you success stories and interesting dispatches from the work being done with youth groups and other partners.
DSW changing lives through supporting Income generating initiatives for young people
Nasabu Nalule is a 20 year old Senior Four school dropout from Busabala. She had lost hope and was very miserable.
“My life was not good. When I sat for senior four, I didn’t have enough money to go for further studies. I decided that I should do a course in tailoring; however, everywhere I went they were expensive. They were all demanding for between 400,000 shs and 500,000 shs as tuition fee, which I didn’t have,” Nalule said.
However, thanks to DSW-Uganda and the recommendation of a friend to join Muvubuka Youth Club, all this has changed. “My friend recommended me to MUVUBUKA which is quite cheap and there are so many things to learn besides tailoring. I paid 10,000 shs for membership and annual 5,000 for subscription. However this has since been increased to 10,000 shs membership and 10,000 shs for subscription. This money is used to pay for materials that we use,” Nalule says.
Nalule joined the club in April 2013 where she learnt how to make crafts/shoes, beads, necklaces and tailoring/making clothes. Nalule is now learning how to knit a gomesi (African traditional tunic) and designing Bitenge (African traditional tunic). The club sells crafts, necklaces and beads that they make to earn some income for themselves. Nalule however notes, that they haven’t got a stable market for the items they make, but she is hopeful that in future, it will be there.
Despite that one challenge, Nalule is still happy for being part of the club because of so many added benefits.
“I got to know more information on sexual and reproductive health which is an added advantage for me because it helps me protect myself and others around me”
Adding that it has helped her to meet new friends and she is more confident: “Besides we counsel each other while at the same time working which is quite fun.”
Some of the Nabweru Youth Club Members who do tailoring
Jjemba David
For Jjemba David a resident of Nasana, he also concurs with Nalule of the impact the Youth to Youth project has had on him.
“Before this project, I was blind about writing a business plan. I and other youth were then trained on how to write an excellent business plan. I have since used that knowledge to write my own business plan which I submitted to a financial institution for startup capital for a stationery business.”
Jjemba notes that he is yet to receive feedback from the institution but is hopeful it will go through. Besides he has mobilized some capital all by himself already and that what he gets will just be a top up.
Want to know more about DSW’s pioneering Youth-to-Youth project? Check out our website for more information on how these youth groups are improving the lives of young men and women every day in East Africa.
