When Clovice Kyomuhendo noticed that people in his neighbourhood travelled long distances to buy chicken, he saw this as a business opportunity. He decided to start small, considering his small savings.

In 2025, Clovice started small by buying six birds to rear at home. By the time of this interview, his flock had grown to 27, and he was already making plans to expand his poultry business further.

Clovice applied and joined the WeWork – green and decent jobs for youth project after hearing about it from The Association of Rwenzori Community (RCA). RCA, is an organsition that works with Ille de Paix to implement this project in the Rwenzori region, alongside Enabel.

By the time Clovice joined the project, he had already begun his poultry business but recognized the need for additional skills to improve it. Through the training, he gained knowledge in poultry management, record keeping, and feed formulation techniques that help reduce production costs.

"The training took me to another level because of the knowledge I gained," he says.

Clovice is physically disabled and uses a wheelchair, but that has not stopped him from running his business. He works closely with family members who help with the physical tasks while he manages the enterprise.

"I did not want to feel sorry for myself because of my disability," he says. "I am a man and I must fend for myself. Where I cannot manage alone, I ask for help from my parents and relatives."

After completing Primary Seven, Clovice was unable to continue with formal education due to a spinal cord condition that left him paralysed. As he reflected on his future, his parents enrolled him in a tailoring course, which he embraced wholeheartedly. Today, he owns a special sewing machine designed for use without legs, enabling him to work independently and pursue his craft. Beyond his own work, Clovice also trains other young people in tailoring free of charge.

“I let them pay for my training services only after they start working and start earning income”,he explains.

As he makes money from tailoring, his poultry business is continuing to grow. He currently sells birds at between UGX 38,000 (€9) and UGX (€9.5) higher than before because they are healthier and better managed. He also keeps detailed business records and has written down a clear growth plan. By 2028, he hopes to have 500 birds.

He is also saving UGX 10,000 (€2) every week through a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA), while using income from tailoring to expand his poultry enterprise. By the time of this interview, Clovice had already requested 20 one-month-old chicks and 70 kilogrammes of feeds as his start up kit.

According to Lamark Muhindo, a project officer with RCA, every participant in the WeWork project who completes the bootcamp and begins mentoring sessions receives a start‑up kit tailored to their most immediate needs. The kit is provided in kind and is valued at no more than UGX 500,000 (€120). Clovice chose to rear dual‑purpose birds, which are well suited to his management system. “Because of the breed, they can safely spend some time scavenging outside for food, which helps reduce feeding costs,” Lamark explains.

For Clovice, the business is about much more than selling chickens. He says that It is proof that disability does not have to determine a person's future.