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Building a poultry farm one flock at a time in Uganda
Jovia KAVULU | 30/06/2026
When Yuster Katusabe started keeping poultry, she noticed there were very few poultry farmers in her community. She saw an opportunity. “I realised there was a ready market because very few people were doing this business,” she says. Her location also works in her favour, as she supplies customers from a nearby trading centre and from Kichwamba Technical College, where demand for chicken remains high. Yuster already had 200 birds when she joined the WeWork – Green and Decent Jobs for Youth project. The project is implemented by Enabel in partnership with Ile de Paix and The Association of Rwenzori Community (RCA), with funding from the European Union and the Government of Belgium. Through the programme, she attended a five‑day residential bootcamp where she learnt business planning, marketing, and proper record keeping. “I was keeping records before, but I was not doing it properly,” she admits. She now has a written business plan and a clear target: by 2027, she wants to increase her flock to 700 birds. The project awarded her a UGX 1million (€239) micro‑grant, which she used to buy 100 more chicks and feeds. The micro‑grant is given after Ile de Paix carries out assessments during mentorship sessions to identify youth with strong potential to grow their businesses, with the evaluation and selection conducted by an independent firm to ensure transparency. Yuster also received 100 day‑old chicks as her start‑up kit. Today, she keeps 300 birds. Like many poultry farmers, one of her biggest challenges is the cost of feeds. To reduce expenses, she adopted hydroponic fodder, learnt how to prepare poultry feeds herself, and now uses herbal treatments whenever her birds fall sick. She says these practices have helped reduce production costs considerably. Her business is entirely family‑run. She has no employees, but her six children help with daily work while she manages the enterprise. Besides poultry, Yuster also grows bananas, sells tree seedlings, and keeps goats. She has been saving with a SACCO since 2023, setting aside a percentage of every sale she makes. “My plan is to keep saving and continue increasing my stock,” she says. She first learnt about the WeWork project through a WhatsApp flyer shared on social media. After applying and being selected, she found the residential bootcamp an opportunity to learn from other entrepreneurs. Many of those young entrepreneurs remain connected through a WhatsApp group where they continue sharing ideas, markets, and experiences. Project extension workers regularly visit her farm to monitor progress and offer technical guidance. Lamark Muhindo explains that hydroponic fodder has become one of the technologies helping poultry farmers lower feeding costs because the birds consume both the germinated seeds and the green shoots. Yuster believes the knowledge she has gained, together with careful saving and reinvestment, will help her achieve her goal of building one of the largest poultry enterprises in her community.
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Turning UGX 100,000 into a growing poultry enterprise in Uganda
Jovia KAVULU | 30/06/2026
When Ritah Asaba became a caretaker for a family home, she noticed an unused poultry structure on the property. Before her employers travelled abroad, she asked whether she could use it to start a poultry business, and they agreed. At the time, she only had UGX 100,000 (€24), far too little to begin. A friend whose wife had participated in the WeWork – green and decent jobs for youth project introduced her to the programme. The project is implemented by Enabel in partnership with Ile de Paix and The Association of Rwenzori Community (RCA), with funding from the European Union and the Government of Belgium. Ritah attended the residential bootcamp, where she learnt poultry management, brooder preparation, and how to treat birds using herbs such as garlic, ginger, and aloe vera. She also learnt that outstanding participants could qualify for a UGX 1 million (€239), micro‑grant. “I decided I would put everything I had learnt into practice,” she says. The project provided her with 50 kilogrammes of concentrate and 50 kilogrammes of pre‑starter feed as her preferred start‑up kit. To buy chicks, Ritah borrowed UGX 300,000(€72) and combined it with her own UGX 100,000, enabling her to purchase 100 chicks. When she sold her first flock to Nyaika Hotel, she earned a profit of UGX 500,000. The hotel has continued buying from her, although at the time of the interview she was still waiting to receive payment for one delivery. Ritah has since expanded her business to 300 birds. She also received the UGX 1 million (€239), micro‑grant awarded after Ile de Paix carried out assessments during mentorship sessions to identify youth with strong potential to grow their businesses. The evaluation and selection were conducted by an independent firm to ensure transparency. Riita invested the grant in more feeds and additional stock, further strengthening her enterprise. Following the project’s advice on diversification, she used part of her poultry profits to buy a pig, which has since produced 12 piglets. “I have really benefited. I can even teach other young people how to rear poultry because it has helped me so much,” she says. Riita combines poultry farming with her responsibilities as caretaker for her employers’ home and children. She is also an energetic marketer. “I can carry four birds in my hands and walk around the neighbourhood looking for customers. By the time I come back, I have sold them.” She also advertises her birds through the WhatsApp group formed by entrepreneurs who attended the WeWork bootcamp together. Although fluctuating market prices remain a challenge, Riita continues looking for new customers and investing in her business. “I know I am a hardworking woman,” she says. Her next plan is to expand both her poultry and pig enterprises, using each one to strengthen the other as her business continues to grow.
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Patience cuts operational costs through natural feeds at her poultry farm in Uganda
Jovia KAVULU | 30/06/2026
When Patience Nasande started her poultry business in 2024, she relied heavily on commercial feeds and medicines to keep her birds healthy. The costs were high, making it difficult for her business to grow. By the time she applied and joined the WeWork-green and decent jobs for youth project in December 2025, she already had a poultry house and had begun keeping chickens, but she felt there was still a lot to learn. She attended the project’s five‑day residential bootcamp after hearing about it from a neighbour. “I accompanied my neighbour to collect her start‑up kit and that is when I learnt about the project. I decided to apply because I also wanted to improve my business,” she says. The WeWork project is implemented by Enabel in partnership with Ile de Paix and The Association of Rwenzori Community (RCA), with funding from the European Union and the Government of Belgium. One of the biggest lessons Patience took from the bootcamp was how to reduce production costs. Instead of relying only on commercial medicines, she now treats her birds using medicinal herbs that she grows herself. “I used to spend a lot of money on medicines. Now I use herbs and they work very well,” she explains. During follow‑up visits, extension workers from RCA learnt that feeds had become another major challenge. They introduced her to hydroponic fodder, Azolla, and maggot production, all of which have helped reduce feeding costs. Lamark Muhindo, a project officer, explains that Azolla is rich in protein and grows quickly on water. “A handful of Azolla placed in a pond, and it multiplies within a week. It can be fed to poultry, goats, cows and even fish,” he says. Today, Patience harvests Azolla every three days from a small pond on her father’s land and feeds it directly to her birds. She has also started producing maggots, which she mixes with poultry feeds to improve their nutritional value. She believes the changes are already showing results. “Before, my birds used to lay white eggs. Now they lay eggs with yellow yolks because of the nutritious feeds,” she says. Patience currently has 32 birds, having sold part of her original flock to buy more feeds when supplies became scarce. She plans to restock soon and hopes to become one of the leading poultry farmers in her community. “I want to be among the best poultry producers in my area,” she says. The training also introduced her to record keeping and business planning, skills she now applies in managing her poultry enterprise. Although she is not yet a member of a Village Savings and Loan Association, joining one is among her next priorities. If she receives the project’s UGX 1 million micro‑grant (€239), she plans to buy 100 chicks and more feeds to expand her business further. The micro‑grant is awarded after Ile de Paix carries out assessments during mentorship sessions to identify youth with strong potential to grow their businesses, with the evaluation and selection conducted by an independent firm to ensure transparency. Alongside poultry, Patience grows eggplants, helping her earn additional income while building the poultry enterprise she hopes will continue growing in the years ahead.
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Changing direction to build a bigger poultry business in Uganda
Jovia KAVULU | 30/06/2026
William George Amanyire had already started a poultry business before joining the WeWork – green and decent jobs for youth project. At the time, he was rearing 100 layers, but the business was proving difficult. “The layers were eating a lot, but after four months they had produced very few eggs,” he recalls. When a friend shared information about the project, William applied and was selected. The WeWork project is implemented by Enabel in partnership with Ile de Paix and The Association of Rwenzori Community (RCA), with funding from the European Union and the Government of Belgium. Before attending the bootcamp, project staff visited his farm to understand his business and prepare him for training. According to Lamark Muhindo, a project officer from RCA, these visits help staff assess where each entrepreneur is starting from before the training begins. During the five‑day residential bootcamp and the practical sessions that followed, William learnt more about poultry production and was introduced to broilers. “The training was very interactive. After learning about broilers, I realised they bring returns much faster than layers,” he says. Motivated by this new knowledge, he decided to change direction completely. William sold all his layers and used the money to buy 100 broiler chicks, adding another 100 chicks that he received as a start‑up kit through the project. His enterprise grew further when he received a UGX 1 million micro‑grant (€239). The grant was awarded after Ile de Paix carried out assessments during mentorship sessions to identify youth with strong potential to expand their businesses, with the evaluation and selection process conducted by an independent firm to ensure fairness. William invested the grant in 200 Rainbow Roosters, a fast‑growing breed with strong market demand, which gave his business a major boost. Today, he keeps about 450 birds and has already placed an order for another 500 chicks. “The layers gave me a starting point, but broilers have helped me grow,” he explains. One of the biggest challenges he continues to face is the high cost of feeds. To address this, Lamark introduced him to Azolla and hydroponic fodder, technologies he has started testing on his farm to reduce production costs. Azolla is a genus of tiny, fast-growing aquatic ferns, which float on the surface of freshwater and is highly prized in sustainable agriculture as a nutrient-rich livestock feed. On the other hand, Hydroponic fodder is fresh, sprouted cereal grain (like barley, maize, or oats) grown without soil using only water and trace nutrients. With these innovations, William is steadily building a more sustainable and profitable poultry business. William has also built a strong customer network.He supplies restaurants, receives walk-in customers and regularly markets his birds door to door. He also exchanges customers with fellow poultry farmers he met through the bootcamp. “If one farmer runs out of stock, they refer buyers to another", he says. The training also improved the way he manages his business. "Before, I was writing some records, but not in a systematic way. "Today, he uses a laptop to keep detailed records of income, expenditure, bird weights and even mortality. "When birds die, I record the cause so that I can avoid the same problem in future." William also saves UGX 30,000 (€7) every week through a savings group and hopes to access youth financing from Centenary Bank to improve his poultry structures. A graduate of Industrial Art and Design, he chose poultry farming instead of pursuing his profession. Looking around his growing farm, he says he has no regrets!
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Better planning is helping a family poultry business grow in Uganda
Jovia KAVULU | 30/06/2026
When Margret Kabajungu joined the WeWork – green and decent jobs for youth project, she was already rearing poultry with her husband, John Assimwe, at their home in Bunyangabu District in Western Uganda. The couple had started the business two years earlier and had 35 birds when Margaret was recruited. Margret had almost missed being part of the project. This is because although she had applied during the initial recruitment, she had not been successful. However, after some participants dropped out, she was invited to take their place. Although she missed the five‑day residential bootcamp, RCA field officer Lamark Muhindo ensured she received the training she needed, during the regular field visits to her home. “When we recruited her, I took her through some of the topics that had been covered during the bootcamp so that she could catch up," says Lamark. "Since then, I have continued visiting them to ensure they stay on track." Today, the couple keeps 50 dual‑purpose birds. At one point, they had increased their stock to 80 but later sold some after realizing their poultry house had become small. The proceeds enabled them to fence the compound and build a stronger structure for their birds and their cow, making the entire farm safer and better organized. As part of the project, Margaret received 23 birds and 50 kilogrammes of poultry feeds as a start-up kit. Those birds are still part of the stock today. Lamark says that the project also introduced the family to improved breeds such as Sasso and Kenbro, which are more productive while retaining the characteristics of local chickens. These breeds are bred to be harder and more disease-resistant than standard commercial broilers, while growing faster and laying more eggs than indigenous chickens. The couple now buys one-month-old chicks, raises them for another two to three months and sells them for meat at a minimum of UGX 30,000(€7) per bird. Their current stock alone is worth about UGX 1.5 million (€359). The training also encouraged the family to diversify. Besides poultry, they rear goats and cattle, use manure from the animals to improve their crop gardens and have adopted hydroponic fodder to reduce feeding costs. "We encourage farmers to have poultry, crops, cows and goats because each activity complements the other," Lamark explains. Another important lesson was record keeping. "Before, we kept everything in our minds," says John. "We would sell birds and later fail to remember how many we had sold or how much money we had received. Now we write everything down and it helps us know whether we are making progress." The couple also joined a Village Savings and Loan Association after being encouraged during their mentorship sessions. Every week, Margret saves about UGX 45,000(€11), and they have already used loans from the group to buy poultry feeds. Their goal now is to begin brooding 300 day‑old chicks, a move they believe will further increase their profits. Alongside their small grocery shop and other farm enterprises, poultry has become one of the businesses enabling them to provide for their five children with greater stability and confidence. They are grateful to the project for how far they have come in their business. The WeWork project is implemented by Enabel in partnership with Ile de Paix and The Association of Rwenzori Community (RCA), with funding from the European Union and the Government of Belgium.
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Janet’s apiary in Uganda grows from 5 bee hives to 57
Jovia KAVULU | 30/06/2026
When Mbambu Janet and her husband Pedson Matte started beekeeping in 2022, they had only five local hives placed in the bush. They decided to venture into apiary after receiving guidance on green businesses that require less capital, less labour, and are environmentally friendly. Their first harvest was small, but it gave them confidence. They sold 20 kilograms of honey to Bunyangabu Beekeepers’ Cooperative (BBC) and used the proceeds to improve their hives. Later, they got an opportunity to train at BBC for six months, learning modern hive making, honey harvesting, and apiary management. By the time Janet joined the WeWork – Green and Decent Jobs for Youth project, implemented by Enabel in partnership with Ile de Paix and The Association of Rwenzori Community (RCA), with funding from the European Union and the Government of Belgium, they had 14 hives. After attending a five‑day bootcamp in Fort Portal, they learnt about marketing, business planning, and record keeping, skills that they have since implemented in their operations. Project field officers also made follow‑up visits to check on their progress, while Ile de Paix carried out assessments during mentorship sessions to identify youth with strong potential to grow their businesses. Those selected received micro‑grants, with the evaluation and selection process conducted by an independent firm to ensure transparency. Fortunately for Janet, she was among the 22 project participants who received a UGX 1,000,000 (€239) micro-grant. In addition, she received six local hives and an airtight honey bucket as a start-up kit. With the mmicro-grant, the family bought 20 modernized bamboo hives and 10 Kenya Top Bar (KTB) hives These are semi-modern beehives, with a simple trough-like design with a row of wooden bars along the top where bees build their honeycombs naturally. Today, the couple has 57 hives spread across three apiaries, and their target is 100 hives by the end of 2026. “We want to keep growing and even establish another apiary in Kasese,” Janet says. They now sell honey to BBC and Bulalo Foundation. By selling through a youth group, they earn UGX 12,000(€3) per kilogram instead of the lower individual price of UGX10,000 (€2) per kilogram. Janet says that beekeeping has become an important source of income for their household, complementing their coffee farming. With the earnings from both activities, she and her husband are able to provide comfortably for their five children and plan for a more secure future. “Bee keeping is seasonal, so we also grow coffee. The training taught us the importance of diversification,” she says. They continue saving through a village savings group and are preparing for future expansion as their apiary business grows.
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How Mumbere Misaheri turned a small stall into a growing poultry business
Jovia KAVULU | 30/06/2026
Before joining the WeWork project, Mumbere Misaheri was earning a living by selling eggs, chapatis, bread and offering catering services for Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the neighbourhood. Although he had always wanted to rear poultry, he never knew how or where to begin. “From when I was young, I always thought I would rear poultry, but I did not know how to start,” he says. When he heard about the WeWork – green and decent jobs for youth project through friends, he applied and was selected. Implemented by Enabel in partnership with Ile de Paix and The Association of Rwenzori Community (RCA), with funding from the European Union and the Government of Belgium, the project gave him the opportunity to attend a five‑day bootcamp in Fort Portal, where he learnt business planning, time management, and diversification. “The bootcamp motivated me to start because I saw that poultry could become a profitable business,” he says.Using money from his small business, he started with 100 birds and later shifted from broilers to kroilers, which grow quickly and have strong market demand. Today, his poultry enterprise operates alongside a small restaurant where he sells roasted chicken, eggs, and other foods. Through the project, he received 32 trays of eggs as a start‑up kit and later a UGX 1,000,000 micro‑grant (€239), which he used to buy 300 birds. Ile de Paix carries out an assessment of youth after the bootcamp while they are undergoing mentorship sessions, and those identified as having strong potential to grow their businesses are selected to receive the micro‑grant. The assessment, evaluation, and selection are conducted by an independent firm to ensure fairness and transparency. He now runs the business in cycles, selling birds and restocking regularly. “I sell, buy more birds, and sell again,” he explains. At his peak, he managed 500 birds and currently keeps about 220. “Right now I can earn about UGX 750,000 (€179) or more per month. My goal is to reach 1,000 birds and earn about UGX 1.5 million (€359) per month,” he says. With part of his earnings, he has already purchased land where he hopes to build a larger poultry enterprise in the future.
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Eva turns struggles into success through beekeeping in Uganda
Jovia KAVULU | 30/06/2026
Evas Natukunda has been a beekeeper since 2022. After completing training as a medical assistant, she spent six years at home without work. This is because the number of graduates far exceeded the available opportunities. Eventually, she decided to embrace beekeeping as a new path. “I failed to get a job as a medical assistant because the graduates were very many compared to the available jobs”, She said.Her turning point came when a friend invited her to join a beekeeping association. She was given three bee hives and later introduced to Bunyangabu Beekeepers’ Cooperative (BBC), where she trained in apiary. “I learnt how to keep bees and how to make hives. I do not fear bees anymore,” she says. As she continued learning, Evas heard about the WeWork – Green and Decent Jobs for Youth project, implemented by Ile de Paix and Enabel with funding from the European Union and the Government of Belgium. She applied, was selected, and went on to attend a one‑week bootcamp. Before the bootcamp, Evas had 25 bee hives, with a dream of owing 100 hives within a year. Evas managed 25 beehives and dreamed of expanding to 100 within a year. By the time of this interview, she had already reached 92 hives, 66 of which were colonized. She makes local hives from bamboo and has also built Kenya Top Bar (KTB) hives. These are semi-modern bee hives designed to bridge the gap between primitive, traditional hives and expensive, fully framed industrial boxes. After completing the bootcamp, which every project participant undertakes, Evas added 35 more KTB hives to her enterprise. “I became more motivated after the bootcamp because I learnt about diversification, investment, marketing and how to sell honey to different buyers,” she says. Her business has also grown beyond one customer. She now sells honey to both BBC and Bulalo Foundation, a market connection she accessed through the project. In addition, she keeps records of her sales and plans to continue expanding. She currently has three apiaries: one on her father’s land and two on her own land in Karugutu, along the Fort Portal-Bundibugyo road in Western Uganda. She expects her next harvest season to bring better earnings and hopes to eventually buy more land through the income from beekeeping.
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Growing a poultry business in Uganda with a clear vision
Jovia KAVULU | 30/06/2026
Joylene Biira, 27 was a small holder farmer with 15 birds, which she used to keep in a small shelter. It was a modest business that helped her earn an income to provide for her family. Today, she has expanded her flock to 100 birds, which she has moved into a bigger poultry house. To grow her business, Joylene accessed a loan of UGX 200,000 (about €49) from a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) group that she belongs to. She combined it with UGX 450,000 (about €110) from the sale of her initial 15 birds and used the money to buy 100 chicks, feeds and vaccines. By June 2026, she had already started repaying the loan. She keeps dual purpose birds for both meat and egg production and plans to move them into an even bigger shelter as they continue to grow. By the time of this interview, Joylene was undergoing mentorship from Ille de Paix after having completed a residential bootcamp under the WeWork-green and decent jobs for youth project. RCA is a partner organization working with Ile de Paix implements this project in the Rwenzori region, alongside The Association of Rwenzori Community (RCA) and Enabel. "One thing that stood out for me during the bootcamp was that I needed a business plan with a goal and a vision for my business," she says. Today, that vision is clearly displayed on a vision board hanging inside her poultry house. The plan serves as a reminder to her of where she wants her business to be in the next three years. Her target is to grow her flock to 500 birds. In addition to equipping her with skills to develop a business plan, the training also gave her practical knowledge on poultry management. "I learnt that one-day-old chicks need preparation before you bring them home. The room must be warm and ready, with drinkers, glucose and warm water." Joylene says the idea of expanding her poultry business started during the bootcamp in December 2025. When the mentorship sessions began, she took the next step by borrowing money through her VSLA and investing in more birds. The mentorship includes regular visits from extension workers who monitor her progress and provide technical guidance. "They come to check on my birds and advise me whenever I face challenges," she says. Among the challenges she has encountered are rats that eat poultry feeds and eagles that attempt to enter the poultry house, increasing the risk of disease. The guidance she receives from the extension workers has helped her respond to such challenges. Joylene's first customers were a nearby hotel that bought her initial 15 birds. She hopes to continue supplying the hotel as her business grows and is optimistic that the mentorship will also help her access more markets. "Rearing chicken is easy as long as you have shelter and feeds for the birds. It is a profitable business with a ready market," she says. Although she dreamed of becoming an accountant, Joylene could not continue beyond Senior Six because of a lack of school fees. However, the bootcamp introduced her to record keeping, a skill she now uses to monitor her business income and expenses. Her immediate plan is to sell 50 birds while keeping the other 50 to continue growing the business. She expects each mature bird to sell for between UGX 40,000 (€ 9.5) and UGX 50,000 (€12), allowing her to build enough capital to steadily increase her flock until she reaches her target of 500 birds. A mother of two, Joylene also grows cowpeas and onions and keeps pigs. These combined activities provide the steady income she needs to care for her children and build a brighter future for her family.
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Clovice refuses to let disability define his future in Uganda
Jovia KAVULU | 30/06/2026
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.
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Once a bar owner, now a promising poultry business owner in Uganda
Jovia KAVULU | 30/06/2026
Donam Kobugabe used to earn a living by running a small bar a few metres from her mother's home. As a single mother of three, it helped her survive, but she always struggled to make ends meet. "I wasn't even sure whether I was making profits," she recalls. Everything changed when she heard about the WeWork – green and decent jobs for youth project and decided to apply. When she was invited to attend the residential bootcamp, she almost declined. She wondered who would run her bar while she was away. Her mother convinced her to go, promising to look after the business and Donam's two older children. Donam attended the training with her baby, while her mother remained at home. "The bootcamp was inclusive. They allowed mothers with babies to attend together with a caregiver," she says. During the training, Donam listened to fellow entrepreneurs share how they had built successful poultry businesses from just a few birds. Their stories made her look differently at the empty poultry shelter her late grandmother had left behind. "I thought to myself, if they started with five birds and are doing well, why can't I?" After returning home, she discussed the idea with her mother, who encouraged her to give it a try. She also sought advice from her aunt, who was already a poultry farmer, and even spent time at her farm learning how to brood chicks. Confident that she had gained enough knowledge, Donam made a bold decision. She sold her bar for UGX 1 million (€239) and borrowed UGX 1.5 million (€356) from her Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA). Together, the money enabled her to buy 150 day-old chicks. "It was my first time rearing chickens and I was anxious. I kept checking on them because I had been told that if I didn't manage them well, they could die." The effort paid off. Although she lost five birds, she sold the remaining 145 birds and made a profit of about UGX 290,000 (€69) in just one and a half months. "I realised this business was much better than the bar. I used the profit to pay school fees for my children." She immediately restocked another 150 birds and later increased her flock to 300 birds after receiving a UGX 1 million micro-grant (€239) through the project. Her journey has not been without setbacks. Disease later affected one flock after she unknowingly bought sick chicks from a supplier. Out of 300 birds, only 70 survived. Despite the loss, Donam has not given up. "I love this business very much and I have no plans of quitting. It brings in money quickly." She has already placed another order for chicks but is waiting until the poultry house has been fully disinfected before bringing in a new flock. The project also introduced her to record keeping and business planning. "Before the training, I would get money and spend it carelessly on things like hairstyles and clothes. I never thought about planning. The training changed my mindset." Her business plan was later selected among the best, earning her the micro-grant that helped her expand. Today, Donam sells birds to roadside chicken sellers and keeps in touch through WhatsApp with regular customers who contact her whenever they need stock. She now saves half of her profits while using the other half to meet household needs. "I thought I would never leave the bar business," she says. "But now I don't miss it at all."
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Newly trained sonographers bring lifesaving health services closer to Ugandan mothers
Dorothy KYAMAZIMA | 04/06/2026
For many pregnant women in Uganda, accessing an ultrasound scan has long meant travelling long distances, paying expensive private clinic fees or missing the service altogether. In Busoga and Rwenzori regions, a 2024 rapid assessment by the WeCare-saving mothers’ lives project found that no Health Centre IV had the complete combination of trained personnel, ultrasound equipment and supplies required to independently provide these services. As a result, many mothers were referred to private clinics where a single scan could cost between UGX 100,000 and 200,000 (22 – 45 €), an unaffordable expense for many families. As a result, there is delayed detection of pregnancy complications, late referrals and preventable maternal and newborn deaths. To address this gap, the WeCare project implemented by Enabel in partnership with the Ministry of Health sponsored 12 frontline health workers from Busoga and Rwenzori to undertake a one-year Diploma in Diagnostic Ultrasound at Ernest Cook University, Mengo. In May 2026, ten of those health workers graduated as qualified sonographers, returning to strengthen maternal healthcare services in public facilities across the two regions. The impact is already visible. Between January and May 2026, the newly trained sonographers conducted ultrasound scans to over 10,300 mothers across 14 health facilities in Busoga and Rwenzori. Only 41 mothers required referrals to private facilities, meaning most services were successfully delivered on-site. This is enabling mothers to access scans closer to home, often on the same day they visit the health facility. It is also reducing financial pressure on families by providing services free of charge in public facilities. Beyond obstetric scans, several sonographers have expanded services to include gynaecological, abdominal and small-parts scans, increasing access to diagnostic healthcare for surrounding communities. Ultrasound services play a critical role in maternal healthcare. They help confirm pregnancy viability, monitor foetal growth, detect multiple pregnancies and identify complications such as ectopic pregnancies, obstructed labour and abnormal foetal presentation early enough for timely health care. Despite their importance, access to ultrasound services remains limited in many parts of the country. According to Dr. Richard Mugahi, Commissioner for Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health at the Ministry of Health, expanding access to diagnostic imaging is critical to improving maternal health outcomes. “As a country right now, only 28% of women can access obstetric ultrasound scans, which is appalling. We are trying to bridge this gap, because high-risk operational response cannot be effective without access to the obstetric ultrasound services,” said Dr. Mugahi. In Uganda, where maternal mortality remains at 189 deaths per 100,000 live births, strengthening access to diagnostic services is essential to improving survival outcomes for mothers and babies. The WeCare project continues to work with health facilities through equipment provision, mentorship and stronger local government ownership to ensure these services remain sustainable within Uganda’s public health system. For Enabel, training sonographers is only one part of a broader effort to strengthen maternal and newborn healthcare systems and improve the quality of services available to communities. "Today's milestone does not stand alone. It is part of a health system being strengthened on multiple fronts, which is the only way to achieve lasting improvements in maternal and newborn health," said Nicolas Oebel, Country Director of Enabel in Uganda. The graduation of these sonographers marks an important step toward safer pregnancies, stronger health systems and healthier communities across Uganda.
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Seeing impact first-Hand: Inside the EU visit to Busoga
Dorothy KYAMAZIMA | 30/03/2026
From March 11–13, a delegation from the European Union joined Enabel on a field mission to Busoga to see, first-hand, how development programmes are making a difference in communities. Across Jinja and Bugiri, the visit brought together different strands of Enabel’s work in education, health, skilling, and human rights, each offering a glimpse into how people are being supported to build better futures. Empowering Young People Through Education At Busede Secondary School, the delegation saw how education is becoming more practical and relevant. Teachers demonstrated more interactive, learner-centred approaches that are improving the quality of teaching. Beyond the classroom, students confidently shared practical skills gained from life skills training; preparing them for life after school. In Busede alone, over 300 students have benefited from life skills training, contributing to more than 10,000 learners reached across Uganda. Through the WeLearn/WeTeach project, 1,000 fellowships have also been provided to learners at risk of dropping out due to financial challenges. So far, 493 of these students have successfully completed Senior Four. Reducing Maternal Deaths, One Step at a Time At Mpumudde Health Centre IV in Jinja, one of the facilities supported under the WeCare project, the delegation engaged with health workers and mothers to understand how services are being delivered. Our efforts focus on addressing the three delays in maternal care: deciding to seek care, reaching a facility, and receiving quality treatment. To tackle the first delay, through Saving for Health groups, we have helped communities mobilise over UGX 2 billion for health emergencies, including more than UGX 300 million saved by 886 expectant mothers. To improve access to care, Enabel’s partnership with Babies and Mothers Alive is helping connect mothers to timely information and emergency transport. So far, over 15,000 expectant mothers have been supported with transport through the Mama Rescue App. At the facility level, improvements are also visible. Across Busoga and Rwenzori, more than 100 health workers and 90 ambulance drivers have been trained, 11 newborn care units established, and 1,000 units of blood collected for emergencies. Ensuring Communities Have a Voice In Bugiri, the Business and Human Rights project demonstrated how human rights principles are being put into practice. With the Makuutu Rare Earth mining project taking shape, Enabel, alongside partners like African Centre for Energy and Mineral Policy (ACEMP), is facilitating dialogue between communities, local leaders, civil society, and private sector actors. These discussions are supporting the development of Community Development Agreements (CDAs), helping ensure fair compensation, proper resettlement of Project Affected Persons, and shared benefits through jobs and community services. Creating Sustainable Livelihoods The final part of the visit focused on a key question for many young people: how to turn skills into income. Through the WeWork–HortiMarket Dynamics project, implemented by Swisscontact, the delegation visited initiatives strengthening horticulture value chains in Busoga. They met young people who are not only receiving training, but are already connected to markets. The project is supporting 1,800 disadvantaged youth, women, and persons with disabilities with access to skills, quality inputs, and market opportunities. A highlight was the visit to Trafford Export Commodities, where a youth-led aggregation hub model is being piloted across Jinja and Kamuli. Here, young people are working together to supply products (tomatoes, onions, watermelon, cabbage, and chill) to markets in a more organised and profitable way. By the end of the visit, one thing was clear: the real impact of these programmes is best understood through the people behind them. A student gaining skills and confidence, a young woman, later a mother, able to access timely care and a community shaping decisions that affect its future and a young entrepreneur building a livelihood.All these are not separate stories but are part of the same journey. Across Busoga, Enabel’s programmes are working in a connected way, linking education, health, livelihoods, and human rights to support young people at different stages of life. With support from the European Union, this integrated approach is helping move beyond individual projects towards lasting impact where people are empowered to thrive within stronger systems and communities.
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Affordable healthcare in Uganda is possible - A Community-Based Health Insurance member's story
John CANDIGA | 16/03/2026
What if accessing healthcare didn’t mean risking financial hardship?In this video, CBHI (Community-Based Health Insurance) member Mrs. Isabella Bagambaki shares how community health insurance has helped her family seek care without fear of high medical costs.By pooling small, affordable contributions, CBHI reduces out-of-pocket expenses, encourages early treatment, and protects households from falling into poverty due to illness.
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Promoting affordable healthcare in the communities of Uganda through Community-Based Health Insurance
John CANDIGA | 16/03/2026
Universal health coverage starts at the community level, and Community-Based Health Insurance (CBHI) is making that possible.We highlight the actors driving the Community-Based Health Insurance (CBHI) uptake, including project staff, CBHI coordinators, and District Health Officers, working together to build trust, mobilise households, and expand access to health protection.When communities and local authorities work together, families gain confidence to enrol, access care, and stay protected, a vital step toward stronger health systems and inclusive social protection for all.
