Ochuka Richard’s Journey with Empower YOU

In the past six months, Ochuka has implemented critical business practices such as record keeping, previously neglected, which led to financial losses due to lack of oversight. The program emphasized tracking profits and losses, significantly improving his business operations. Additionally, he gained insights into effective branding, enhancing customer awareness and recognition of his business.

Ochuka’s enterprise focuses on the agricultural value chain and Agri-training, adding value to products, processing posho flour, and supporting smallholder farmers. By packing posho in 1kg bags and selling at a competitive rate of 1800 shillings, Ochuka’s company stands out in the market where prices range from 2000 to 3000 shillings. His unique business model empowers farmers through training, seed provision, and purchasing their maize grain, creating a sustainable supply chain.

Meet Ochuka Richard

The inspiration behind Ochuka’s venture arose from observing the high unemployment rates among youth in his community. Unable to secure a job himself, he ventured into agriculture, starting with sorghum farming. His initial success, generating 28 million shillings, enabled him to establish his company in 2018. His goal is to provide employment opportunities, particularly for those who cannot create their own jobs, thereby fostering community growth and economic development.

Ochuka discovered the Empower YOU https://starthubafrica.org/empoweryou Program during a training session for a farmers’ group, where he met members of StartHub Africa. Their insights into business management highlighted his need for personal growth and training, despite being a trainer himself. Since joining the program, he has gained invaluable knowledge that he now shares with his community and staff.

Samples of Richards Products

In the past six months, Ochuka has implemented critical business practices such as record keeping, previously neglected, which led to financial losses due to lack of oversight. The program emphasized tracking profits and losses, significantly improving his business operations. Additionally, he gained insights into effective branding, enhancing customer awareness and recognition of his business.

Looking ahead, Ochuka envisions his business achieving 80% of its goals within the next five years. With a fully functional factory and the daily implementation of acquired knowledge, he is confident in his company’s future success. Key lessons from the program include maximizing expenses, setting targets, and strategic goal setting.

Ochuka Richard attending one of the Empower YOU trainings

For aspiring entrepreneurs, Ochuka emphasizes patience, persistence, and starting with available resources. He believes in monitoring and nurturing a business until it grows, drawing from his own experiences of incremental success.

Ochuka expresses profound gratitude to StartHub Africa for the Empower YOU Program, recognizing its crucial role in equipping youth with essential skills. He credits the program for the flourishing of his business and acknowledges the significant impact it has on the lives of young entrepreneurs.

Through the Empower YOU Program, StartHub Africa continues to foster entrepreneurial growth, transforming businesses, and empowering communities toward sustainable success.

Joshua Envisions Himself as a Business Owner With his Own Workshop and Manufacturing Space Within the Next Five Year

Joshua Opakrwot, a recent graduate from Good Samaritan High School in Nansana, Kampala, found himself at a crossroad during his vacation year. Faced with the need to become self-reliant, Joshua embarked on a quest to turn his aspirations into reality. Inspired by a desire to venture into entrepreneurship, Joshua sought guidance from a friend involved in shoe manufacturing.

Joshua making a presentation during one of the trainings

Through determination and a thirst for knowledge, Joshua immersed himself in the art of shoemaking under the mentorship of his friend. However, his entrepreneurial journey truly took flight when he discovered Empower YOU, a program tailored to empower young business minds like his own. Introduced to the program by his mentor, Joshua seized the opportunity to expand his skill set and enhance his business acumen.

What distinguishes Empower YOU is its focus on providing practical training in business management, a crucial aspect often overlooked in traditional education. Despite not having prior exposure to business subjects, Joshua recognized the significance of mastering financial management, savings, and record-keeping. These newfound skills not only fortified his current endeavors but also ignited a vision for the future.

Joshua and his colleague having a discussion about their experience with the Empower YOU with some of the StartHub members

With clarity and determination, Joshua envisions himself as a business owner with his own workshop and manufacturing space within the next five years. Empower You serves as the catalyst propelling him towards this goal, offering invaluable resources and mentorship along the way.

Joshua’s story is a testament to the transformative power of programs like Empower YOU. Beyond the tangible skills acquired, it instills confidence and ignites ambition in young entrepreneurs, empowering them to realize their dreams. His heartfelt recommendation echoes a sentiment shared by many: the true value lies not just in monetary gain but in the invaluable skills imparted by Empower YOU, offered completely free of charge.

Joshua Opakrwot showcasing samples of his products

As we celebrate initiatives like https://starthubafrica.org/empoweryou (Empower YOU), we extend our gratitude to StartHub Africa for spearheading such impactful endeavors in the Empower YOU project. Through their unwavering commitment, StartHub Africa is sculpting a brighter future for the youth of Gulu and Lira, one entrepreneur at a time, by enhancing sustainable income generation and life skills for youth micro and small business owners in these cities. Joshua’s journey is just one of many, a testament to the boundless potential unlocked when passion meets opportunity

A Teacher Turned Entrepreneur Making Waves in Gulu with her Jewelry and Welding Business

Meet Laker Linda Irene, a teacher turned entrepreneur making waves in Gulu with her jewelry and welding business. Her journey epitomizes the transformative impact of Empower YOU, a program spearheaded by StartHub Africa, aimed at equipping young entrepreneurs with essential skills.

Linda’s venture into entrepreneurship was sparked by a call from her local community leader during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the opportunity to choose from various trades, she boldly opted for welding, a traditionally male-dominated field. Despite initial apprehensions, Linda persevered through challenges, demonstrating her determination and resilience.

Laker Linda at one of the Empower YOU trainings

Her commitment caught the attention of Volunteer Services Overseas (VSO), who recognized her talent and provided crucial support by supplying her with welding equipment. Linda’s prowess in welding soon led her to become a trainer, empowering others in her community with valuable skills.

However, setbacks such as theft threatened to derail Linda’s business aspirations. It was during this trying time that she discovered Empower YOU through a colleague. Recognizing the program’s potential to bolster her business, Linda eagerly embraced the opportunity to refine her financial management skills and enhance her business acumen.

Through Empower YOU, Linda gained insights into financial literacy and the importance of meticulous documentation. Armed with newfound knowledge, she’s now equipped to manage her finances effectively, ensuring the sustainability and growth of her business.

Participants during one of the Empower YOU trainings in Gulu

Beyond the technical aspects of jewelry making and welding, Empower YOU instilled in Linda a deeper understanding of business fundamentals. From expense tracking to savings strategies, the program provided her with the tools necessary to navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship.

Linda’s endorsement of Empower YOU serves as a testament to its efficacy in fostering entrepreneurial success. She urges fellow youths to seize the opportunity afforded by such programs, emphasizing the transformative potential they hold for aspiring and established entrepreneurs alike.

As Linda continues on her entrepreneurial journey, she extends her heartfelt gratitude to StartHub Africa for pioneering initiatives like Empower YOU. Through their unwavering support, they’re not only transforming individual lives but also driving economic empowerment and community development in Gulu and beyond.

Context & Problem Definition

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasizes the pivotal role of youth in shaping the world’s future. Despite Uganda’s focus on youth engagement in its development activities, many young people still struggle to seize the opportunities available in the country. Uganda has a predominantly young population, with nearly 80% of its 48 million people under 30 years old. With over a million young people entering the job market annually, the country faces high youth unemployment and underemployment.

To address this challenge, a consortium led by Caritas Switzerland (CACH), in partnership with StartHub Africa and Gulu Women’s Economic Development and Globalisation (GWED-G), is working on a project. This project aims to empower youth by enhancing sustainable income generation, life skills, and promoting their active participation in policy, decision-making, and development processes at both national and local levels. It also seeks to strengthen Civil Society Organisation (CSO) systems for more inclusive and sustainable youth development.

Impact

The Empower YOU project operates on the premise that by providing targeted support to youth entrepreneurs, particularly young women, through strengthened Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), they can overcome obstacles to successful entrepreneurship. This support enables them to access business-related services, enhance their income stability, grasp policy processes that impact them directly, and ultimately empowers them to use their practical experience for personal development.

Goal

A consortium led by Caritas Switzerland (CACH), along with StartHub Africa and Gulu Women’s Economic Development and Globalisation (GWED-G), aims to empower youth in Uganda. They focus on improving sustainable income generation, life skills, and encouraging youth participation in policy and decision-making at national and local levels. The project supports existing Micro and Small Enterprises, enhances youth involvement in policy and decision-making, and strengthens Civil Society Organizations for more inclusive and sustained youth development.

Implementing Partner

Project Funders