CODPEO – Conserve 2 Develop Earth Organization
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Testimonies
Odira had no chance to go to school, she lives with 4 children and 2 grand children, before this project, Odira was dealing in selling of cut sugarcanes during the baseline she did not even know how much profit she was earning from her business, she had no records to support her business and she was not registered in any saving group since she was not sure of where to get savings, She joined the modernized weaving program that has changed her economic status "i received a training on marketing, pricing, business management and the importance of records keeping" she has now become a supplier of sugarcanes to small retailers who buy a few sugarcane to cut into peaces "my business has greatly improved and i have paid my market place dues for a year meaning i will not struggle daily to pay" Odira also makes and displays her carrions on her market place that contributes to her daily incomes, she thanks CODPEO and Women first for this program, her dream is to start loading a whole track for sugarcanes and be able to move more markets and wholesale to small sellers
Asiimwe Odira
Immaculate dropped out of school in S.2 as the parents could not manage fees and was married off at the age of 18, in 2017 the husband left her with three children that she has been looking after on her own, she could not manage the cost of living in Kidodo, so she migrated to the railway houses, her home is not on good standards as she faces leaking whenever it rains, before the project, she had no any daily source of income as she was just a causal worker in hotels, she was only working to get get food for the children, at work, she would only earn $0.8 daily that was never enough to meet all her basic needs "imagine earning $0.8 a day when you have to buy food, water, fees and sometimes medical care" it was always a struggle for her as a single mother, during project designing, the chairperson railway zone asked us to consider Immaculate for this program " i could not believe that actually CODPEO considered me for this empowerment program, i was trained in weaving skills with other women and at the beginning we were worried of where to display and sell our products, CODPEO hired for us a shop where we are selling our products easily" in June Immaculate asked for a loan from the saving and credit table to purchase a sewing machine since she was a tailor but could not afford to purchase one, the credit committee extended to her a loan of $111.1 to purchase a full set of a sewing machine, she now owns her own sewing machine and tailors in the railway in the front room of her home, she earns from the weaving and tailoring and estimates her income earnings to be between $1.8-$1.9 daily " In the railway am no longer called the woman with beards but the woman with the sewing machine, thank you Women First for this life changing opportunity" in the future Immaculate hopes to make her own tailoring workshop to empower other women like her.
Tumuramye Immaculate
Atusimire Judith was among previous project beneficiaries who had started chicken roasting business at silver springs bar, her income earnings have almost doubled compared to before the start of this program “ I used to slaughter 5 to 8 chicken that would get done quickly due to my small capital, I requested a loan from the savings group and now I can kill 10-15 hens and also added Irish potatoes whereby I fry a basin that has boosted my business greatly” Judith specialized in making Men’s craft shoes commonly known as Moccasins “ I specialized in Men’s shoes because their prices are high compared to women’s shoes, I tell customers who support me at my chicken business that I also make men’s shoes who sometimes don’t believe that I am capable of making them, from our women’s entrepreneurships trainings I justice convince them that what a man can do I can I also do, and I just direct them to our workshop where they witness me making pairs, I thank Women First for believing in us, supporting us for two years gives us hope for betterment of our lives”
Atusimire Judith
Kakazi Scovia’s dream was to expand her business to transporting a track of sugarcanes, with our second year of program with Women First; Scovia now transports a full car of sugarcanes to trade in which has greatly contributed to increased income earnings and improved on her savings Judith specialized in making Men’s craft shoes commonly known as Moccasins “ I specialized in Men’s shoes because their prices are high compared to women’s shoes, I tell customers who support me at my chicken business that I also make men’s shoes who sometimes don’t believe that I am capable of making them, from our women’s entrepreneurships trainings I justice convince them that what a man can do I can I also do, and I just direct them to our workshop where they witness me making pairs, I thank Women First for believing in us, supporting us for two years gives us hope for betterment of our lives”
Kakazi Scovia
Muhindo’s husband left to Sauda Arabia, and when he returned, he left her because he felt he was no longer his level, due to her continued participation in this program, women extended to her a loan without interest, Christine has started a small retail shop in her home where she rents, she sleeps behind while her business operates in front, “am now financially independent, I don’t have to wait on my husband who neglected me to assist me “ she appreciates CODPEO and Women First for this empowerment
Muhindo Christine
“Making shoes was never in my mind, I thought it was work for men and even my earnings could not allow me to purchase the equipment and materials, it was all a new experience and a blessing that I learnt how to make shoes, I can now make different fashions of craft shoes on my own”
Rosset
Investment Grant Year 1
Nancy had simple knowledge in shoe making, she told the organization that she had paid $125 to learn the shoe making skill, she just got basics and did not learn all the fashions, with the chance to finish her ordinary level education, she got pregnant and did not return to school, with that simple education she started a small business where she plaits women hair and display the shoes she was making " i was surprised to find women learning a skill i learned at a cost, that is why i encouraged other women to take this opportunity as a serious one" she was always there for slow learners and also help in book keeping, before the project she was only making shoes and plaiting hair, her earnings were not big as her business was seasonal, after different financial literacy and entrepreneurship trainings for women , she got a loan from the group and started going to the capital city to shop more things for her shop like bags, already made shoes to boost her businesses since then her daily income earnings have increased from $4.1 to now $10.2 , Nancy awaits an opportunity where she will be awarded a certificate from Directorate of Industrial training (DIT) in shoe making and hopes it will take her to big shoe making companies, Nancy also pitched her business idea during the boot-camp how she wanted to expand her shoe making business, and the organization and women beneficiaries are willing to support her, Women for Women Slogan
Adongo Nancy
our curriculum for secondary schools has changed, it is majorly hands on, creative students are the ones to get marks, learning shoe making and repair and sewing using an electric shoe sewing machine was the beginning of my high scores in school, before this program, i had no skill and was worried what i was going to represent to the examiners, during holidays i took the chance and learned shoe making, i have trained more 10 group members in our school, i thank CODPEO and Women First International Fund for contributing greatly to my performance in a school as a girl" Natasha already received her formal DIT certificate from her school and she will be again pleased to receive non formal certificates from DIT organized by CODPEO
Mbambu Natasha
Betty did not attend school, she lives in the railway buildings, although standards of living are not good, she decides to stay because that is where she can manager, " i regret not attending school but i thank God for meeting CODPEO, even me who did not attend school, with trainings in business management i can monitor my firewood business, record profits and losses, track my customers such that i keep contacting them if in need of firewood and then decide on what to take for saving" after the first year of this program she was dealing in sugarcane selling, after the entrepreneurship training, she realized that there was competition in the business yet demand is also not very big, " i realized that firewood is a necessity for every family and therefore decided to change the business", she is now selling firewood and with help of savings she is able to purchase more stock and reach out to different customers, she says she meets the market demand by looking for hard and good quality firewood that even when it is not dry, she drys it first before selling to keep her customers, she also pitched her business idea how she wants to be whole-selling to small sellers and her business idea was also supported by women, "with firewood, it is a requirement for every home, she will be able to return the borrowed money" says women participants during the boot-camp
Biira Betty
Investment Grant Year 2
A vice chairperson local council one of the railway zone, she did attended primary level education only and stays in railway old buildings with 5 grand children, she is a cook at BrainTream model school in the railway and fries cassava and pancakes for pupils " as you can see, the job am doing is seasonal, like now children are going for a long holiday of about 3 months, i will be unemployed for the 3 months" Rose was finding it hard to get what do especially when children are off school, she asked if women would support her start up another business that can help her sustain her needs and those of her grand children, to her surprise she was awarded a total loan of $236 "Women believing in me that i can borrow such an amount of UGX 840000 and believed that i would pay it back is the great surprise i still live with." Rose has joined second hand clothes selling where she orders for bales from the city and she is no longer worried of how she will sustain her needs and those of her grandchildren when schools are closed. "It is now Christmas season and am dealing in children clothes, the market is readily available; everyone is buying clothes for the season and i can proudly say that even my grandchildren have received theirs from my business and i don't have to worry anymore of what they will put on on the day Christ was born" "I thank women for believing in me, CODPEO and Women First for supporting women get financial support in their hands and decide on what they can do better."
Rose Mageyo A sex worker on Mariana Street, did not attain any level of education, Rehema had a dream of starting up her own business but with limited capital, her business dream was put down and entirely depended on sex work, "Women here do not discriminate us sex workers, CODPEO organization always sensitize them that it is our right to decide on what we can do with our own bodies" depending on her savings Rehema received twice her savings a total credit $112.7 and was part of the team that received the Parish Development Model fund(PDM) from the government of Uganda " i always had a dream of starting up a small bar, when i was given UGX400000 loan plus PDM fund, i ordered a fridge, paid 6 months rent and purchased hard and soft drinks, i am making sales and paying back monthly for the loan, for the loan not to accumulate and become difficult for me to pay back, am not intending on disappointing women and girls that believed in me" she appreciates Women First for empowering all women and girls regardless of who they are and where they are from
Namuli
Vastine did not get a chance to finish Primary level and is married with 2 children, she was among the survivors of the flooding that happened in 2019 and spoiled all her belongings " i was by then pregnant and with one baby, my husband had gone for business so i could not save anything apart from running for my life and that for the child, i saw everything that i had worked for including my house get lost in water" she drops tears and says its the story she never wants to talk about, Vatine is among the best weavers the group has as she had previously involved her self in the skill, she confirmed at the beginning saving was not part of her plans but now saving is her need " whenever i look at my savings account i refer my self as a financial independent woman" she sometimes buy her own rolls of weaving materials, make carrions, vend them in markets and drop some at the show room for marketing, she says life has changed for her greatly as she meets her needs with easy especially paying fees for her first born " most importantly am able to pay fees for my daughter for a bright future"
Tumwebaze Vastine Age: 25