Co-Founder of Rwamwanja Rural Development and Training
"Before joining the project, I had no job and used to make a living by creating house plans using locally available material like empty paper boxes. When the project implemented by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) with funds from the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) project started, I was identified because of my talent and taken to URDT for training in carpentry. LWF supported me with both tuition and basic needs while at school. They also conducted some short trainings for example on entrepreneurship and business." Says one of the graduates who was supported by LWF with funding from PRM noted.
When he completed his training, he returned home and started a group called Rwamwanja Rural Development and Training in which he has trained three friends in the same vocation. The group ventured in carpentry. Fortunately, the trainees had some skills in the vocation since they had previously been trained in the same from Congo. "So they knew some things which I didn’t know and I also learnt some things which they didn’t know." The graduate notes.
The group of carpenters decided to learn from each other to perfect their skills. With time, all the three had the same expertise and skills in carpentry and thus partnerd to establish a carpentry business. With little financial capital, the carpenters started with small pieces like “kesi ya pesa” [piggy banks or saving boxes]. All the crafted saving boxes are displayed outside their working space by the group to attract buyers and to also encourage people to save so as to allieviate poverty.
The group has started making sales of their saving boxes, they earn atleast UGX 200,000 per month. They share some of their profits, reivest some in their carpentry business and also save the rest as a group to venture in other businesses. "We save together as a family, as partners. We keep records. And our business is beginning to grow." Says the graduate who is also the group leader. "I can now afford my family's basic needs, education for my siblings and I have also managed to establish other side businesses like a retail shop and a poultry farm."
The leader for the carpentry group however adds that they have a few business challenges and needs like; "We neither have a workshop nor a shade but rather work under the open sun. We also don't have enough resources to craft more pieces for sale." Says the graduate. He continues to say that they are saving their profits to meet these needs and they will hopefully have big workshop that will be good enough to take furniture orders and contracts from big organizations like UNHCR."
