This project will help: 110 caregivers
Estimated completion date: July 2025
Country: Uganda
Executive summary
At the Apapai Child and Youth Development Centre in Uganda, centre staff work tirelessly to provide nutritious meals, educational support and mentorship to the children and youth they serve in their community. Sadly, many of these children are struggling at home. Caregivers, who were already experiencing precarious working conditions, found themselves entirely out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent public health measures that shut down local businesses.
While some caregivers owned small shops and market stalls, prolonged lockdowns meant that caregivers did not earn any income at all. They were forced to use their small amount of savings on food and other necessities, leaving them without any capital to invest back into their businesses. Once pandemic restrictions eased, many caregivers had no choice but to find any work they could, as tailors, vegetable farmers or livestock farmers. Most earn less than one dollar per day—and some days they don’t earn any income.
Without stable work, caregivers have been unable to provide for their children. Families often go without essential items such as adequate clothing, regular meals, clean water and hygiene items like soap and shampoo. Children are at higher risk of repeat illnesses due to sanitation issues. Without regular, nourishing meals, growing children may suffer from malnutrition, struggle to concentrate in school and on program days and experience low self-esteem. These caregivers have already started ventures in sectors like animal husbandry, vegetable farming, agro-forestry, retail, construction and tailoring—but they are in dire need of support to grow their skills and expand their business opportunities to secure a better future for their children.
With your generous support, this intervention will equip 110 caregivers with the necessary skills and resources to improve their small businesses and begin generating a stable income. Caregivers will learn skills in goat- and sheep-rearing, vegetable growing, growing fruit trees, buying and selling produce, tailoring such as shoe and bag making, bricklaying and producing concrete products. Caregivers will also receive capital to help boost their businesses and improve their income. Each participant will be placed into a savings group, attend training workshops and learn vital business skills so that they can become self-sufficient and provide for their families.
Summary
Background
The Apapai Child Development Centre in Kasilo County, Serere District of Eastern Uganda, is part of the Heritage Living Faith ministries. The centre supports 301 children and their 460 caregivers through the Compassion program. Children attend the centre once a week on program days during the school year and three times per week during holidays.
Families in this region have experienced many challenges that have made it difficult to find reliable, stable jobs. Aside from the pandemic, economic and political instability in the area as well as unpredictable weather producing droughts and floods have made it difficult for caregivers to earn an income from construction, farming and selling goods at the local markets. While many caregivers have tried to recover existing businesses or begin small business ventures, they continue to face significant obstacles such as limited access to capital, lack of training and unstable market conditions.
The need
Caregivers living in Eastern Uganda desperately want to provide for their families. These dedicated, hardworking parents have been trying to launch successful small businesses but face significant challenges that threaten their livelihoods and ability to provide for their children and families.
With your help, Compassion’s frontline church partners at the Apapai Child Development Centre will empower 110 caregivers through income generation training workshops. Caregivers will learn the crucial business and entrepreneurial skills needed to improve their small businesses. They will also learn industry-specific skills to help them enhance their business ventures.
Caregivers will then be placed into savings groups, allowing them to open joint accounts and deposit additional income they generate from their businesses. Savings groups will provide participants with a secure way to save, access emergency funds and loans and effectively manage their finances. Caregivers will also receive seed capital to help grow their ventures. As caregivers learn new skills, they will share their knowledge with their children, fostering a culture of learning and resilience within families and empowering the next generation.
What your gift will do
Your gift will provide 110 caregivers in Uganda with crucial business skills and training, including:
- Training and support for produce market vendors
- Training and support for tailors and secondhand clothing retailers
- Training and support for market service providers such as cobblers and bicycle repairers
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Training and support for fish enterprises
- Fish stock
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Training and support for sheep and goat farmers
- Veterinary bills for livestock
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Training and support for produce growers
- Vegetable seeds such as tomatoes, eggplant, watermelon, Sukuma wiki (collard greens)
- Tools and equipment for farming
- Industrial sewing machines for making bags, shoes, etc.
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Agro-forestry materials
- Seedlings
- Greenhouse
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Training and support for concrete products
- Block and concrete/pole molds
- Transportation for training and goods
- Professional entrepreneurship training staff
- Market stalls and land for businesses
Logistics
- Local contribution: US$3,773
- Handling of funds: Compassion Uganda will work with the local church partner to ensure this project stays within budget.
- Monitoring and follow-up: Centre staff will conduct regular meetings with caregivers to support them throughout the implementation of this intervention and ensure objectives are met. The church will develop a Monitoring and Reporting Committee responsible for quarterly monitoring visits and reporting.