One day, I heard about a business training program organized by Global Village Connect in our area. Curious and desperate for change, I decided to attend. The training was eye-opening. I learned how to start small, manage money, and identify opportunities in my community. For the first time, I felt empowered to take charge of my life. After the training, I realized that many women in my village struggled to find dry firewood, especially during the rainy season. My business idea was born. I used my small savings account (about $5.40) to purchase a tree from a neighbor. I cut the tree into manageable pieces, dried the wood, and bundled it into small portions to sell. I started selling the firewood for 20 cents per bundle. On my first day, I sold five bundles and made a profit of 5,000 shillings (1.3$). I couldn’t believe it! The women in my village learned they could rely on me to provide dry and affordable wood, the demand for my firewood grew quickly. Business training taught me the importance of using some of my profits to reinvest in growing and sustaining my business. I was making daily profits of $1.30 and reinvesting them into my business. I bought more trees, and even started to collect fallen branches to increase my supplies. Another lesson in our training program was to diversify our offerings, and so I started to sell two smaller bundles of wood as well, a medium bundle for 50 cents and a small bundle for 10 cents, thus catering to the needs of a variety of customers. This flexibility helped me attract more buyers. Today, my business is thriving. I make a consistent profit, which allows me to provide for my eight children. I can now afford school fees, better food, and even save a little money for emergencies. My children are healthier and happier, and I feel proud to be a role model for them. Beyond my family, my business has also made a difference in the community. Women in the village no longer struggle to find firewood during the rainy season. Some have even come to me for advice on starting their own small businesses, and I am always happy to share what I learned from Global Village Connect. Attending the business training changed my life. I am deeply grateful to Global Village Connect for giving me the knowledge and confidence to start my journey. What seemed like a small step—buying one tree —has transformed my life and given my children a brighter future. I hope my story inspires other women to believe in themselves and take the first step, no matter how small it may seem. With determination and the right knowledge, anything is possible.
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I got an opportunity to attend business training with Global Village Connect. I became determined to change my situation so I started doing casual labor—digging in people’s gardens for little pay. It was exhausting, but after weeks of hard work, I managed to save 50,000 Ugandan shillings (or $13.60). That money became the seed for my dream. I used it to buy a small bundle of second-hand clothes from a market in a nearby city. My first stock included children’s shirts, dresses, and trousers. I carried the clothes back to my village and started selling them door-to-door. At first, business was slow. Many people were hesitant to buy from me, but I didn’t give up. I carefully selected clothes that were clean and in good condition, and I priced them fairly. Slowly, word spread about my business, and customers started coming to me. Within a few weeks, I had doubled my initial capital. I reinvested the profits to buy more clothes, and currently my daily profit is 8,000shs ($2.20). The business has changed my life. For the first time in years, I can provide for my children without relying on my husband. They no longer go to bed hungry, and I’ve managed to pay their school fees consistently. My eldest son, who once stayed home because we couldn’t afford his uniform, is now back in school and excelling. Now, when I look at my children, I see a brighter future. My journey taught me that even the smallest beginnings can lead to great transformations. My children are my motivation, and I am determined to build a legacy for them. 
Sarah always dreamed of providing a better life for her kids, and so she enrolled in the business training classes with Global Village Connect. After the training, Sarah took her life savings of $5.30 and plunged into a new business. She bought a small basket of tomatoes, onions, and curry powder from a local market vendor, hoping these essential cooking ingredients would sell. She opted for high quality, organic tomatoes that she knew were preferred by most people in her village. She explains, "I began selling my products at home, and to my surprise, my tomatoes quickly became popular. My customers loved my customer care and fair pricing and this led to customer attraction and retention. Every three days, I sold out my stock and reinvested the profits to buy more products, expanding my business little by little." From this simple start, her business has prospered, and she currently makes a daily profit of $1.30, allowing her to send her children to school and have plenty of food at home. Sarah is not going to stop here, however. She is certain that with patience and hard work, she will diversify her offerings and eventually open a small retail shop. Sarah says, "I have faith that what started as a small investment will blossom into a story of hope, resilience, and success." 
The turning point came when I got the opportunity to attend the business training with Global Village Connect. I learned how to start a business from scratch and how to manage it. I took this information very seriously, and decided to use it to change my life.
In the training, I learned that I should use a skill to get started. Since I had experience as a motorcycle driver, I approached a gentleman who had a foot injury and couldn’t ride his own motorcycle. I asked to drive it for him until he could get back on his feet. He agreed to let me ride it for a daily wage of $1.40. I rode that bike for 45 days, and I saved every cent. To cut down on home expenses, my wife and I ate boiled food, skipped morning tea, and only used sugar to sweeten our son’s porridge. By the end of the 45 days, I had saved $66 – capital to start my business. After doing market research, I decided to start rearing chicken since I already knew how to take care of them. I started with 50 chicks and half a bag of maize as food for these chicks. I am going to sell these hens each $3.60 by the end of November, and if I sell them all I will earn a gross income of $178. After deducting all my expenses, I will have a net income of $66 just after six weeks.
Why Support Business Training Mothers Yes We Can is made up of ten single moms who face poverty and little or no access to family resources like land. These women completed Global Village Connect's Business Training Program and formed a collective. The women are on their way to making profits and changing their lives.  Construction on the building that will house the chickens is nearly finished. Last year the collective submitted a business plan and funding proposal to Global Village Connect for start-up capital for a chicken farm business. The proposal was approved, and the farm officially began on January 18, 2024 with construction of a facility. Along with their entrepreneurial training, the women received training from the government on poultry farming. The curriculum taught them best practices for poultry farming including chick management, record keeping, disease control, and marketing.  400 chicks were delivered to Namatumba in July Chicks Arrive and Thrive The chicken house was completed in June: in July, the women purchased 400 chicks. Currently, the farm is operational and the chicks are thriving. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting community project.
 Meet Nakayibo Florence, |
| Florence fled her abusive husband, and she and her seven children now live with her aged mother. To make money, she began to work as a common laborer, digging in someone’s garden. She explains, “My mother is old, and depends on me for support.” After attending Global Village Connect’s Business Training Program, Florence learned that even with a small amount of money, you can start a business. She saved up 35,000 shillings (about $9 US) and used that money as starting capital for her business. | Florence went from earning intermittent funds when she could find work to earning a steady income from her business — enough to feed and clothe her seven children, send them to school, and no longer worry about how to pay a doctor bill if a child becomes sick. |
With the money she bought wheat flour, cooking oil, two plastic buckets and some green plantains, or matoke. She began making donuts and matoke to sell.
Florence’s business has been slow but steady — but still life-changing. She can now afford to cover her children and mother’s basic needs. Plus she can afford to buy books and cover school fees, so her children are able to go to school. Another benefit, she explains, is that she has enough money to take her children to a doctor if they fall sick.
It’s not always simple though, explains Florence. She says, “Because I have many dependents and my business is small, it is difficult for it to grow, but I still operate it with the little that I have. I use that little to buy the food at home and the basic needs, and I will not give up on this business.”
Florence is currently expanding her business to include turkey farming. She has saved profits from donut and matoke sales and was recently able to buy two baby turkeys. She knows that adding more lines of income helps to diversify her funds and add financial stability. Florence also sees the potential in having an “emergency fund” with ownership of livestock.
Florence explains, “We hope that these turkeys will reproduce and we shall get more turkeys. When I get more money we can then add on more turkeys. Then we can have many turkeys here, and they can serve me in times of need by selling one to get money.”
Florence is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship that has led to her to make enough money to care for her family. She says, “I want to thank the organization so much that brought the business training school to Putti because through them I got knowledge on how to operate a business and that is how my business is able to survive.
“Thank you so much to Global Village Connect and may God bless you all.”
Florence’s business has been slow but steady — but still life-changing. She can now afford to cover her children and mother’s basic needs. Plus she can afford to buy books and cover school fees, so her children are able to go to school. Another benefit, she explains, is that she has enough money to take her children to a doctor if they fall sick.
It’s not always simple though, explains Florence. She says, “Because I have many dependents and my business is small, it is difficult for it to grow, but I still operate it with the little that I have. I use that little to buy the food at home and the basic needs, and I will not give up on this business.”
Florence is currently expanding her business to include turkey farming. She has saved profits from donut and matoke sales and was recently able to buy two baby turkeys. She knows that adding more lines of income helps to diversify her funds and add financial stability. Florence also sees the potential in having an “emergency fund” with ownership of livestock.
Florence explains, “We hope that these turkeys will reproduce and we shall get more turkeys. When I get more money we can then add on more turkeys. Then we can have many turkeys here, and they can serve me in times of need by selling one to get money.”
Florence is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship that has led to her to make enough money to care for her family. She says, “I want to thank the organization so much that brought the business training school to Putti because through them I got knowledge on how to operate a business and that is how my business is able to survive.
“Thank you so much to Global Village Connect and may God bless you all.”
Hello, my name is Logose Loyce!
I am a graduate of the Global Village Connect Business Training Program
I am a graduate of the Global Village Connect Business Training Program
| My business is selling bricks. I was very scared to start a business because I didn't have any money. I was afraid of what people would say if I started something very small, so I kept putting it off for a very long time. During the Global Village Connect's Business Training Program, we learned about the reasons that stop people from getting out of their comfort zones. Two reasons seemed to talk about me: fear and procrastination. | I love this business, because I can sell bricks in bulk and earn enough money to take care of demands like school fees which require a large sum of money at once." |
The training taught me that I could start a business even without money. Instead, I could use the dormant resources around me. This gave me the encouragement I needed to start my brick laying business. I put my fear aside, and stopped procrastinating.
I had an anthill on my land, so I asked my sons to help me dig it and make bricks. We worked hard and after burning, we had made 15,000 bricks.
In June, we sold 10,000 bricks for $223. I used this income to pay for my children's school fees; I have children in primary school and one taking a course at a post-secondary institute. In September, I sold the remaining 5,000 bricks for $113 and was able to afford school fees for the third term.
I love this business, because I can sell bricks in bulk and earn enough money to take care of demands like school fees which require a large sum of money at once.
My future goal is to be able to operate a dry foods business that can bring in daily income, because bricks take about two months to be ready for sale.
I had an anthill on my land, so I asked my sons to help me dig it and make bricks. We worked hard and after burning, we had made 15,000 bricks.
In June, we sold 10,000 bricks for $223. I used this income to pay for my children's school fees; I have children in primary school and one taking a course at a post-secondary institute. In September, I sold the remaining 5,000 bricks for $113 and was able to afford school fees for the third term.
I love this business, because I can sell bricks in bulk and earn enough money to take care of demands like school fees which require a large sum of money at once.
My future goal is to be able to operate a dry foods business that can bring in daily income, because bricks take about two months to be ready for sale.
Hello, I'm Solomy!
A graduate of the Global Village Connect Business Training Program
| After the death of my husband, life was very difficult. I had been a housewife for most of my married life, and suddenly my breadwinner was gone. I was left without any savings or inheritance. Because of this, my children were not able to attend school for eight months. I couldn't afford food, much less tuition. We were living on one meal a day. | Because of my new income, my children were able to attend school this term. I can now afford tuition and the required supplies. I am so happy and relieved. |
I started working as a road sweeper but the payments were always late, and even when they were on time they were so meager that they couldn't sustain my family.
In March, I started the Global Village Connect Business Training program. In the first module I felt like the trainers were speaking to me directly. They talked about "getting out of your comfort zone." It spoke to my heart because I had become comfortable as a housewife. I was challenged to do something to change my status.
When I received my next payment from the municipal council, I bought peanuts, and then roasted and ground them. I packed the butter in small tins and approached nearby shops asking if they would sell it for me. They agreed, and I have been supplying the stores weekly since then. Customers love my peanut butter because it’s wonderful as a bread spread. This business brings in a profit of $1.40* a day.
I also approached my friend who has a charcoal business and asked if she would allow me to sell a few sacks of my own charcoal in her stall. She agreed, and every month I put out four sacks of my charcoal. Each sack gives me a profit of $4.10*.
Because of my new income, my children were able to attend school this term. I can now afford tuition and the required supplies. I am so happy and relieved.
Had I not attended this business training I might have still been languishing in the jaws of poverty. I am truly grateful to Global Village Connect for being my light when all hope was lost.
* For context, the median household income for rural Ugandans is about $54 a month. That's why your US dollar goes so far and can help so many!
In March, I started the Global Village Connect Business Training program. In the first module I felt like the trainers were speaking to me directly. They talked about "getting out of your comfort zone." It spoke to my heart because I had become comfortable as a housewife. I was challenged to do something to change my status.
When I received my next payment from the municipal council, I bought peanuts, and then roasted and ground them. I packed the butter in small tins and approached nearby shops asking if they would sell it for me. They agreed, and I have been supplying the stores weekly since then. Customers love my peanut butter because it’s wonderful as a bread spread. This business brings in a profit of $1.40* a day.
I also approached my friend who has a charcoal business and asked if she would allow me to sell a few sacks of my own charcoal in her stall. She agreed, and every month I put out four sacks of my charcoal. Each sack gives me a profit of $4.10*.
Because of my new income, my children were able to attend school this term. I can now afford tuition and the required supplies. I am so happy and relieved.
Had I not attended this business training I might have still been languishing in the jaws of poverty. I am truly grateful to Global Village Connect for being my light when all hope was lost.
* For context, the median household income for rural Ugandans is about $54 a month. That's why your US dollar goes so far and can help so many!
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