Entrepreneurship
in Uganda
How does our social enterprise program work?
Three of our four Ugandan partner schools currently have successful social enterprise programs that include a handful of operating businesses. Here’s how this program runs:
The school staff and school community members lead the entire process from the initial stages of exploration to planning and execution.
Mwebaza’s Ugandan program manager, Seera, works alongside our Ugandan partners to develop comprehensive business proposals that include the total amount needed to start each new business.
Then, our U.S. staff and Colorado community partners raise funds for the initial investment money and continued expansion investments, if needed, depending on the business needs.
Ugandan partners use this money to build out the business, then review and audit the business throughout the year.
When our U.S. staff visits each summer, we perform a group audit to see what changes need to be made in order for the business to continue turning a profit.
Parents’ Junior Social Enterprise Program
Launched in 2021 to offset the economic impact of COVID-19, this school introduced a 'Zone Agriculture' program that has since expanded into three distinct businesses.
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Regenerative agriculture classes hosted by Mwebaza and Butembala Permaculture inspired this 100+ person agriculture co-operative. Community members have grouped themselves into four zones to grow different cash crops and sell the surplus at the market. Mwebaza invested eight oxen and four plows for each zone to use to effectively till the large plots of donated land. Harvesting happens twice a year.
Profit Share: School: 40%, Business: 20%, Community: 40%
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Zone C started an apiary to diversify its income streams. Currently, the community manages 20 active hives where bees are producing honey. Zone C participants sell honey at the market and are experimenting with ways to diversify their bee products, including the sale of propolis, wax, and honey wine.
Profit Share: Community: 30%, Land Donor: 20%, School: 30%, Business: 20%
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This business serves as the grain mill for surrounding neighborhoods, decreasing the walk for women to other mills. The original land owner, Martin, has donated acreage to the school throughout the last decade so it can grow and support area families, including donating the land for the grain mill. This mill also maximizes the profit yields of crops from PJS’s agriculture co-op.
Profit Share: School: 30%, Business: 20%, Community: 30%, Land donor: 20%
Mwebaza Annex Social Enterprise Program
Perhaps our most resilient social enterprise program, this school operates next to downtown Kampala and has less access to land and natural resources. Despite these obstacles, Mwebaza Annex’s staff, especially its headmistress Marione Nwaggi, continue to persist in developing dynamic businesses.
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Annex manages a taxi business vehicle rental service with a 14-passenger van. Annex works with an experienced project manager to oversee the maintenance of the vehicle. They have hired a local, licensed driver who rents the vehicle for 650,000 UGSX per week for private hire.
Profit Share: School Operations: 50%, School Savings: 30%, Business Savings: 20%
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The addition of a borehole well in 2022 provided the foundational materials for this business to start. Marione Nawaggi, Mwebaza Annex School Director, manages the sale of water to residents, and the teachers do monthly bookkeeping.
Profit Share: Business savings: 80%, School savings: 10%, School operations: 10%
St. Paul School Social Enterprises
Our largest and most successful social enterprise program, St. Paul School, took this idea and ran with it. They’ve made so much of a profit that they are able to set up their own scholarship program and offer students partial and full scholarships to attend school tuition-free.
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St. Paul manages a vehicle rental service with a 14-passenger van. St. Paul works with an experienced project manager to oversee the maintenance of the vehicle. They hired a local, licensed driver who rents the vehicle for 650,000 UGX per week for private hire.
Profit Share: School Operating Cost: 70%, Business Savings: 20%, School Savings: 10%
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St. Paul School parents and nearby residents invest their money in a growing VSLA, which is a local micro-lending program organized by the community. Members invest a small sum of money at every weekly meeting. Members can borrow money at a 10% interest rate and repay within 5 months. The VSLA has approximately 40 members and profits are distributed to each member at the end of every year based on the amount they contributed individually. Mwebaza invested 10MM UGX (2,600 USD) in 2023 to increase the group's lending power.
Profit Share: The school earns a percentage share of what Mwebaza invested on their behalf.
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Madame Sylvia, the headmistress of St. Paul School, along with members of her family and community, handmake jewelry and weavings for Mwebaza to sell in Colorado. This business is low-overhead and has great potential to expand.
Profit Share: School: 40%, Business: 30%, Artists: 20%, Business Manager: 10%
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Teacher Tonny manages this agriculture business at St. Paul. Local community members have opened their pastures for the cows to graze. In the spring of 2024, the one dairy cow we invested in gave birth, and they began selling milk. As these cows continue to produce, the business will grow, allowing them to expand their dairy business.
Profit Share: School: 30%, Business: 20%, Community: 30%, Land donor: 20%
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Near Nkokonjeru, Uganda, St. Paul opened a restaurant serving traditional Ugandan food to residents and visitors. They identified a gap in the market - a lack of restaurants in the town - and knew their other businesses could support the dining establishment.
Profit Share: School savings: 40%, Business savings: 40%, Managers: 20%.
