Vocational Studies

Project Have Hope provides a variety of vocational training through local schools for women who wish to continue their studies or learn specific skills. Courses vary according to a woman's particular interests. To date, courses have included catering, hairstyling and salon management, tailoring, knitting, computer and general office skills studies, and driver’s education. Visit our GlobalGiving project page, Provide Vocational Training For Ugandan Women, to see how donations of all sizes can make an impact.

Catering

One woman, Atim Millie Grace, completed a 6-month course in catering and restaurant management. Upon finishing her course, PHH gave her a loan of $1,500 to open a restaurant. Today she runs a successful restaurant called “Rubanga Makwo,” which means “The Living God,” located in the center of a busy marketplace on the outskirts of Uganda’s capital city of Kampala. Atim Millie Grace now has regular customers including patrons who come to eat in the seated dining area and local workers and businessmen who order take-out. Atim also does catering for events (weddings, graduations, and community gatherings) and sells a variety of prepared foods to local high-end hotels for use in their restaurants.

Tailoring

A total of 11 women have completed a one year course in tailoring and all have received loans from PHH to start their own workshops. Most of the graduates are working from home where they can care for their families’ needs while growing their businesses. One of these women, Aciro Santina, has developed a business selling her creations in her home village in Sudan. She currently earns about $25 per month. Lamunu Margaret makes new clothes but also mends and alters clothes for her clients within the Acholi Quarter. She now earns $50 per month. Lanyero Jennifer’s business has become so successful that she has rented a store front on the main road of the Acholi Quarter. Customers flock to her growing business. She earns over $75 per month. Three additional women are currently enrolled in the tailoring course and plan to start their own workshops themselves. The tailoring course costs approximately $350 plus additional expenses for supplies and fabric.
Computing
Two ladies have completed courses in computer studies and general office skills. Akongo Jane has completed a basic two month course in computer studies and moved to Sudan to seek employment with one of its many aid organizations. Buzu Jennifer has completed a one year course at the local university and has opened her own business with a loan from PHH. The shorter program costs $150 and the one year course costs approximately $600.

Driver’s Education

Two individuals have completed their courses in driver’s education, both extended members of the PHH community. The first, Okello Sunday, cares for his younger siblings and infant daughter. His parents have both died of HIV. Sunday now drives a truck to collect sand and stones from the adjacent quarry. He has used some of his income to purchase a sand pit as another method of earning some extra money. Today, he has moved out of his tiny one-room home, which was too small for his large family, to a much larger two-room home, in which each family member now has his/her own bed. Upon completing his studies, another individual, Otim Moses, was hired to be the personal driver of a wealthy man in one of Kampala’s suburbs. This course costs $250 per person.

Learn more about how you can sponsor a woman of Project Have Hope today.