A23.1 Training in a profession at urban vulnerable settlements in Uganda

Partnership with Creative Arts
2017-2021

Our Partner Creative Arts 256 expresses to everyone involved.
“We thank you for the wonderful work you do in supporting us and building our county Uganda.”

 Supporting single mothers and adolescent girls living in the slum.

Our Target partners

The beneficiaries are largely women who are single mothers who need to earn more income and look after their families.

In addition, the programme provides funds to train girl youths with vocational skills that can help provide them with incomes and desist/prevent them from engaging in prostitution and drug abuse.

Objectives

Empowerment, boost small scale business, fight poverty.
Target group: Single parents  and adolescent  girls who have dropped out from school.

Our Programme management parnters

We run this programme together with Ubuntu Art House and Creative Arts 256 and Chusa Foundation in Uganda.

Implementing organization: Creative Arts 256 & Chusa foundation.
CREATIVE ARTS 256, Kisenyi II Kamwokya, Kampala Uganda. +256701175760/ +256782335858.
Creativearts uganda@gmail.com

  • Creative Arts 256 are organizing financial literacy workshops, seminars, open discussions, talk shows, training of trainers, research on issues that affect the single mothers and adolescent girls, counselling and guidance.
    Creative Arts 256 addresses: financial knowledge, saving culture, small business management, advocate for Child-to-Parent communication within families to avoid early pregnancies and school dropout, equip the young girls with credible information and tools that will help them lead successful lives.
  • Creative Arts 256 offers links to HIV prevention, treatment and care service providers.

 The context

This programme takes place within Kamwokya and Kyebando. Kamwokya and Kyebando are slum areas within Kampala the capita of Uganda and are faced by many challenges. Kamwokya and Kyebando are densely populated and have an estimated population of 40.000 people. The majority of its inhabitants are children and youth and most of the families in these areas are poor and illiterate.

Most men in slums have dropped their responsibilities to look after their families, because of the tough economic situation, lack of employment, and rural urban migration. We face family drop out, domestic violence, early sex marriage and polygamy which leads to single mothers. Many children do not get a chance to go to school. And for those that are lucky to go to school many drop out. Although these issues make life challenging and affect all, it is worse with the adolescent girls as so many of them resort to prostitution, which in addition leads to unwanted pregnancies, acquisition of HIV/AIDS and eventually death.

 

Outreach activities to single mothers and adolescent girls and formation of groups

2019

This programme targets those who already have a skill and business experience, single mothers and adolescent girls.

1. Groups comprising single mothers and adolescent girls aged 16-35 years have been established and have attended workshops. Group leaders have been trained.

2. Group members meet on a monthly basis to receive peer-to-peer education through interactive discussions. The trained leaders attend their meetings to backstop them and generate project reports with recommendation that will inform future actions.

Chusa School of beauty

July 2020

We are proud to inform you that a new school (Chusa School of beauty) has been opened to enable you to learn and lap into the opportunities of income generation.
Chusa school of beauty targets girls especially between the age of ten years and twenty-five.

At Chusa School of beauty we guarantee for you to learn salon management and all its activities i.e.;

  • Plaiting
  • Braiding
  • Weaving
  • Styling
  • Makeup

Alongside extra activities like:

  • Games and sports
  • Saving
  • Opening of small joint business

Applications shall be made to office and admission plus two passport photos. The student is required to pay a registration fee of 10000/-.

All students shall be required to come with full school equipment.

  • 4 combs
  • Pair of scissors
  • Threads
  • Towels
  • Gloves
  • Face mask
  • Pin

The school term shall last for a period of 24 weeks 6 months were all students go through what is set for them and thereafter graduate upon completion.
Morning classes start at 8 am-1 pm and afternoon sessions start at 2 pm -5 pm weekdays.

Rules

  • All students must respect school authority and all persons in whom the headteacher may from time to time be vested.
  • All students are expected to respect each other and to cultivate self-respect and self-discipline.
  • No alcohol, intoxicants shall be accepted at the study area and if anyone is found to possess or use and abuse them or act under their influence shall be addressed. If we discovered  abuse of drugs we shall first take her for counseling. If this does not help we may have to send her away.
  • Damage or loss of school property will be paid by the person concerned.
  • Students must keep their property safe; the school takes no responsibility what so ever for the loss of a student’s belonging
  • Theft is strictly prohibited and if realized shall be handled accordingly
  • All students shall participate physically in keeping the premises clean in accordance with specified schedules; this will include compound, study area, and toilets
  • The use of abusive language is strictly forbidden.
  • All students shall be responsible for their own aprons and must keep them clean.
  • Keep silence during study time in order not to disturb the comfort and peace of others.

The school shall provide:

  • Aprons
  • Sinks
  • Basins
  • Buckets
  • Dryers

School fees

All students shall pay a sum of 150000/-.
This money is all to be paid strictly to the office where students shall get receipts upon confirmation of payment.

Savings

Chusa School of beauty encourages its students to save by cultivating a regular saving culture and the total saving of each student shall be given to them at graduation.

Graduation

Graduation ceremony shall be held by Chusa School of beauty after 24 weeks and all students shall receive certificates in their respective courses and savings accumulated during the time of the study.

We wish our students a happy stay at Chusa School of Beauty.

Status report May 2020

25 May 2020, meeting notes compiled by Bernard OMONY and Moses MURUNGI.
COVID-19 adds challenges to our partners.

  • The members of our team in Uganda had a consensus that COVID-19 caught everyone un-aware and as a result crippled most of the businesses in the program.
  • Businesses/enterprises are stuck due to reduced numbers of customers and working hours. As a result, a number of members have not been able to pay back what is owed.
  • The members have agreed that some businesses will not be able to operate as profitably as they have been before. As a result, members have suggested that it is wise to think of shifting business lines/types to be able to be competitive and keep the programme running. However the challenge to this is that starting a new business without any experience in that business is in itself worrying. Group leaders will visit individual members to assess their opinions on the new business idea. In the same vain, the group leaders will visit members before 2nd June 2020 for the way forward.
  • The members also suggested that it’s the responsibility of the group leaders to meet the members to find out the individual challenges and find solutions to the challenges.
  • The meeting agreed that members should start planning now about the kind of businesses and ventures that would be profitable for them in this new COVID-19 era. People should not wait.
  • Members suggested that the period for payment should be adjusted to more than one month. However, others suggested that its better and easier to pay in small instalments in shorter periods. There was nothing conclusive on this.
  • The suggestion of introducing new members in the program was rejected. It was agreed that it is better to first stabilize the current program before we can invite a new cohort.
  • Members also agreed that the program can open up a mobile money account to ease the collection of monies from members. Members can deposit the money they get anytime without having to wait for demands. Members also agreed that the running costs should be carried by the program not the members.

Status report june 2020

REPORT by Creative arts 256, 6 June 2020, Edward BUTIMBA

The  first  meeting  was held on  15/2/2020 basically  it was  about introduction of members  to the  project, implementing  organization, the  supporting  organization, the  objectives  of the project. We out lined the requirements for one to be a member and also were told that this fund is not from government or any political contestant. We requested to visit their existing home businesses, ask for money they will be able to return back, use money for what they asked it for and to make groups and elect leaders

On 22/2/2020 we organized a business management workshop that was headed by Mr. MUSTAFA, after the workshop we also grouped parents in groups of 5 by themselves chose their leader, this was followed by lunch and refreshments.

On 24/2/2020 at 11:00am we invited parents to creative arts office to receive their money to boost their home businesses, we managed to give 100000 to 18 members and 200000 to 2 members accordingly, we proposed this to be returned in 3 month with a 10% interest. Comment by HR&S: Total UGX 2 200 000, thus  € 525  (OANDA, June 2020). We communicated one week free for preparation from 25-29 than program start on 1st march2020, during March the program was running smoothly and 5000-10000 was being reported on the agreed day of collection. Unfortunately in the same month we were stormed by covid 19 which disorganized the project, this brought about lockdown so we put a hold  on the project till conditions  normalize ,although during the lockdown we managed to get  3  heroes  who completed and fulfilled their  promise and later we got one more  but all these took 100000.

On 18th 18/4/2020 we managed to move around to visit members though we were not allowed to move out and visit any one, we reached out 10 members to share how they are being affected by the situation, the challenges they were facing, how the fund has helped them despite the pandemic and to know if they were willing to continue with the project.

On 22/5/2020 we had a meeting at creative arts office joined by Mr. Moses plus 2 parents and shared about the way forward, covid challenges, when to give money again, who to give, what to do for those who failed to return completely ,who brought same, can we get new members or not, how to ease the collection. 

We are suggesting giving out funds again to our members on 13 june to restart the programme since all have been affected during the pandemic and it’s not going to end so soon, members have no money to return back because their businesses are so down to support their families and to run the program though it will not be declared as free will deliberately fail to fulfill their promises. Our heroes have already been given funds for the second time and their businesses are prospering.

Skilling programme: Our adolescent girl’s saloon is soon opening up and we have register 20 students to start with, also wishing to start fashion and design if we get more funds to buy tailoring machines.

How to start a food business

30 July 2020,
Report by Edward BUTIMBA

In relation to educating our adolescent girls, we hosted a kitchen station to train our girls on how to start a food business. This workshop shall eventually benefit 100 adolescent girls in Kamwokya. The girls have been divided into three groups, and each group is targeted with a separate workshop.  A cookery class shall start after the workshops.

 

STATUS REPORT sEPT 2020

5 September 2020,
Report by Edward BUTIMBA

CREATIVE ARTS 256 is a community based organization located in Kamwokya Kisenyi 2 zone, in Kampala central region. Fully registered with gender office with registration number CEN/18/004

It was established on 5th June 2015 by Butimba Edward aka Mr. Nector (vision bearer) and a group of artists with different capacities with a vision of transforming lives of other disadvantaged people through arts; like music, dance, drama visual art, and sports to share, show love and give hope to those who have given up in life.

Creative Arts 256 Visions – empowered single mothers and adolescent girls living to their full potential and positively impacting their communities.

Our mission rotates on empowering, informing, equipping, inspiring, challenging and rehabilitating the single mothers and adolescent girl school dropouts in Kamwokya, Kyebando and neighboring communities.

Its focal key issues of concern include: empowering single mothers and adolescent girl dropouts boasting their home business to fight poverty and sustaining their health living, Peers&Friends, Career Development, and Youth Empowerment among others. All the activities and operations of the Creative Arts 256 Organization aim at helping and guiding the youth and single mothers.

Accountability report from 1st march -31st august 2020

Implementing organization ……… Creative Arts 256

Name of the project…………………women home business project

 Duration………………………….March to August 2020

Project location………………Kamwokya and Kyebando

 Project beneficiaries…………………single mothers and adolescent girls

 

List of single parents

name

age

 

residence

Nandudu scovia

30

 

kisenyi

Pidoic   alice

45

 

mulimira

Ndagire  justine

42

 

kisenyi

Imakol   alice

40

 

mulimira

Nabyoole  harriet

41

 

mulimira

Raciwu  lilian

25

 

kyebando

Kwoyocway  evaline

34

 

kyebando

Fuacan  irene

38

 

kyebando

Akankunda  sarah

20

 

kifumbira

Nakito  hadija

34

 

kisenyi

Nakayenga  christine

43

 

kisenyi

Rukundo  hilder

42

 

kifumbira

Tibakawa  rehema

33

 

murimira

Namubiru  resty

67

 

kifumbira

Namaganda  norah

38

 

kisenyi

Bafuruka  jenipher

45

 

murimira

Kirungi  evelyine

24

 

kisenyi

Sanyu rose

42

 

kisenyi

Namubiru  carolyn

21

 

kisenyi

Namuyanja  lamulah

23

 

Kamwokya  kisenyi

Nabwire  jatinah

43

 

Kamwokya market

Namugelwa  rosemary

50

 

Kamwokya mulimira

Kisakye  fatuma

45

  
    

 

List of adolescent girls

name

age

 

residence

Nakisige  tracy

27

 

mulimira

Nakito  halimah

18

 

mulago

Parmu  judith

29

 

nsoba

Mungujamic  eve

24

 

kyebando

Nakigozi  kuluthum

13

 

kisaasi

Kusiima  rose

37

 

mulago

Kwiyocwiny  brenda

28

 

mulimira

Mbabazi  juliet

29

 

mulago

Najuma  ritah

17

 

mulago

Kimpaye  mariam

21

 

mulago

Namulinda  sumaya

17

 

bukoto

Nakabuye  sumaya

17

 

kisenyi

Nabosa  rhona

16

 

kisenyi

Kayeny  trinity

17

 

kisaasi

Oyungrwoth  fancy

20

 

kisaasi

Gino  virgil max

20

 

mulago

Kwiowiny  mauda

14

 

kyebando

Balungi  milly

35

 

kisenyi

Pidoic alice

45

 

mulimira

Atyero shillah

19

 

bokoto

Aweko jackilian

20

 

mulimira

Kawamba daize

23

 

kisenyi

    
    

 

Challenges faced

Implementing organization

COVID 19 has affected our income generation to support the organisation as the institution depends more on performing art and public live interaction during sensitization through performance.

Single mothers

COVID 19 has affected their small businesses since most of all single mothers are hand to mouth category this has failed their performance in this project though some have tried to puss up with the program

Adolescent girls

Most of our beneficiaries are school drop-out and unemployed this has slowed the progress since they have no money to pay for some services to be put in place

COVID 19 has also been an obstacle for progression since anything similar to a school or saloon has no authority to operate in order to stop the spread of the virus.

Success

Creative arts together with human rights and science and action10 has uplifted single parents and adolescent girls’ livelihood and supported families of the beneficiaries despite the effect of COVID 19 to their small businesses.

The project has motivated single parents to live to their full potential and control of businesses.

The adolescent girls have acquired skills in hairdressing that can help them start their own businesses.

The project has more helped creative arts to create a big relationship with the community.

First withdrawal…………………………………….3,000,000

Second withdrawal…………………………………2,000,000

Third withdrawal……………………………………….1,800,000

Fourth withdrawal………………………………………200,000

 

Tables of fund distribution to single mothers

 names

Amount given

date

Amount back

date

Amount failed

Pidoic alice

100000

24/2/2020

40000

 

70000

Kisakye  fatuma

200000

;;

40000

 

180000

Sanyu  rose

100000

;;

30000

 

80000

Raciwu lilian

100000

;;

20000

 

90000

Kwiocway evaline

100000

;;

20000

 

90000

Nabywole harriet

200000

;;

100000

 

120000

Nakayenga christain

100000

;;

110000

 

…………

Ndagire  justin

100000

;;

110000

 

………..

Namubiru caralyn

100000

;;

10000

 

100000

Nandudu  scovia

100000

;;

110000

 

…………

Rukundo  hilder

100000

;;

80000

 

30000

Namalanda norah

100000

;;

60000

 

50000

Kirungi  evelen

100000

;;

10000

 

100000

Akankuda sarah

100000

;;

7000

 

103000

Imokolo ailce

100000

;;

20000

 

90000

Fuacaa  irene

100000

;;

20000

 

90000

Namubiru resty

100000

;;

4000

 

106000

Tebakawa rehema

100000

;;

5000

 

105000

Nakito hadijah

100000

;;

15000

 

95000

Bafuruka  jenepher

100000

;;

………..

 

……….

 

2,200,000

 

701000

 

1436000

      

 

Gave again to those who completed

names

Fund given

Date

Fund back

Fund failed

Ndagire justin

150,000

4/5/2020

165,000

……….

Nakayenga christian

150,000

4/5/2020

165,000

………..

 

300,000

 

330,000

 

Ndagire justin

200000

15/6/2020

180000

40000

Nakayenga christein

200000

;;

90000

130000

Nandudu scovia

150000

;;

165000

……….

Namalanda norha

100000

;;

100000

10000

Nabywole harrite

150000

;;

100000

60000

Nabwire  faimah

100000

;;

110000

……….

Namugerwa  rosemary

100000

;;

50000

60000

Namuyanja  lamulah

100000

;;

110000

……….

Imokole alice

100000

;;

35000

75000

Sanyu rose

100000

;;

30000

80000

     
 

1,300,000

 

970000

395000

     

 

Expenses

Business workshop on 22/2/2020 to equip knowladge to single parents

  • Hiring venue 150000
  • Chairs 30000
  • Pa system 100000
  • Lunch and refreshments @5000 a plate= 150000

Administration costs

Allowence for six officals each@ 80,000 per month=2,880,000

Butimba edward, kayondo joseph, sanyu rose, omonyi bernard, balingi milly and nagalye fatuma

Office

 lent from march-august each month @200000=1,200,000

Chusa school of beauty

 lent from march –august  each month@ 180000=1,080,000

material

breads, cosmetics = 600000

equipment

  • 10 chairs @200000
  • 3 Dryers@ 150000
  • Faniture@ 50000
  • Capet@ 50000
  • 2 Bensens @10000
  • 5 tawels@ 20000

 

 Total        8,671,000

Status report December 2020

12/12/2020

By MURUNGI MOSES
Planning & Evaluation Director, HR&S RISE Support Centre Uganda Ltd

OVERVIEW OF SINGLE MOTHERS’ SMALL BUSINESSES

In early 2020, there was an agreement between Cecilia Öman (CEO HR&S Sweden) and Edward Butimba (Director of Creative Arts 256) for the transfer of €2000 about Ugx 7m. This was meant as a loan with 10 % annual interest to Creative arts that could be accessed by single mothers and adolescent girls for the sole purpose of supporting their small businesses. These businesses included largely small stalls of vegetables among others.

Edward Butimba was in charge of identifying suitable persons to benefit from these loans and the collection of payments. He selected the first batch of 20 out of 40 candidates. There was a seminar to inform the women about how the programme works. The women were informed that these are soft loans to be paid with an interest of 10% in a period of 3 months and that if one successfully pays back the loan, she would be eligible for acquiring a higher amount.

In mid-March 2020, the COVID19 restrictions on businesses and the movement of people severely hampered the programme. Some loan takers defaulted because they used the money for personal issues, not for the businesses as it was planned.

A resolution was taken in June 2020 to try and revamp the programme by giving out more loans to the business owners. Priority was for the ladies that were showing promise in payment. (Refer to the ‘’accountability’’ report.) There was a consensus that the women be proactive and diversify their businesses to areas that can generate income even during the COVID19 pandemic. We also agreed that the women be proactive and pay back their monies via mobile money and that Edward did not have to keep pestering them on paying, to which they agreed.

Challenges

Some women paid back but most defaulted on their payments. Edward claims that the women failed to honor their due dates of payment, and when he kept reminding them, they keep deferring him to a later date which he says was frustrating. He also worries that it is like he had created for himself enemies with these women. Some would even hide on the due dates. Edward stresses that the demographics of the choice of the group we are working with (especially income-wise) dictate that they will fail to pay in the long run. He attributes this to the fact that these women will not fail to use the business money in case there is a problem to solve at home, say rent arrears or a sick child, or school fees dues.

In my opinion, there was no thorough financial management sensitization for the women at the time of acquiring the funds, for example, there was no culture of saving, and/or ability to separate profits from the business, from the operating capital. In addition, there was a lack of a thorough customer survey to guide in choosing the people that would guarantee a high proportion of payment back. There is a need for a more consultative survey before taking the loan. It seems they took advantage of free money (without serious consequences i.e. collateral security).

Edward is not confident about the success of this or a similar programme in a similar social setting. He says he is not confident of getting another loan because of not only the obligation from the loan provider who insists the money must be paid back but also from his community where he says he has made enemies because of the same. He says he is not comfortable with doing something that will be divisive between his organization and the community. He, therefore, thinks that the single mothers’ small business programme is not viable in these circumstances, but also may not rhyme perfectly with the objectives of HR&S.

OVERVIEW OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS & CHUSA SCHOOL OF BEAUTY

Edward’s idea of Chusa School of beauty was to give non-school-going adolescent girls in Kamwokya an opportunity to obtain hands-on skills. In his own words, Edward says the objective of the school is to:

  1. Skilling non-school-going adolescent girls in Kamwokya.
  2. To increase the financial status of the girls.
  3. Create an alternative space where the girls can spend their time instead of involving themselves in fornication and drug abuse
    • Prevent early pregnancies
    • Prevent HIV other STIs
    • Prevent early marriages

The conundrum here is that an enrolled adolescent defaulting on school fees payments cannot be stopped from coming to school because this is like a safe place for them. Most of these girls’ parents do not take their parenting responsibilities seriously in any case. In addition, not all students will pay full tuition fees by the end of the training period. In other words, some will pay 100% at the beginning, others will pay 100% near the end of the study period; likewise, others will pay 75%, others 50%, whereas most will pay 25% and less of the tuition fees.  The point here is that Chusa School of Beauty would pose serious challenges as a loan taker from HR&S.

However, in my opinion, if the already skilled girls come together (maybe 5, maybe 10) and form a group, HR&S could help them start a joint business with a loan that is payable long term. In order to protect our interests and investment, HR&S would own 100% of the business and only hand it over to the girls once they have settled their payment. The girls will have to sign an agreement with HR&S. The girls will be actively running this business and they would be properly trained in business & financial management by our RISE Accounting Coach, with close monitoring. This will actually make a substantial difference in the lives of these adolescent girls.

Plan for 2021

  • We have to look for social entrepreneurs who are willing to fulfill the requirements and meet the objectives of HR&S.
  • Edward cannot ensure the success of the small business program. He is also not confident about taking another loan.
  • We can still help the adolescent girls in one way or another.

Planning for 2021

We see three potential customers
1. On-going well functioning businesses in Kamwokya that would benefit from scaling.
2. The Chusa school as proposed by Moses in his report.
3. Creative Arts itself.

  •  This time though the management of the loan must be according to agreement.
  • As proposed by Moses a customer survey is required.
  • The customers will report to the RISE Centre directly and not to Creative Arts.
  • We will have a strong accountability management programme.

 “Early adopters”

What does the ideal customer who buys first look like?

  1. One social entrepreneur who is able to pay 10% interest and 10% fee while eventually having an impact and develop a profitable business.
  2. One institution supporting financially a training package and maybe also contributing to RISEinvest.

Action plan 2021

Chusa School of Beauty

The Chusa School of Beauty that was run by Creative Arts 256 in partnership with HR&S Action10 during 2020 has graduated 20 students.  The school targeted girls between the age of ten years and twenty-five from Kamwoya and Kyebando and taught about about saloon management and all realted activities i.e.; plaiting, braiding, weaving, styling and makeup as well as sports, saving and opening a business. The shool also addressed; accountability, trust & respect for others, self-respect and self-discipline, drug use awareness, cleaning of the saloon, good language and polite behaviour. These graduates are now welcome to join hands to set up the Chusa Saloons.

The RISE Hair Salons

The RISE Hair Salons shall be a chain of beauty shops that offer hairdressing, styling, cosmetology, and bridal services. The chain of saloons will be structured in and around the Kamwokya. The chain is established to give employment opportunities to the alumni of Chusa School of Beauty, Kamwokya. The chain is to be established as one of the activities that will help the Kamwokya adolescent girls programme to reach the intended impact. The saloons themselves will be financially sustainable, unlike the school.

Each salon will be managed by a group of five alumni students, each with a capable leader. The saloons/business will get coaching from the HR&S RISE Centre Uganda Accounting coach about bookkeeping and best practices in business management. In addition, the business will be supported by the Evaluation Planning coach to ensure that programme objectives are followed and the desired outcome is realized in a reasonable time. The Branding and Public relations coach will also support as well as the Survey management coach.

The Saloon staff

Five graduates per saloon, each with a saloon leader.  Among the twenty one person has been elected President and one person vice president. These same two individuals will be trained by the HR&S RISE Accounting coach about bookkeeping and financial management. Also, all saloons will benefit from financial management workshops to ensure a smooth running of the business and ensure financial stability of programs.

Graduation from CHUSA School of Beauty
2020 & 2021

Introduction

We are proud to inform that the school (Chusa School of Beauty) that was run during 2020 has graduated 20 students,and the school run 2021 also graduated 20 Students. These students are now welcome to join hands to set up the RISE Hair Salons ( see next chapter).

Chusa School of Beauty

The Chusa School of Beauty targeted girls between the age of ten years and twenty-five. The students learned about saloon management and all realted activities i.e.;

  • Plaiting
  • Braiding
  • Weaving
  • Styling
  • Makeup

Alongside extra activities like:

  • Sports.
  • Saving.
  • Opening of small joint business.

Programme Core-values

  • Accountability.
  • Trust & respect for others.
  • Self-respect and self-discipline.
  • Drug use awareness.
  • Cleaning of the saloon.
  • Good language and polite behaviour.

Status report
31 Dec 2021

By Murungi Moses
Team-leader

Activities

In 2021, we focused our energies on the CHUSA Chain of Beauty Saloons projects. This was after COVID19 disrupted another program of supporting small-scale businesses in Kamwokya. Our partner Edward (Creative Arts) was running a school of beauty. The school sought support from HR&S, however, there were difficulties making it financially sustainable. The school targeted mainly adolescent girls out of school due to the closure of schools due to the covid19 lockdown. We decided that we would support Chusa School of beauty, but have a hair beauty salon running alongside the school, an enterprise that would guarantee financial sustainability. Once Action10 extended the EUR 2000, we opened up the salon with 5 alumni of the Chusa school of beauty. These 5 were entrusted with the responsibility of running of the saloon, as closely supervised by Edward. Action10 Invest loan took care of 3 months’ rent in anticipation that, by that time, the business would at least cover those expenses. However, this wasn’t possible. Another 3 months was covered, still with no evidence of financial sustenance. Reports from our partner blamed the situation on the inability to attract customers. However, my investigation revealed that our partner had turned the salon into the beauty school, that trained girls during weekdays and struggled to attract customers over the weekends. this was designed as so because I only used to visit the salons at weekends. they, therefore, were reporting falsely about what was being done. As a consequence of this, four of the five girls who were responsible for the salon completely abandoned it, since it wasn’t generating any income for them. It was clear therefore that the reason we were not attracting customers, why couldn’t meet our overheads was the saloon was non existent. Its image was destroyed beyond repair. I therefore decided to close it since we couldn’t approve another 3 month payment and capital boost in those circumstances. In December, I then decided to move the saloon to another place, now with one of the five students who was still remaining. The business was refinanced so that she could continue. Two months later, she was no longer working.  All my attempts to establish her challenges were in vain. I later learnt that she got married and her husband was not comfortable letting her manage her own business. I have since collected all the remaining business assets and kept them at my place of residence until a suitable candidate can utilize them to generate an income.

Outcome

 

One of the five girls is now running her own salon upcountry.

Progress marker_Partnership

Score 1

Our partner formally ended his partnership with HR&S after we established that it was partly due to his actions, to dishonour our agreements about running of the salon, by turning it into a school that resulted in the failure of the project. This he did without any communication and he was dishonest in his reporting.

Lesson learned

  • It is an unwise to attempt to offer solutions to a person in need. It is better for the solutions to come from the person themselves.
  • It is better to support individuals who have business experience, who have started and are trying to make a business grow. These people have an internal motivation to ensure success of their enterprise and therefore appreciate value for money. Such people are more likely to be responsible than those who are not actively engaged in a business. They are also not likely to make business mistakes usually made in startups for example.
  • It is better for HR&S to collaborate more with organizations who have no history of working with the Aid industry. We can form a parallel narrative.

 

Planning ahead for 2022

  • We shall try to identify an entrepreneur who is in the business of hair saloons. That’s will be the person we support going forward. However, that entrepreneur must share our values and our vision as HR&S.
  • We also hope to increase our RISE members portfolio. At the moment, we only have one underperforming RISE member and this affects our financial sustainability as the support centre.
  • We are also looking forward to take advantage of all the webinars scheduled for this year.