Uganda - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Rapha Soap Bliss - soap making project is a creative blend of science and art. Transforming raw ingredients into luxurious bars, each product will bring a smile to the community through giving back to the young and adolescent mothers and babies.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

According to Uganda Bureau of Statistics (2021), Uganda is well known to be one of the poorest countries in the globe with currently 12.3 million people (30.1% of the population) lived below the poverty line of U.S. $1.77 per person per day. This does not generally imply that no efforts have been done. The World Bank and other international donors have prioritized Uganda and have implemented several multi-billion projects. Individual contributions should not go unnoticed towards the same development cause. Much as all that has been done, the status is still wanting with Uganda still counted among the poorest country around the world. Raph Soap Bliss will make a transformative endeavor that blends compassion, empowerment, and sustainability. Through artisanal soap creation, empower marginalized individuals, providing them with skills, dignity, and economic independence. Each handcrafted bar will tell a story of resilience, community, and hope. With this vision, we can lather up change.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

Women in Uganda have been left out in the process of economic development. This situation keeps worsening as they approach child-bearing age. Sanity and hygiene is challenging due to inadequate funds to buy menstrual pads. For mothers, they try to set up low scale business that can only sustainn them to eat a day's meal. Their children are malnourished and many have turned into street vendors, putting their lives at risk of defilement, abduction for sacrificial rituals, accidents and influence of drugs. The route cause of this problem is low income. Through Rapha Soap Bliss, each sale of soap will partly benefit the vulnerabke mothers in the Ugandan community. Through financial literacy lessons, these mothers will be trained to manufacture, market, and save income to support themselves out of poverty.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

1. With an influx of plastic bottles in Uganda countrywide, mainly due to the increasing number of businesses dealing in handwash and showering gel, bar soap is an immediate alternative to reducing plastic waste in the environment. Companies generate a n astounding volume of plastic bottles each year that either end of in lakes or on land. Worst of all, they take forever to decompose. Bar soap is the best way to protect the environment. 2. Environmental Impact. Laundry bar soap significantly contributes to reducing plastic pollution. Unlike liquid laundry detergents that come in plastic bottles, bar soap typically has minimal or no packaging. This enables us to actively participate in achieving SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by minimizing plastic waste and promoting sustainable packaging practices.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

The project directly benefits internally directly impacts vulnerable families and children, fostering resilience and hope in the face of adversity. Families suffering after the aftermath of the death of the fathers are many around Kampala especially in the areas of Mengo, Nansana and Nateete. The project will directly benefit 20 women and 10 men, including 40 children. The selection criteria will include both men and women, from 18 years above with no segregation based on race and religion.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-01-21

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

2

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

2

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

1. Nangera Granie Tausi. A project manager currently working with International Refugee Committee, with over five years experience in project management in both urban and refugee settlements. 2. Amasio Dinah Mercy. A project manager, with over 5 years experience in managing market systems strengthening projects. Currently employed by Save the Children International under the USAID/BHA Uthabiti grant.

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

a) Energy (equipment, services, sustainable energy and fuel)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

By teaching vulnerable women the art of soap making, the project will provide them with a sustainable income source. These women can sell their handmade soaps, in their town market centers, local shops, and neighbors, thereby lifting themselves out of extreme poverty.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

4

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

4

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

4

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

The project will employee a ratio of 7:3 women to men because women have proven to have more care for their families in the ghettos of Uganda. Furthermore, communities will be taught on gender stereotypes around families through mindset change seminars in order to reduce gender based violence in families in Uganda.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

4

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

6

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

Optimal measurement of raw materials will be taught to participants in this project. The project will also minimise on waste by employing low scale packaging materials like boxes and selling to neighboring communities to minimise on plastic packaging.

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

3

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

4

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

4

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

4

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

6

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

The project’s emphasis on using natural ingredients cannot be skipped. Natural oils like palm and olive oil and natural extracts.

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

4

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

4

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

6

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

The project will contribute to SDG 15 by fostering environmental awareness, supporting sustainable practices, and empowering vulnerable communities—to properly dispose of plastic waste and recycle it. Routinely, the project team and beneficiaries will clean community wells and roads as part of their corporate social responsibility to promote hygiene and sanititation.

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

3

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

4

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

The government of Uganda has come up several poverty eradication programs like the Parish Development Model. Through local partnerships between families and women, these funds can be accessed in order to boost the production of their businesses after startup.

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

1 - Strongly Disagree

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

2

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

3

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

4

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

5

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

4

05.08 Justification

Bar soap has a very big market in the market economy of Uganda. Both local and imported products are sold on the local market. However, these products are very expensive due to the high tax rates in Uganda and not affordable by marginalized Ugandans. The bar soap market is also very wide and has a ready market because it as an essential commodity in the country.

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

The major competitors are Mukwano Industries Ltd the manifactures of Mukwano bar soap and Chapa Nyota bar soap, Bidco Africa Ltd the manufaturers of White Star bar soap. This project will use cheap and locally purchased raw materials like palm oils to reduce on the cost of production and have a cheaper but high quality bar soap fit enough to be purchased and used by local communities in Uganda.

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

Yes. I often have discussions with female friends about their business ideas and advise them on the best strategies to implement them and win. Further to that, I have financially supported female counterparts with capital to startup businesses in line with clothing, jewellery and bakery.