Uganda - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Open up a company that hires the unemployed youth, teenage moms, stay home moms and women affected by the pandemic to produce clothes on a larges scale for the local and international market.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

In 2020, I got the opportunity to work with International Board Certified Lactation Consultant who was promoting maternal and child health. During this time, I got to interface with teenage moms, stay home moms and women in the society who are largely disadvantaged by the standards of the working environment. At that time I had an e- commerce and decided to turn it into a manufacturing plant where I can hire most of these ladies and put a program for them to teach them how to sew and employ them after. Some of them have gone through the government tailoring programs but have no capital or machinery to start up something. In 2024 I decided I want to start Achaz clothing that will hire these women and put up scholarships for the children and saving schemes for them to have a chance at a new start and change in their lives. It is all an idea right now but I know it is something that can work for most women in the community and they will be able to balance home and work life.

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

There are a number of problems I am trying to solve First of all, the issue of unemployment which is a big issue in the society today. I am solving the issue of poverty aswell as the biggest percentage of these women have no source of income. I am solving the issue of iiletracy, my company will have business workshops for these women to teach them how to interact with communication skills, book keeping, marketing and social media management as these are the main tools to run a small business. There are projects like reusable sanitary towels we will make to help other women aswell in the community so solving a sanitation issue. The savings and scholarship programs will be able to solve the rampant growth of hooligans and street children as most children will be going to school to become something good in our society. The project will be putting money in a number of people's pockets including the government hence economic growth.

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

First of all, as growing up I have a peculiar sense of style. I have styled a number and people but there was a gap in production both internationally and locally. My clothes have a high demand but there is a shortage in supply so as solving this issue, I decided to have this idea to benefit these women and also to benefit me and my clients abroad and locally.

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

The targeted beneficiaries are 1.Women of the criteria -between 16 and 35 - unemployed youth -teenage moms - affected by the pandemic -single moms 2. Children 3. Women in the diaspora with no access to sanitary towels 4. Government

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2023-02-20

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

5

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

4

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

1. El-tania she is a certified tailor and fashion designer who I will be working with to better the tailoring skills of these ladies. 2. Leticia- she is a first class holder in information systems and a previous lecturer of kyambogo university to facilitate in communication skills and how to use the latest technology to ease selling online.

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

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxencia-eugenia-429516271?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

e) Secondary commodities (cars and parts, consumer durables and apparel, retail)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

My project is targeting to work with a certain criteria of people that most people underlook and also we had a rapid growth of drop outs after the pandemic. Most girls are now teenage moms and the government doesn't have an all round solution about this because most cannot go back to school. I am willing to drive this project to the end not only the women will have money in their pockets , but other people I will hire like security, staff, cleaners. I looking to hire atleast seventy people as the company and if some of these women will want to start their own business, they can since I will have equipped them with a saving scheme to build their capital and the skills learnt in the workshops

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

First of all I will like to say that what kills most children is malnutrition. When a mother cannot give a child a full balanced diet which is very foundational to a child, all because they cannot afford it. I am planning to work with the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant who is also a food nutritionist to teach these ladies how to properly feed their children on a very low budget. This project is branching out to help many women all round and children while making money at it.

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

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

The women working with me will have a wage of 300,000 per month but will be given 250,000 with incentives like lunch, child health care ( the company will have a health facility for the women and children) and proper guidance of healthy well-being. The 50,000 will be retained as their saving scheme.

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

The project has trainings that include business, training, healthy lifestyles and trainings by the first International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in Uganda offering nutrition and promoting maternal and child wellness.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

My main concentration is the women who have not gotten a solution with different challenges they face. Some have been affected by the pandemic, some by just life and have not gotten the opportunities and others don't have the qualifications.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

6

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

The project doesn't have an aspect of clean water. But it has a project of making reusable sanitary towels from left over materials which will be given to other women finding it difficult to afford the sanitary pads of 3,000/-

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

6

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

My project puts money mainly in these women's pockets and equips them with the knowledge to be able to start up something. They can hardly afford a decent meal, how can they afford this clean energy. I believe once they have the ability to afford then we can open up their minds to this affordable and clean energy, when they can actually afford.

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

My ladies will be able to have a decent work and life balance with the clean and supporting working environment and putting a smile on many of them. They will be able to purchase therefore adding to the tax base hence economic growth.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

My project needs facilities like wide area to put sewing machines and cutting areas. I need training space for workshops and also shops to sell our finished products.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

In our society most people don't really know what goes on with most people unless you work with projects to interact with certain groups of people. When you do, you get to find out different challenges and most can easily be solved by someone just taking an initiative with the support they need. These women are being included in the equation as part of the society; they will be able to add a building block to our economy.

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

Some of these women send our their children who are as young as seven years old. Not because they want to, but because they have no choice. Most of these children go out to find atleast something to eat or steal if they can't. This project is focussing on the children aswell to keep them in school and we will have less disruption by these children.

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

We focus in production of clothes that any women of any class can actually wear. We focus on quality and comfort therefore suitable for the local and international market.

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

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

4

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

My project will work with different stakeholders along the way, who will have something to add as value to this workforce.

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

6

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

2

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

1 - Strongly Disagree

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

7 - Strongly Agree

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

1 - Strongly Disagree

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

1 - Strongly Disagree

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

1 - Strongly Disagree

05.08 Justification

Most people producing clothes either produce very low quality clothes but are very cheap and have the same style or they produce high quality clothes with brands but most people can't afford. My vision is balance all three good quality, affordable and different styles under a brand.

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

Material girl( focuses on high end market) Ham producing tailors.( focuses on middle class and lower class with low quality material) Waya clothing( focuses on middle class and high end shoppers with good quality clothing) I am producing to cater for low, middle, high markets being accessable with a store in every major city of the country. The idea is to buy in bulk good material and atleast have our products range from as low as 5,000/- to 200,000/-... that way all markets are catered for having a higher advantage. I also plan on working with different designers to come up with different clothes of all women criteria.. like working class woman, casual, party, home outfits, date outfits.

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

Not yet!