Uganda - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

It's a four day festival scheduled for late October this year (24th to 27th October 2024) to celebrate poetry as an art and open up to the world the power of poetry in advocating and advancing change and its role in development in our communities

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

The poetry festival also known as Jinja International Poetry Festival, is the very first of its kind in Uganda and east and central Africa. With this festival we intend to exhibit and showcase spoken word and poetry as art, business and profession that has been used over the years and still is used to bring about change in communities all over the country. With this festival we intend to see the Ugandan poetry scenery share its culture and elements with others from different parts of the world. The festival schedule to take place from 24th to 25th October 2024, for four days will have performances, masterclasses on writing, performing and how the art can bring impact filled change on the development on this country and the globe at large. On to of that poetry, we shall be having tree planting, touring sites of historic importance in the city of jinja. Performance will be done in local languages and these with be mixed with other art forms like music, dance, fashion and rap.

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

For years we have had an advocacy and activism crisis. We know the problems but not necessarily have the voices to do it and also a form to voice it. With poetry we have a great deal of talented young men and women who can advocate and be activists of change and at the same time do this with some entertainment. The art form of poetry has over the years also helped to educate us as a nation as we remember the good old times of ebitontome from our grand parents. With this festival, anchored of the theme; Roots, we intend to bring a change in the narrative that we have no voice to advocate for a change and we can do it even in our local way. With it we intend to foster collaboration, and interaction of not only cultures but also customs from all over the globe and empower the poets in this country with the belief they can still make change through advocacy and activism and actions towards positive development.

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

We don't have many benefits but surely the few are grounded to make change. 1) Sense of culture. Since we intend to go back to the roots, we have culture as one of the things we intend to promote at the festival. 2) Activism. When a problem is identified, it's only write for us to talk about it and find solutions. This aspect has been rare lately but with this festival collecting a multitude of poets and spoken word artists from all localities and from different parts of the globe, we intend to ignite the spirit of activism and this will greatly help when need to have a voice for development comes up 3)Business. Poetry as an art form employs word play to make impact. This makes it a good form of art in the marketing business as many poets use their art to draft advertising literature and sell it. This would be an opportunity for many who are yet to discover this to find it and different advertising agencies or companies in need of elegant advertising plans to tap into this space.

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

We are aiming at serving poets and spoken word artist as the major group The other group are the many multiple million companies that have benefitted from poetry that is had poets perform at their events, poets drafting slogans or catchy phrases for their companies and some helped in the advertisement campaigns with wording and voice overs With a wide collection of the poetry books during the festival and the library that will be put in place, we intend to serve the community in jinja with literature both books and EPs The trees to be planted will also benefit the local in the years to come.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2023-07-10

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

8

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

5

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

7 of the 8 are young poets between 20 and 23 years. The other is a retired medical doctor now based in jinja. He is now investing in tree planting and is providing a space for the festival to happen The five girls; Four are at university, two at kyambogo university and the other two are at MUBS. They have organized a number of events including poetry at the Nile. The Youngs on the team is currently running a project of Mr. and Miss Poetic, a platform to train young one between ages 13 to 19 how to write, perform and use poetry to earn a living. The last on the list of ladies is based in jinja and an author, editor and teacher. The gentlemen one is an engineer who is a poets, the other a radio presenter at a radio in town. The other a psychologist but officially fully invested in the art of poetry and currently curator to the famous chill Monday nights at wild coffee bar 7th street industrial area Kampala.

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

https://x.com/JinjaPoetryFest/status/1786856198349713521?t=pp-6nV75N6ftTesKiN0w3Q&s=08

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

Other: Social networking and advocacy

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

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

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

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

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

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

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

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

4

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

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

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

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

7 - Strongly Agree

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

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

4

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

7 - Strongly Agree

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

7 - Strongly Agree

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.

7 - Strongly Agree

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

4

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

4

05.08 Justification

We have had festival for lots of arts and may places. But ours is about a very elite art and is in a city with a great historical background and these two combined with the eco and developmental design of jinja, the festival come out as a very unique way to celebrate nature, culture, tourism and elite art and history.

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

We don't really have competition per se, it's a festival concept that aims at bringing together a community of artists that over the years have struggled apart. In any case we are having everyone join that make us no competition neither do we have competitors.

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

Yes. Giving opportunity to women around me to start up. For example shows for the girl child in schools are done by women in my circle and not me. I make it a point when opportunities come it's the ladies that have the go first. This is seen with the composition of my team for this project too. 5 ladies against 3 men.