Our Programs

Skills Academy

Vocational Skills Training

We currently offer training in one vocational skill, tailoring, with plans to introduce additional skills soon. Our tailoring program begins with basket weaving, a simple skill that eases participants into the training and builds their confidence. Trainees then move on to the basics of tailoring, starting with operating and maintaining a sewing machine. They learn essential skills such as taking measurements, basic stitches, and pattern drafting. As they progress, trainees create various garments, including shirts, pants, skirts, dresses, school uniforms, and bags. The program also covers basic fashion design, encouraging creativity. The course culminates in a capstone project where trainees design and create their own dresses, proudly showcased at a graduation fashion show. Emphasizing practical, hands-on teaching in the local language, the program includes regular skills assessments to measure progress. Our assistant tailoring trainer, a former program graduate, works with struggling students to ensure everyone succeeds.

Entrepreneurship Skills Training

While learning vocational skills is essential, it is not enough to start a successful business. Our entrepreneurship training is designed to teach basic business skills, empowering graduates to transform their talents into sustainable enterprises. We use the Street Business School training curriculum, delivered by our certified Street Business School coach, covering a wide range of topics to build a strong foundation in entrepreneurship.

We begin by embracing change and taking calculated risks, exploring strategies to step out of comfort zones and seize new opportunities confidently. Participants learn to identify viable business opportunities by assessing demand, skills, assets, and competition. Understanding different types of capital, including skills and assets, encourages starting small with available resources. Essential business skills such as bookkeeping are taught to track sales, expenses, and calculate profits.

Through market research, participants gather and analyze information to better understand their community. Business planning sessions highlight the value of a comprehensive business plan, covering product offerings, customer analysis, and competitive advantage. Growing the customer base is emphasized, stressing creative promotion and excellent customer care to enhance revenue. Finally, money management education helps participants understand the importance of saving and managing money wisely for both personal and business success. All participants graduate with a completed business plan and a year of savings to jump start their businesses.

Life Skills Training

Our life skills classes are designed to provide holistic training, focusing on key areas that contribute to women's empowerment and wellbeing. We educate trainees on crucial health and wellbeing topics that affect women in the region, including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), hygiene, family planning, nutrition, women’s rights, and domestic violence. Our program aims to build leadership skills by boosting confidence and encouraging women to speak up and share their thoughts. We address stress management and promote openness about personal struggles, fostering a supportive community. Parenting skills are also covered to support healthy family dynamics. Together, these life skills empower women to lead happy, fulfilling lives.

Graduate Success

Microloans

One of the primary barriers to starting a business is lack of capital, especially in regions where individuals often don’t have access to financial institutions. We address this by providing small business loans to our program graduates. Upon graduation, most women wish to purchase their own sewing machine and buy an initial stock of cloth to start their tailoring business. Our loans come with reasonable interest rates and require a clear, well-thought-out business plan as part of the application process. We start with very small loans, and as graduates repay their loans and demonstrate good money management, we offer larger loans. By offering financial support, we help bridge the gap between training and practical application, empowering women to take control of their economic futures.

Mentorship

We are committed to supporting our participants long after graduation, with mentorship playing a key role. We routinely visit our graduates in their homes and conduct a short survey, known as the Graduate Success Tracker, to assess their progress. This data helps us identify graduates who may be struggling. Our Graduate Success Coordinator then follows up with these individuals, providing one-on-one business coaching and problem-solving assistance to help take their businesses to the next level. Additionally, she checks in on a personal level to discuss any issues they may be facing in their lives. This continuous, personalized support ensures that graduates apply their skills effectively and overcome any barriers they encounter.

Social Savings Groups

We organize graduates into groups based on their proximity to each other and facilitate weekly meetings. Each group elects a chairperson, secretary, and treasurer to ensure effective management. During these meetings, members contribute money to a communal savings fund and can request loans from the group. These gatherings also provide a platform for members to discuss their progress, share business tips, and support each other through life's ups and downs. Whether celebrating a birth or mourning a loss, the group mobilizes to provide emotional and practical support. Building these social networks is crucial, as they play a key role in helping individuals progress out of poverty through collective strength.

Wellbeing Support

Counseling Services

We provide on-site counseling for all trainees and graduates, addressing the many challenges faced by women in Asembo. In this region, access to mental health services is limited, making our support crucial. Our counseling services offer a safe space for participants to discuss personal and family issues, helping them navigate their challenges. We understand that personal wellbeing directly affects business success. Trainees cannot concentrate in class if they have pressing issues on their minds. By supporting their mental health, we ensure that participants are better equipped to focus on their training and entrepreneurial endeavors.

Family Planning

We provide comprehensive education on the benefits of family planning, including information on different types of birth control. By encouraging the use of contraceptives and the spacing of children, we empower women to take control of their reproductive health. This is a crucial step towards gaining agency and breaking the generational cycle of poverty by having only as many children as they can support. To facilitate this, we partner with a registered nurse from the local clinic who visits our training center to offer birth control options such as injections, implants, and pills, making access to these services convenient for our participants.

Domestic Violence Reduction

Domestic violence is a major and common issue facing women in Asembo. We address this by educating trainees about women’s rights and working to change perceptions of acceptable behavior. Our program provides practical tips and techniques to improve communication with spouses and de-escalate situations to avoid violence. We encourage women to speak up about incidents, whether to our staff or local leaders. When necessary, our staff step in to mediate situations or provide temporary shelter for those in need. Additionally, we conduct training sessions with the husbands of trainees and other male community members to change their attitudes towards violence and promote positive communication.