Entrepreneurship and Land Rights: Rising Tide’s Recent Grantee Visit in Uganda and Tanzania

August 19, 2024

In July, Isabelle Hirs and Alexander Hammond from Rising Tide’s Freedom in Practice team visited two grantees in Uganda: Teach a Man to Fish and Cadasta Foundation.  

The journey began with a visit to Teach a Man to Fish’s projects in Yumbe and Arua. The project, which is supported by RTF, focuses on empowering young people by establishing school entrepreneurship clubs, encouraging them to start their businesses, and supporting the most entrepreneurial students with additional training.

At an all-girls school in Yumbe, the team met students who proudly showcased their businesses, which ranged from raising chickens and growing vegetables to crafting beautiful shoes and accessories. In another school in Arua, students had launched businesses such as liquid soap production and distribution, a hair salon, a food stall, and vegetable farming.

These clubs integrate peer-to-peer learning, as students often teach each other valuable skills that can be leveraged to start a business. The clubs also offer training in bookkeeping, essential marketing, the importance of saving, and general business strategies. Accountability is a key component, with students supporting and motivating each other to achieve their goals.

However, the impact of these clubs extends beyond the classroom. On the second day, Isabelle and Alexander visited four ‘high-flyers’—students who have successfully launched businesses with the help of the entrepreneurship clubs. The team enjoyed seeing how these businesses improved the entrepreneurs’ economic prospects and created a ripple effect that benefitted their families and communities.