RCE Greater Masaka - 2022

The Social Enterprise Project (SEP)
CSV
Basic Information
Title of project : 
The Social Enterprise Project (SEP)
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Greater Masaka
Contributing organization(s) : 
Uganda Martyrs University
University of Notre Dame, USA
Uganda Agency for Development (UGAFODE)
Technoserve Uganda
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Br. Aloysius Byaruhanga
Organizational Affiliation: 
Uganda Martyrs University
E-mail: 
abyaruhanga@umu.ac.ug
Format of project: 
Manuscript
Language of project: 
English
Date of submission:
Update
Web link: 
www.umu.ac.ug
Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
Yes
The Uganda Vision 2040
At what level is the policy operating?: 
National
The Uganda National Development plan III
At what level is the policy operating?: 
National
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Africa and Middle East
Country: 
Uganda
Location(s): 
Nindye parish is located within Mpigi District, approximately 80 kilometers southwest of Kampala., Nkozi Sub County, Mpigi District, Uganda
Address of focal point institution for project: 
Uganda Martyrs University
P. o. Box 5498, Kampala
Ecosystem(s):
Agricultural
Target Audience:
Community, Youth (Informal)
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
Generally, livelihood strategies in the Nindye rely on land and natural resources, as 88% participate in either farming, animal husbandry, or fishing. The other 12% are either engaged in trading, transportation (bodaboda, or produce transportation), artisans or formal employment.
It has a population of 7,013 people (3,529 males, and 3,484 females). It has five ethnic groups Baganda being the majority (78.3%).
The parish is surrounded by River Katonga in the north and north east, and Lake Victoria in the south west. The area enjoys mean sunshine of about 720F with occasional bursts of rain characteristic of equatorial conditions.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
The Project is addressing the challenge of limited access to start-up and scale-up capital. This is one of the sustainable development challenge, Uganda is facing. The country is experiencing a crucial systemic barriers that limit job creation and innovations, especially among the youth and women. The SEP project therefore, is trying to help stimulate transformative growth, improve and increase affordable financing for commercially viable micro businesses.
Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Period: 
September, 2017
Rationale: 
The project help residents establish micro-enterprises, and the accompanying training components in entrepreneurship and oversight improve the prospects for success. The project funds entrepreneurs who have the passion and the potential, but may need support to identify the right business or model, and require training on effective business management. In addition, the activities in the project serve as an essential building block, with the focus on creating a sustainable framework for Nindye entrepreneurs to gain technical assistance and access to capital. This in the end will enable an entrepreneurial ecosystem, which has a greater potential to impact on economic development, which eventually, if successful, can have a transformative effect for the community.
Objectives: 
The SEP project aims at increasing access to finance to start-ups of locally run micro-enterprises. The objectives are: To increase access capital; and build entrepreneurial skills of SILC group’s members in Nindye. The project focuses on increasing access to finance and entrepreneurial skills among participating individuals or in groups, through providing longer loan repayment periods; and, on-site business/entrepreneurial skills training for the participating SILC groups’ members / entrepreneurs, using mentorship and establishing market linkages.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
- Hands-on trainings in entrepreneurship/business skills
- Select and practical training of entrepreneurs in business proposal writing, financial management and record keeping
- Business proposal appraisals
- Identification and selection of a financial institution to manage the loan fund, agree on the working terms
- Disbursement of the loans
- Mentoring of entrepreneurs – each entrepreneur is attached to a mentor
Size of academic audience: 
2000
Results: 
- Entrepreneurial skills built, knowledge in business proposal, and financial literacy increased among SILC groups’ members

- Created employment especially for the youths. Some entrepreneurs were able to expand their businesses, and in the process employed people (youths) to work in them, especially the salon and poultry enterprises.

- Loan fund within the SILC groups expanded to benefit more members. Before the project, all the members were looking at the group funds as their source for loans, yet it would not be enough for those who would need to borrow. But because the project was an alternative, those with bigger investments would get “external” loans from the project, giving an opportunity to more members to access loans from their groups.

- Increase in investments in microenterprises: because more members were able to access loans from the groups, there were increase in both individual and group projects being set up.
Lessons learned: 
The key lesson learned from the project so far is that, once people have access to the right tools, their potential is unleashed. This project confirms that access to start-up capital and business skills fosters innovations and job creation. This is evident with the number of youths who have been able to start enterprises which have eventually created employment for their fellow youths.
Key messages: 
Unleashing people’s potential greatly relies on availing them with the opportunities and tools they need to thrive. Thus, improving and increasing access to affordable financing system will go a long way in supporting the growth of local micro-enterprises, which eventually stimulates transformative and sustainable economic growth.
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
No direct relationship
Funding: 
The projected is being implemented with support from the Ford Family Programme, under the Kellogg Institute at the University of Notre Dame, USA

Pictures:

File Name Caption for picture Photo Credit
Image icon SAM_1016.JPG (5.5 MB) Mr. Swaibu in his poultry project started and expanded with SEP funds F. Ssekijjo
Image icon SAM_9637.JPG (5.6 MB) Launching of SEP project F. Ssekijjo
References and reference materials: 
PDF icon SEP Baseline Report_final.pdf
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere 
Direct
SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages 
Indirect
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Direct
SDG 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 
Direct
SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all 
Direct
SDG 10 - Reduce inequality within and among countries 
Indirect
Theme
Agriculture 
Direct
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
Yes
I acknowledge the above: 
Yes