Ugandan small businesses

Funding goals

1. Stage 1:

   5.000 CHF

   100% funded

   We can start the project with 2 vocational training centers and offer the start up kits for them in 2026 and 2027.

2. Stage 2:

   10.000 CHF

   0% funded

   We can extend the project to 2 more vocational training centers and offer the start up kits for them in 2026 and 2027.

3. Stage 3:

   15.000 CHF

   0% funded

   We develop and implement an on-site coaching programme with local coaches.

4. Finish Stage:

   20.000 CHF

   0% funded

   We improve the teaching materials for setting up a business in Uganda.

Entrepreneurship over unemployment

Many young people in Uganda finish vocational school with real skills but no way to find a job or to start their own business. This project helps them turn their talent into income by giving them practical entrepreneurship training and a starter kit they can use immediately.
With your support, we provide coaching on budgeting, pricing, marketing, and how to run a small business. Then we equip each participant with the basic tools and materials they need to begin working right away, whether they are hairdressers, tailors, welders, mechanics, or carpenters.

In the pictures, you see our start with the first cohort of graduates of our Maggie Tailoring School. The school started in 2021. In 2025 we provided 4 starter kits to the best graduates who intended to start their own small business. Their starter kit consists of a sewing machine, scissors, buttons, zips, threads, and some fabrics.

Hair & Beauty Schools ( 3 schools)

We will extend the project to beauty schools. The fields supported are hair salons and nail studios, both mobile or with a small salon.
The starter kit will consists of:

• Hair dryer
• Shampoo& conditioners
• Rollers
• Plastic chair
• Mirror
• Synthetic braids
• Trolley
• Hair care tools i.e. scissor, combs, brushes
• Styling & moulding gel
• Hair relaxer
• Rocking & crotchet needles
• Hair washing sink

Carpentry

VECECAB vocational training centre, they teach wood work mainly making basic furniture needed in daily life. Starter kit consist of:

• Hand saw
• Chisel set
• Spoke shave
• Bow saw
• G-clamp
• Hand planer
• Square
• Tape measure
• Jig saw
• Circular saw
• Screw driver

Welding

Nyombi metal workshop and training centre. Starter kit will consist of respectively shared machines since they quite costly.

• Grinder
• Welding machine
• Welding cable
• Complexer

Mechanics

Ssekamwa garage and training center. Starter kit consists of:

• complete mechanic tool box
• spare parts

Brick laying & construction

VECECAB vocational training centre. Starter kit consist of:

• Wheel barrow
• Pick axe
• Plumb bomb
• Trowel
• Tape measure
• Spade
• Spirit level
• Hoe

Who we are:

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VB

Verein Berufsbildung und Entrepreneurship in Afrika

Horw, CH

The association is an NGO based in Switzerland with the aim of helping young people to start their own little business after finishing their vocational training. Currently, the association is exclusively active in Uganda.

fhnw.ch

Rolf Meyer

Horw, CH

Professor

I am a professor for entrepreneurship at FHNW. I've been supporting educational institutions and initiatives in Uganda for more than 10 years. Among others I opened a tailoring school. With this project I'd like to help young people without university degrees to set up their own little business.

I work 100 % for free in this association. I pay all my expenses both in Switzerland and in Uganda myself.

fhnw.ch

Contact Project Initiator

Contact Project Initiator