COMMUNITY MICROFINANCE YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM

Community Microfinance Youth Entrepreneurship Program (CMYEP) training provides a unique experience for youth to take an idea of their own and turn it into an actual business that serves their community and also helps them have a livelihood. A number of youth in Uganda do not have an opportunity to startup businesses and those that have started do not cerebrate their first birthday. Our programming is built around the idea that youth shouldn’t just learn the concept of entrepreneurship -they should get the chance to put it into practice.

Our program provides youth with the opportunity to engage in entrepreneurial efforts within their community to create an economically self-sustaining community. Youth learn how to capture a market share of their “micro-economy” (i.e. the money that circulates in their environment), and they get to determine how to use the profits from their businesses for re-investment and taking care of their everyday needs like health feeding, and school fees.

Lawrence Ssenyonga (in the picture above) is a primary five dropout from a family of eight children. His parents cannot not afford to pay school fees for all the eight children. Lawrence attended a technical skills training course in carpentry but lacked the capital. He managed to acquire an old toolkit which got broken in a short period endearing him jobless yet he was earning something to help his siblings.

He joined Kibujjo Ssosolye group that Community micro finance trained in entrepreneur skills and letter on started saving in order to be able to qualify to get a small loan which would enable him acquire part of the tools that he needs to serve his customers.

Community microfinance bought these new tools for Lawrence as an in-kind loan of UGX 200,000/= ($ 87) payable in six months.

He can currently serve his customers pay the loan and also assit the family.