Grain Mill Project For Community Life Improvement

Location: Kasese, Uganda

Kasese Municipal Council is a western Ugandan urban area of over 100,000 people located about 55 km from the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Women make up about of 55-58% of the total population. Most of these are either widows whose husbands died in the ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) war of 1996-2001 or have been widowed by the AIDS scourge, of which Kasese district has one of the highest prevalence rates in Uganda. A great number of them are single mothers who having been rejected by their families, are living very hard lonely lives of exclusion trying to take care of their children for whom they are the sole bread winners.

The economic situation of these women is made dire due to widespread poverty and mass unemployment and poor government planning - there are very few government schemes to cater for their welfare.

Through the construction of a grain mill, RWICOD will provide employment for women. The proceeds from the milling project will start a revolving loan fund to enable women to diversify their income. Encouraging the women to work as agents in collecting grains such as corn and other cereals, will in turn allow for a small commission or profit which will mean an improvement in living conditions. Buying their own grains such as maize corn, dried cassava tubers and millet, which could in turn be milled for them, will provide further opportunity for income generation.

The 20 beneficiary members have more than 50 children who will also be the direct beneficiaries of this project. In total, the project is designed to serve the needs of over 200 Ugandans in various ways, the majority of these are women within Kasese Municipality who are in real need of training and opportunity. 

Project Partner:

Rwenzori Women's Initiative for Community Development

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