A Humble Start in Bunyangabu
Isingoma Meregi, a 22-year-old youth from Kirabaho B in Bunyangabu District, Western Uganda, has been on a steady path of self-improvement. Living in a community where vanilla farming is a primary livelihood, Isingoma’s income was initially modest. By September 2023, he was helping his mother in her vanilla, coffee, and banana plantations, alongside offering casual labor services on neighboring vanilla farms. His daily earnings of around 5,000 shillings (USD 1.3) from activities like pollinating, looping, and pruning provided a vital boost to their household income. With these earnings, he managed to save about 4,000 shillings (USD 1) weekly, covering small needs such as airtime, medication, and clothing.
Discovering New Horizons Through Training
In October 2023, a turning point arrived when TechnoServe, an international development organization, mobilized youth aged 18 to 29 in Bunyangabu’s vanilla farming communities to participate in the Strengthening Rural Youth Development Through Enterprise (STRYDE) training. STRYDE was a curriculum under the VINES project led by Catholic Relief Services and supported by a consortium that includes TechnoServe. VINES was a United States Department of Agriculture-funded Food for Progress project working to transform the vanilla sector in Uganda. The project was led by Catholic Relief Services and implemented by a consortium of partners, including TechnoServe. The project offered training on entrepreneurial skills, personal effectiveness, and financial management. Encouraged by his parents, Isingoma attended these sessions and quickly realized the potential of his savings. With 60,000 shillings (USD 16) saved, he decided to venture into horticulture, planting eggplants after vanilla prices dropped to 2,000 shillings per kilogram, leaving him with limited options for income.
Turning Seeds into Prosperity
Isingoma bought a tin of eggplant seeds and planted his first crop. When harvest time arrived, he earned 300,000 shillings (USD 82), a significant boost that he reinvested by purchasing more seedlings to expand his garden. Now, he has three tins of eggplant, which provide him with income to cover his basic needs—food, clothing, school fees, and medication.
Bigger Dreams
With his current success, Isingoma is planning for the future. He envisions expanding his eggplant garden to generate up to 1,000,000 shillings (USD 273) and launching a retail shop next year. He also aspires to diversify his income by starting a poultry project and rearing goats, aiming to stabilize and grow his earnings while waiting for vanilla prices to recover.
Gratitude and New Skills
Reflecting on his journey, Isingoma credits Technoserve’s training for transforming his mindset and equipping him with essential business skills. “I now understand how to develop a business idea, save effectively, set goals, and reinvest profits into other ventures,” he shares. The training on profit calculation and record-keeping has been invaluable. Thanks to the STRYDE program, Isingoma and many other youth are working diligently toward their targets, building brighter futures from humble beginnings.