At Mazuri Designs Hub, women learn fashion design, tailoring and how to run a business of their own. For two participants, it opened a door they did not know was there.
She had always loved fashion and dreamed of starting her own business, but she was staying at home without a clear direction for her future. Then a former student told her about the fashion and design training at Mazuri Designs Hub.
She already owned a sewing machine. After each day of training, she went home and practised what she had learned. Before she had even finished the programme, people in her community were bringing her clothes and uniforms to sew.
The training turned out to be about more than sewing. She also learned computer skills and how to start a business, manage customers and calculate profit and loss. Meeting the many women working at Girl Up changed something too. “I always believed that my future was limited and that I was only meant to stay at home as a housewife,” she says.
Today she runs her business from a veranda outside a shop and is saving for an electric sewing machine that can handle more types of fabric. One day, she hopes to give back to her community, just as it supported her.
Another participant was working in a mobile money shop when she heard about the programme. She asked her boss if she could attend classes in the afternoons. Raising the fees was a challenge, and at times she was not sure she would finish. “I encouraged myself to stay consistent, and the coaches were very supportive and understanding throughout my journey.”
She learned to make garments for customers, run a small business with little capital and plan for a shop of her own. Now she is saving for a sewing machine, so she can start a small tailoring business and eventually open a boutique.
“I never thought about using my hands to build a future for myself,” she says. “Now, I have a skill that can help me earn an income both now and in the future.”
Who: Girl Up Initiative Uganda
What: From Access to Agency: Advancing Girls’ Educational Pathways Through Targeted Scholarships
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