Chrysalis Uganda

What is Chrysalis Uganda?

Chrysalis Uganda is one of our flagship projects that was born out of many years of working in Uganda and trying to understand and learn where the greatest impact could be made for the children at our school Ndeeba Primary. Many of the children were missing school because they did not have school fees. Most schools in Uganda are fee paying schools. We knew from the outset that just trying to raise money to pay school fees was not the answer. That was just like putting temporary plaster on a large wound. We needed a longer term plan that was sustainable and empowering and would allow the mums the opportunity to have the income to pay not only school fees, but be able to pay their rent, buy food and medical supplies.

In order for us to help our kids to ensure they completed their primary education, we first needed to empower their mums, who were struggling to make ends meet running simple market stalls along the railway track.

The project has evolved so much since it’s launch in 2014 from a simple microfinancing and business support program to what it is today, a full vocational program where our mums can learn either sewing/tailoring or hairdressing, giving them a valuable life skill and then the opportunity to use that skill to start a new business.

To date we have provided over 260 small business loans.

Empowering women through vocational training and microfinancing.

Dream it.

When we first meet the amazing ladies that become part of Chrysalis Uganda they all have a dream. A dream of a better life for themselves and their children.
They are struggling living in a slum and life is harder than you can possibly imagine. They want more from their life. They dream of having their own business, of changing their lives, but until they start to learn with us, there was no way they could get the support or the potential capital to get them on to that first rung of the ladder.
When we meet with them, we tell them that those dreams can come true if they embrace our project with every strength they have.
Learn it.

Once accepted onto one of our vocational programs, our students will begin a learning program between 8-12 months in either sewing/tailoring or hairdressing.
Our vocational classes run every Saturday and many of our ladies will bring their babies with them too.
It’s important to us that we remove as many barriers as we can so that our students can get the vocational training they want and they need.
Our teachers are experienced in their profession as well as qualified teachers in their own right too.
Build it.

Once a student has completed their vocational training and graduated, if they have proven to be of good, honest character and with a real commitment to change their life, we offer them the opportunity to receive a start up business loan.
This consists of core package of items and equipment needed to open their own business, plus initial rent for a small premises and business support.
Our interest free loans are repaid over 12 months, and begin 2 months after our graduate has opened their business.