The Training Program

After the meeting on Monday, Julius and I left for Kampala on Tuesday expecting to spend the better part of the week finalizing the training program and purchasing supplies. We lucked out and found an amazing woman who is not only incredibly talented, but has experience teaching groups of women around Uganda. We set a meeting time to discuss the training program, what it would entail and what her needs would be to lead the training. Part of the idea behind the training program is to ensure that the women receive a high level of training, not only in the actual making of the beads and jewellery, but also in the knowledge needed to plan, organize and save – the business skills of budgeting for supplies and reaching their own financial goals which were discussed at our initial meeting.

Not only does the training support the women in the income-generating group, but it will also provide a considerable amount of income for the woman who is doing the training. The total amount we are giving her is well above local wages, includes all of her travel costs and lunch during the days she is here – she is an amazing woman and feels as though this is a way for her to pass along the craft that at one point also saved her!

The training program will consist of 5 whole days over a series of two weeks. Many of the women are traveling quite far each day to participate, so each woman will receive lunch as well. They will be broken up into groups, which will form a support network over the next weeks once the training has ended. These support networks will initially meet to support one another in the skills they have learned. Both Julius and I will also be present during the training and over the next month to monitor any challenges that come up. Once they are established, Julius will be meeting with the women regularly. Each time we purchase from the group, each woman will contribute a portion of her income to the leader of the group who will make her way to the city with another member to meet with Julius and purchase supplies. Buying in bulk with allow the women to reduce the travel costs of all going into Kampala, as well as offer a discount on the supplies when purchased in a large quantity.