How FOWODE is Transforming Women’s Economic and Leadership Agency in Mityana

A modern poultry house constructed by the Kasangala United Women’s Association.
A modern poultry house constructed by the Kasangala United Women’s Association.

Before their interaction with Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), the Kasangula United Women’s Association in Namungo sub-county, Mityana District, was a group with potential but limited means. Comprising over 50 members (35 women and 15 men), the group existed as a secondary organization struggling to translate its membership into economic power. Like many grassroots groups, they lacked the specific technical skills to scale their income-generating activities and the capital required to start a viable enterprise.

The turning point came when FOWODE selected the group under the Women’s Amplified Voice and Empowerment (WAVE) Project. The support combined capacity-building training on business management, leadership, governance, women’s rights and gender-responsive budgeting, along with a seed capital grant of 1,000,000 UGX. While the training equipped members with essential knowledge and skills, the grant enabled them to put these into practice by launching and growing a sustainable enterprise.

The results have been transformative. Starting with 80 broiler chicks, the group has scaled up to 540 chicks and constructed a modern poultry house capable of housing over 1,000 chicks in a period of 15 months. They also leveraged personal savings to start an Events Management enterprise, acquiring a 100-seater tent and 150 chairs for hire.

Chairs and a tent procured by the group for their newly established Events Management enterprise.
Chairs and a tent procured by the group for their newly established Events Management enterprise.

The group has repaid 80% of their seed capital, demonstrating both profitability and financial responsibility. Chairperson Namatta Josephine notes that the intervention shifted members’ mindset from immediate consumption to long-term investment.

“My members have chosen to reinvest their dividends to grow the enterprise. Together, we are close to achieving our goal,” she remarked.

The financial progress, coupled with a stronger sense of agency and a clearer understanding of governance through the FOWODE trainings, the members began to see themselves not just as entrepreneurs, but as community stakeholders with a voice worth hearing. That conviction translated directly into civic action and four women from the group stepped forward to contest in the local elections, with two elected as District and Sub-County Councillors in the 2026 election. This affirms that economic empowerment and participation in leadership are not separate journeys, but compliment each other.

With a clear five-year plan, the group aims to expand poultry production to 5,000 chicks and increase their events inventory to five tents and 1,000 chairs. Through the WAVE Project, FOWODE has transformed the lives of 1,081 women in Mityana and Luwero, helping them grow their enterprises, secure sustainable livelihoods, an enabler for participation in decision making and leadership.