A stitch at a time
“I don’t have to ask my husband for money anymore – not even for salt,” says 25-year-old Ayikoru Gloria from Ijako village, Terego district. Once dependent and unsure of herself, Gloria now earns over UGX 280,000 a month through tailoring, a skill she learned through the Refugee and Host Community Youth Empowerment and Transformation Initiative (RETI), which DanChurchAid (DCA) in collaboration with a consortium of eight partners, led by Muni University is implementing with support from Mastercard Foundation.
With each outfit she creates, she builds a more stable home and a future she once couldn’t imagine.
Why so many youths are left behind
Uganda’s youth face a difficult reality. Despite being the youngest population in the world, many young people, especially those in refugee-hosting districts, struggle to find jobs or build a livelihood. Limited access to skills training, start-up capital, and business opportunities keep them locked out of progress.
For women like Gloria, the situation is even more difficult, with added cultural expectations and financial dependence often keeping them invisible in economic spaces.
Terego District: A Place of Welcoming, But Few Opportunities
Terego, like many parts of northern Uganda, carries the weight of hosting thousands of refugees. With over 1.5 million refugees in Uganda – 60% of them youth – the pressure on already strained local services is massive.
Host communities, though welcoming, face similar struggles: unemployment, poverty, and limited resources. In places like Ijako village, young people want to work, but the opportunities are just not there.
Skills, Support, and a Real Shot at Starting Over
To close this gap, young men and women between 15-35 are quipeed with business, life, and practical skills to help them step into the world of work through the Refugee and Host Community Youth Empowerment and Transformation Initiative (RETI).
With a focus on women and youth from both refugee and host communities, the program aims to reach 100,000 young people across 15 districts.
For Gloria, that meant a chance to learn tailoring and fashion design skills she had long admired but could never afford to pursue. “I used to take my clothes to tailors who always delayed. I kept thinking, ‘Why can’t I learn to do this myself?” she says. When she saw the training poster at the sub-county office, she applied immediately.
Learning more than just tailoring
Through the RETI training, Gloria didn’t just learn how to sew. She learned how to talk to customers, calculate profits, manage money, and work with others. “Before, I was shy. I couldn’t speak in public. I never saved money. Now, I save UGX 5,000 every week through a savings group, and I feel more confident when I talk to people,” she says.
I used to depend on my husband for everything. That caused a lot of conflict. Now that I contribute, there’s peace. There’s respect.Gloira explains how earning an income has improved her home life
From a small start to steady growth
Gloria began her business with UGX 350,000, some of it from her earlier silverfish and ground-nut sales. She used the money to buy materials from Arua town and now rents a sewing machine for UGX 10,000 per month. Each outfit she tailors brings her a profit of UGX 15,000. When customer flow is good, she earns over UGX 280,000 in a month.
“I don’t waste money like I used to, I plan, I save, I can take care of my children and buy what we need at home,” she says with pride.
Looking ahead with confidence
Gloria’s next goal is to buy her sewing machine and open a small tailoring shop in her village. She also wants to pass on her skills to other young women who, like her, may be waiting for just one opportunity to get started. “I feel like I’m finally doing something with my life. I’m not just sitting at home anymore,” she says.
About the project
Title: Refugee and Host Community Youth Empowerment and Transformation Initiative (RETI)
Period: June 2023 – May 2027
Consortium partners:
Theme: Building Resilience
Amount: 27,350,000 USD
Outreach: 100,000
Donor: Mastercard Foundation
