About Us
IDEA4Africa is a non-profit organization with offices in Uganda and Rwanda. Our mission is to increase economic growth and development by creating a more entrepreneurial culture in the countries where we work. We use our own From Ideas to Action curriculum and model of teaching, helping to arm the next generation with the skills they need to emerge from poverty and become job creators themselves, ultimately contributing to their own, their country’s and the continent’s prosperity.
who we are
our work
IDEA4Africa is a synthesis of best practices learned over the years on how to teach Leadership and Entrepreneurship skills in an experiential manner to the growing youth sector, to the educators who are on the front lines, to refugees who have resettled in camps in Uganda and to women’s cooperatives who have gotten started but are lacking the business acumen they need to be successful. As an organization, we work in various spheres in our quest to educate as many youths as possible and create that mindset change that is needed.
Although our Uganda office has only been open for 2 years, great strides have already been made in creating the impact our organization is striving for: we have worked with over 1500 refugees, trained 17 teachers who have the ability to teach even more students, work alongside 10 peer organizations all around Uganda and have seen nearly two dozen businesses get started within the refugee settlements.
the challenge
One of our greatest successes in creating entrepreneurial mindsets, and the resulting sustainable businesses, has been our One-Week Summer Seminar. We bring 100 students from around the country, and from the refugee settlements, to a residential venue where they learn and share experiences while working through our Entrepreneurship and Leadership Curriculum. Following the raging global pandemic our was halted for the greater part of 2020. As we slowly begin operation, our organization is hurting along with million of people around the world. It is however important to note that are work is more potent now as we begin to help the communities we serve to rebuild. Many have closed the small businesses the started prior to 2020 and will have to forge new ways and rebuild.
how you can help
Your purchase, helps provide 50 certificates to those that complete the curriculum, 50 learning/training materials for 50 participants and provides One week worth of transportation for training officer to/from workshop location.
who you help
ASHA
...is a young mother of 5 children between the ages of 3 to 10 years. She is the bread winner of her household and she struggled to make ends meet when we met her at our first training in the fall of 2017. Asha was inspired by the sewing and business skills she had acquired during the course of her training at the Malangata Center and was determined to provide a better life for her children. She started Hope View Tailoring Shop in December of 2018 with her saving of $30. Her goal was to provide clothing repair services for her village.
Today Asha’s business has evolved to a more holistic services and products offering that includes actual finished outfits, fabrics etc. She also travels to 6 neighboring markets that enable her to access a bigger clientele.
the loan
Asha is able to complete 30 outfits a week but currently only makes 8 outfits because of the limited nature of her cash. It costs Asha $6.85 to buy fabric and make one dress that she is then able to sell at $17 for weekly sells of $136. With access to a wider market, she hopes to acquire $285 loan that she will use buy more fabrics to make and sell 18-25 outfits a week increasing her weekly sales to an average of $357 and also diversify to wrapping shoes in the African style fabric. Asha estimates to pay the loan within 4-6 months at an interest of 5% per month.
It has been an honor for us to partake in Asha’s journey of uplifting her family so far and we believe more success awaits her.
who you help
MOSES
...is the owner of Karl’s Fashion and Tailoring Center. Like Asha, Moses was in our first workshop two years ago when we first opened doors. Equipped with business knowledge and sewing skills from the center. He would go home to do gardening and save up a little money to open his business. In October of 2018, he opened doors with just one sewing machine and soon acquired a small loan from his savings group to secure two more machines so he could teach two people that had signed up as students. At the time of our visit, he had three young women all learning how to sew.
the loan
Moses’ current biggest challenge is the lack of electricity that slows him down because all the machines are run manually. This also restricts his working hours to day light. He is securing a deal with a local school to sew their unions a job that will require faster machines and more time behind it. With a little more prodding we learned that $175 could help him get the workshop rooms wired and connected to the local power grid something that will greatly impact his business. His students pay $85 for a 10 months sewing course and he anticipates once his work space has electricity, enrollment will grow enabling him to pay off the loan within 4-6months at an interest of 5%. On average, it cost him $4.85 to buy fabric for a shirt, trouser or dress. He then sells these finished outfits at $9.5. With more working time, Moses will be able to shorten his turn around time and work on more outfits.
We visited with Moses’s sewing teacher who speaks highly of his accomplishments so far and was more than glad to recommend him for the loan.