Last week, The Consortium for Enhancing University Responsiveness to Agribusiness Development (CURAD) hosted 16 enterprising youth from the Busoga sub-region from November 6th to November 8th to begin their business journeys under the SAYE (Stimulating Agribusiness for Youth Employment) Project.
The three-day activity hosted at the CURAD’s NAMAVE facility marked a pivotal point for these participants, who previously attended idea refinement bootcamps in August and September, where they fine-tuned their business ideas within the horticulture, poultry, oilseed, dairy and beef value chains and their ideas have been brought to life to life with CURAD-SAYE support.
SAYE project participants with their packaged products
As an implementing partner under the SAYE Project, CURAD has supported these young people by providing end-to-end support in product development, packaging, branding, costing and market projections. CURAD-SAYE will continue supporting them in technical aspects and business development ensuring their products successfully enter the market. Through these tailored support services, SAYE aims to set these young business owners up for long-term success.
One of the participants, Namusoke Kevin, a 35-year-old from Jinja District’s Western Division, now leads a startup called SISTZ INVESTMENTS. Her product, EVON Instant Porridge, a nutritious blend of soy, rice, and milk began as a concept and has now transformed into a tangible product. She first learned about the SAYE Project from a friend and was introduced to its full scope during the idea refinement bootcamp in September.
Reflecting on her journey, Kevin shared, “After learning about SAYE, I knew it was an opportunity I had to pursue. My goal is to become financially independent, create jobs for other young people in Busoga, and make a positive impact in my community. In just three days at CURAD, I have gained so much knowledge on the production processes of my product, costing and also branding. When I first came, it was just an idea, but now, EVON Instant Porridge is real.”
Kevin expressed gratitude to SAYE for the support, adding, “The CURAD-SAYE team is friendly, dedicated, and always there to guide us. Their timely communication has kept us motivated.”
As an implementing partner under the SAYE Project, CURAD has supported these young people by providing end-to-end support in product development, packaging, branding, costing and market projections. CURAD-SAYE will continue supporting them in technical aspects and business development ensuring their products successfully enter the market. Through these tailored support services, SAYE aims to set these young business owners up for long-term success.
One of the participants, Namusoke Kevin, a 35-year-old from Jinja District’s Western Division, now leads a startup called SISTZ INVESTMENTS. Her product, EVON Instant Porridge, a nutritious blend of soy, rice, and milk began as a concept and has now transformed into a tangible product. She first learned about the SAYE Project from a friend and was introduced to its full scope during the idea refinement bootcamp in September.
Reflecting on her journey, Kevin shared, “After learning about SAYE, I knew it was an opportunity I had to pursue. My goal is to become financially independent, create jobs for other young people in Busoga, and make a positive impact in my community. In just three days at CURAD, I have gained so much knowledge on the production processes of my product, costing and also branding. When I first came, it was just an idea, but now, EVON Instant Porridge is real.”
Kevin expressed gratitude to SAYE for the support, adding, “The CURAD-SAYE team is friendly, dedicated, and always there to guide us. Their timely communication has kept us motivated.”
Another young entrepreneur, Nambi Jovia, a 33-year-old from Mpumudde Village in Jinja, is now the founder of ERUMUKA LTD, the maker of ERUM Pumpkin Composite Flour. Jovia first heard about the SAYE Project through a friend who attended the Jinja Agricultural Show in July, where she learned about its potential to elevate young entrepreneurs.
Jovia said, “I couldn’t pass up a free opportunity where people genuinely support you from zero to hero,” she said. “CURAD found me with a dream, and they’ve been training and aligning me to make it a reality. Now, I’m developing a premium-quality product, thanks to my CURAD staff for the support”
Seeing her dream come to life has been a transformative experience for Jovia. “It’s incredible how quickly my idea has turned into something real. The support has been outstanding, and it’s happening so fast.” She added.
These 16 products for the 16 participants include; Nile Brooks Composite Flour, Eyo Fortified Maize Flour, Kikosolo Porridge Extra, Barbra Soya Porridge, Ann Composite Porridge, Erum Pumpkin Composite Flour, Zaina’s Daddies, Lio Composite Porridge, Onana, Occra and Avacado Powder, Alos Fortified Flour, Namu Composite Porridge, Evon Instant Porridge, Golden Grain Porridge, Kawomera Daddies and Anyou Jb products.
In October 2024, Curad supported 37 project participants in the SAYE project with product development, during which they produced coffee products, juice, and more. Currently, there are 53 incubatees involved in the project who have received support in product development.
The SAYE Project, which aims to improve the socio-economic well-being of youth in Busoga by 2029, is implemented by a consortium led by Heifer International Uganda and consortium partners including CURAD, FSME, FSDU, and ASIGMA Group. CURAD’s focus area for the project is to nurture youth from rural and urban areas to build businesses with a focus on value addition, while supporting them to create marketable products. By 2029, the project targets to engage 250,000 youth, with 175,000 transitioning into dignified employment within agribusiness. CURAD’s specific contribution includes incubating 44,000 youth and facilitating the creation of 31,000 jobs across 11 districts in Busoga.
Through meticulous selection, CURAD identifies young people with scalable ideas that address societal challenges, meet customer demand, and have the potential to create dignified jobs while being environmentally friendly. These budding entrepreneurs then go through CURAD’s incubation readiness and idea refinement bootcamps, preparing them to launch impactful businesses.
With CURAD’s support, Kevin, Jovia, and their fellow participants are on the path to becoming business owners, job creators, and role models for other young people in Busoga, making a lasting impact on their communities.