The groups:

Gulu Disabled Persons Knitting Workshop

Gulu Disabled Persons Knitting Workshop is one of the second phase business enterprise that was formed as the result of the ETC project aimed at strengthening the production unit of Gulu Disabled Persons Union (GDPU). This group comprised of 12 members, 9 Female and 3 Male, it was agreed by the member on the charges per sweater as follows

• Primary School sweater                                     5000
• Nursery School sweater                                     4000
• Open Sweater                                                   8000

The enterprise got contracts from the following institutions

• Top care Nursery School                                 10 SWEATERS
• Paicho Primary and Nursery School               16 SWEATERS
• Laroo Nursery School                                       6 SWEATERS

GDPKW enterprise was engaged in the following activities

Skills Training

We were able to identify that some of the members ability to perform was based on the nature of their disabilities; some are slow and others were fast. It’s against this background that ETC project officer involved the support of Mama Cave, who was their instructor during the youth development programme, she knows more on how to deal with various categories of disabilities and how they will be performing in their group. Training is being done in the area of open sweater, tailoring skills, and knitting head bands.

Training commenced on the 26^th of June 2018, Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00am to 12:00 Midday, this training is aimed at bridging the gaps they have.

Enterprise members view on strengths

Strengths

• Team work and enough man power
• Sharing contract among members
• Have five knitting machines and one tailoring machine.
• They don’t rent the premises

Weaknesses/gaps

• No skills in joining sweaters using tailoring machines
• Have problem of group dynamics
• Limited skills in sweater weaving by some members

Key needs

• Further studies in tailoring especially joining sweaters.
• Business Plan development.
• Training in record keeping and financial literacy.

Groups Future Plan

• Should have a group with good dynamics, regular meetings, good flow of communication, sharing work and supporting each other
• Ensuring that the enterprise is visible enough to the community and potential customers in the future
• Add more skills in knitting sweater.
• Acquire more technology for knitting.

Lubanga Likija Motorcycle Repair and Maintenance

This youth enterprise was formed by seven youth with disabilities who completed a six month skills training in Motorcycle Repair and Maintenance. The Business was established on 14th 04 2015 and it is located in Orum Road, corner Pamola, Koch Goma Sub county Nwoya District. Since its formation the business was very strong, but the challenges of mobility for some members who stayed far from the work place made some of its members leave the enterprise. Only two managed to remain and continue with MCRM work in Koch Goma: Odong Jimmy (physcally disabled) and Opiyo Wilfred (partially deaf), they are the only youth who managed to progress and improve on their skills. It was really surprising that the enterprise managed to train a total of 3 youths whom they had employed to help support their workshop.

They have shown evidence of increased level of skills, they said customers wait for them even if they had travelled, they said ‘’ if you bring your Bajaj motorcycle in parts they can assemble it to a level that it sounds like a new engine” this is because of the good work and trust they gained from their customers amidst their disabilities, The community attitude have changed towards them in that no one looks down at them they always appreciate what they do for the community. Odong Jimmy has reached an extent that he is being hired to work in different workshops within Koch Goma sub county.

Diversification in the enterprise

Opiyo Wilfred has also diversified his enterprise to farming, currently he is planting onions, cassava and rearing some animals. He has 8 Pigs, 4 goats and a number of poultry birds, all these he acquired with money from his from Motorbike repair work. He said he had stocked the business to a level that he had all the spare parts, although he was discouraged when their workshop was robbed. He said he could get over 400,000/= from the motorcycle spare parts and servicing in just a month.

Odong Jimmy also does the same activity of farming, he has poultry birds that he is rearing and earning some income from, he thinks he earns over 70,000 in a week even though he faces challenges of record keeping making it very hard to estimate the exact amount he earns in a week.

Enterprise view on strengths

•  Training other youth in motorcycle repair and maintenance.
•  Enough skills to repair Bajaj Motorcycle
•  Have trusted customers and a wider customer base.

Enterprise View on weakness

•  Gaps in repair of motorcycle like Yamaha, TVs,
•  Poor record book
•  No business plan

Key support needs

•  Business Plan Development
•  Record keeping
•  Reassembling other members of the group and building their capacities

Future Plan and goals for members

•  Transferring the business into a permanent building.
•  Start a retail business and workshop for Motorcycle Repair and Maintenance for Odong Jimmy
•  Training other youths in MCRM
•  Regrouping the enterprise

Hope for Disabled Girls

This youth enterprise consisted of 7 females with disabilities who pursued a six months vocational skills in hairdressing and saloon course from GDPU under the Youth Development programme. Hope for Disabled Girls was established on 5/3/ 2015 it is located in Gulu District, Pece Division, Gulu Municipality. The enterprise was inclusive, it had members with Physical, Hearing and Visual impairment and those without disabilities. This enterprise was one of the first enterprises that were formed under YDP

Hope for Disabled Girls Hairdressing plans for a kiosk in a strategic location were denied by Pece Division Authorities. This left the enterprise members stranded because they don’t have a place to practice or do their hairdressing, affecting their training and their support. Therefore, this enterprise was not functional and all the groups facilities were just kept in the store.

But, because of the ETC project of building the capacity of GDPU and its members, Hope for Disabled Girls was reformed with new structure of leadership and they were offered a space at GDPU to develop their skills and mobilize resources to open up their saloon in a strategic location.

The enterprise still lacks many of qualities and skills needed to operate successfully in the community. ETC will try to mentor them to a level that they will still remain sustainable and strong.

Most of the enterprise members do Village Savings and Loan Assocaitions and individual savings and are engaged in petty businesses like baking breads, sale of vegetable, domestic work etc. to earn income.

Enterprise View on strength

•  Equipment’s for Hairdressing are available
•  They don’t rent the current premise they are occupying

Enterprise View on weakness

•  Poor record book
•  Communication Barrier poor coordination
•  No relevant skills in hairdressing e.g. Pencil, sawing, dread logs, and designing
•  No customers at the moment

Key support needs

•  Training in hairdressing and Saloon
•  Business Plan Development
•  Record keeping
•  Financial management

Individual Enterprises

Ocholar Stephen (Electronics) and Oloya Kenneth (Electronics)

There are two business enterprises operated individually under electronic repair and maintenance. Both enterprises have the same challenges of repair of TVs, DVD player and woofers, as before with Gulu PWDs Electronics, GDPU project officer hired Akera Robert who is to train them twice a week from their work station.

Ocholar Stephen

Repair and Maintenance of Electronic Appliances

Ocholar Stephen is a disabled youth who received skills training from Gulu Disabled Persons Union in electronic repair and maintenance, he is a 24 year old resident of Gulu Municipality and uses axillary crutches for his mobility. After completing his of training, he started doing leather work to raise money to start up an electronic workshop. He was offered a free space at Gulu Main Market to do his leather works but he was sharing work with Gulu PWDs electronic. He opened up his own workshop earlier this year with support from Okwonga Charles, they are currently working together.

He is a member of VSLA for Gulu Pwd Electronics in which has already saved 200,000 shillings since joining the VSLA group in February 2018. He earns shilling 10,000/= to 15,000/= in a day from electronics and leather works.

He is saving money to buy a solar panel that will help him with his electronic work, which will be cost effective. He said that he has skills in repair of phones, adapters, small radios, and sometimes minor repair of woofers. In cases of challenges he faces with Charles with repair of other gadgets they consult Akera Robert for assistance or sometimes refer to him.

Even though he has skills as above, he also lacks skills in the following areas

•  TV
•  Woofers.
•  Radio

His future plan is to open up a retail shop for his electronic workshop and also open up more electronic work shop to employ more youths.

Enterprise Evaluation: Strengths

•  Strategic Location
•  Available Tools for electronic
•  Good Saving method

Weaknesses/gaps

•  Limited skills in repairing other appliances.
•  Limited tools
•  No Business plan
•  Poor Record keeping

Key needs

•  Obtaining loan to maintain the business
•  Training in repair of other appliances
•  Buy a computer for servicing phones

Individuals Future Plan

•  Open up a retail outlet for electronic repair and maintenance
•  Employ more youths
•  Get more training in electronic repair and maintenance

Oloya Kenneth

Oloya Kenneth is a 25 year old physically disabled person who suffered from polio, he does not use any assistive device for his mobility. He is a resident of Pece Division, Pawel parish and is a parent with one biological child. Oloya Kenneth joined the YDP in 2015 from Gulu Disabled Persons Union, he pursued Electronics Repair and Maintenance for six months and was supported with startup tools in a group (Lubanga Ber Electronics youth enterprise) the enterprise was dissolved after bankruptcy.

He continued with electronic repair because he had shown that he has the ability to develop and become a strong electrician and because people could bring their electronic appliance for him to repair. This motivated him to start a small workshop along Ring Road in Pece Division, Gulu Municipality

He operates his business for a minimum of eight hours a day and has gained significant knowledge and skills in electronic repair and maintenance, there is evidence of increased sale of servicers and he has already opened up another outlet where he has employed another youth without disability.

He operates on a veranda and pays 30,000 shillings per month for the space. Working individually and independently has greatly improved his capacity towards repair and maintenance, level of income and level of networking with others in the line of his business because he was able to learn from professional electrician in town like Akera Robert making him learn more in areas of repair and maintenance of:-

•  Radio
•  Phone
•  DVD and VCD players

Even though he has skills in the above mentioned area he also lacks skills in the following areas

•  TV
•  Woofers.

His future plan is to open up a retail shop for his electronic workshop and also open up more electronic work shop to employ more youths.

Enterprise Evaluation: Strengths

•  Strategic Location
•  Available Tools for electronic
•  Good Saving method

Weaknesses/gaps

•  Limited skills in repairing other appliances.
•  Limited tools

Key needs

•  Obtaining loan to maintain the business
•  Training in repair of other appliances
•  Buy a computer for servicing phones

Individuals Future Plan

•  Open up a retail outlet for electronic repair and maintenance
•  Employ more youths
•  Get more training in electronic repair and maintenance