Shanti Uganda Women's Income Generating Groups

The Shanti Uganda Society has carried out 3 training programs and graduated over 28 women from our Income Generating Training Program. Each woman must be HIV positive and either a grandmother taking care of multiple grandchildren, a widow or in a situation of extreme poverty. 

Upon graduation, participants become members of our women's group, receive a certificate of graduation, all of the supplies needed to begin her craft and ongoing support and education.  

Additional member benefits include savings training, numeracy awareness workshops, business training, english classes, health & nutrition educational workshops, regular exercise and yoga classes, a bicycle to travel to and from work and meetings, supplements, eyeglasses if required and access to our financial savings program.  

All of the women work in an outdoor round hut on Shanti grounds built especially for our women's group. Each woman receives regular counseling and goal setting assistance from local staff and each group has elected a leader to represent group needs and represent the rest of the members at weekly meetings. Members make an average of $50/month and attend regular Shanti Uganda buying days. Products are sold all over North America, online, at festivals and at home or work-place Shanti Uganda Parties

• Beading Group - Our beading group has 20 members, all of which have graduated from an extensive 2 month training program. Each bead is hand-made with recycled rolled paper, varnished and then added to a clasp. Their jewellery is colourful, fun to wear and each piece is unique. In April 2010, we said good-bye to Harriet, a sister and women's group member who ended her struggle with HIV/AIDS and left a collective of sisters who love and miss her dearly. 

• Textiles Group - There are currently 7 textiles members. The first graduating class was summer 2009 and we recently graduated 4 more members in March 2010. The women work as a collective and submit beautiful hand bags made with colourful Ugandan fabric. 

Purchase jewellery and textiles.

Scholarship Project

The scholarship project provides young adults with additional training in the form of skills training, or tuition. Scholarships are given to further the training of individuals who have shown an interest in continuing their work with The Shanti Uganda Society. Not only does this provide them with an education, but is allows us to create additional job opportunities in Uganda.

Past recipients have studied social work at Kampala International University and our future scholarship recipients will include midwifery students.