Rural Women & Girls Empowerment Forum (RWEFO)

Doreen Kabugho, Program Coordinator at Rural Women & Girls Empowerment Forum (RWEFO), focuses on economic empowerment, gender-based violence advocacy, and reproductive health rights in Uganda, specifically along Lake Albert in Western Uganda. The main industry in the region is fishing. Traditionally, women were involved in fish trading, not fishing, making them dependent on men and leading to higher purchase prices. Additionally, the lack of women in leadership positions and their representation through third parties further diminishes opportunities for women in the fishing industry.

The Giving Joy grant (funded by our corporate sponsor EatOkra) targeted 15 marginalized women, mainly survivors of gender-based violence, economic injustice, and sexual violence in remote areas along Lake Albert. The initial 15 were trained and equipped with modern skills of catching silver fish from the lake, marketing, financial literacy, record keeping, post harvest handling and storage to fetch high prices and reduce damage and wastage.

The grant directed benefited 15 women involved in the silver fish business and 11 additional women who are engaged in small-scale enterprises in Ntoroko fishing community. These women are now training other women in post-harvest handling and storage of silver fish.

RWEFO also noted the financial literacy and small business trainings have changed the mindset of women and girls and has boosted their confidence, which was one of the contributing factors in the decrease in domestic violence cases among participating households.