Women Empowering Women : In the heart of Bulubandi, Iganga, a quiet but powerful revolution is happening. It’s not in boardrooms or conference halls—it’s in the hands of young women coming together, lifting each other up, and proving that true empowerment starts from within the community. At just 20 years old, Loy Namusosa is leading this movement, bringing over 500 young women and girls together to build a future of strength, dignity, and financial independence through agribusiness.
A Young Leader with a Big Vision
Loy is proof that age is just a number when it comes to making an impact. In only seven months, she has mobilized 20 youth self-help groups, each made up of 30 members, creating a ripple effect of empowerment in her community. One of these groups, Basooka Kwavula Poultry Youth Group, started with nothing but a shared dream and trust in each other. Without experience in poultry farming, Loy took the initiative to find a model farmer in the community who could train them. Together, they started with 100 chicken—and today, they have built a poultry house with a capacity of over 1,000 chicken.
But for Loy, it’s not just about poultry farming—it’s about sisterhood, survival, inspiration and empowerment. “We lost a single mother in my neighborhood who poisoned herself and her child because she had no one to turn to for help,” she shares, her voice filled with emotion. “That should never happen again. I want every woman to have a place where she feels safe, supported, and heard. Women need more than just money—they need a community.”
The SAYE Project: Fueling Dreams, Creating Opportunities
Loy’s passion aligns with the Stimulating Agribusiness for Youth Employment (SAYE) project, implemented by Heifer International Uganda in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and consortium partners Consortium for Enhancing University Responsiveness to Agribusiness Development Ltd (CURAD), ASIGMA, Financial Sector Deepening Uganda, and the Federation for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.
The SAYE project is all about unlocking opportunities for young people in agribusiness. Over the next few years, it aims to support 250,000 young Ugandans, with a special focus on women and persons with disabilities. Since its set up in 2023, SAYE has already made great strides:
- 23,355 young people have received foundational and technical training through on-farm production, incubation and enterprise development pathways.
- 10,800 youths have been placed in meaningful agribusiness work
- 64% of those placed are women, and 4% are persons with disabilities
When Women Thrive, Communities Flourish
Because of the support she has received, Loy is paying it forward. She continues to inspire women to believe in themselves, build businesses, and most importantly, create support systems where no woman ever feels alone again.
Her father saw her passion and offered land for their poultry project. The women in her groups have not only gained skills but have also found a sisterhood that lifts them up through life’s challenges.
Loy’s story is just one of many young Ugandans rewriting the future of agribusiness—a future where youth especially women are financially independent, socially connected, and empowered to lead. And this is exactly what the SAYE project stands for.
With youth like Loy leading the way, Busoga and Uganda at large is on its way to becoming a place where women in agriculture don’t just survive but thrive through agribusiness skilling, youth-led leadership and community support.
