Micro-entrepreneurship project for vulnerable families

THE CONTEXT

For over twenty years, the Good Samaritan association has been working in Northern Uganda, alongside its local partner Comboni Samaritans of Gulu, to ensure vulnerable children and youth access to education through the “Distance Support” program.

Over time, this commitment has grown: not only academic support, but also comprehensive support that also involves families, often experiencing severe economic hardship, insecurity, and social vulnerability.

Field experience has clearly shown that simply supporting children’s education is not enough.
When a family lives in extremely vulnerable conditions, daily priorities focus on survival: finding food, accessing medical care, and dealing with ongoing emergencies.
In this context, even the right to education risks being overlooked.
Educational support has therefore been complemented by targeted interventions to strengthen families’ self-sustainability, helping them become leaders in their own future and actively supporting their children’s development.

At the end of 2024, thanks to the contribution of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, the pilot project “Micro-entrepreneurship for vulnerable families in Gulu” was launched.

What we actually do

The team of our local partner, Comboni Samaritans of Gulu, supports families over time, monitoring their progress and offering support in times of difficulty. To date, the project has involved 90 particularly vulnerable families and is implemented through several integrated actions:

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Entrepreneurial training

Participants follow training courses on managing a small business: from the business idea to financial planning, up to risk management.

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Avvio delle attività

Each family receives a financial contribution to start a micro-enterprise (for example, agricultural product trading, livestock farming, or small local businesses).

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Self help groups

Families gather in small groups to promote a culture of saving and mutual solidarity, creating lasting support networks.

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Psychosocial support

Group sessions with counselors allow us to address crucial issues such as family management, daily challenges, and the value of education, while also strengthening our sense of community.

The results and the future

The results were immediately encouraging: the families involved showed concrete signs of improved economic conditions and greater stability in their daily lives.

The intervention also had a positive impact within the local community: new families asked to participate, motivated by the positive results observed.
Supporting these families means creating sustainable growth opportunities for the entire community.