Enterprise Uganda

What Is Enterprise Uganda?

Enterprise Uganda is an initiative that grants talented University students and graduates an opportunity to create social enterprises embedded within educational institutions, thus creating jobs and improving education and in turn driving the local economy and rural development with it. This year Enterprise Uganda is running in partnership with the SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) at the University of Birmingham.

What Is The Need?

In South Western Uganda where over 85% of the population are unemployed and living on less than 1 US Dollar a day, job creation and entrepreneurship is the only long term solution to poverty. Uganda has no lack of potential. Despite this, widespread poverty of education, relevant skills and business nous, coupled with almost total lack of access to any start-up capital, means that most Ugandans never have the opportunity to escape a highly fragile lifestyle of subsistence farming.

How The Enterprise Uganda Project Works

Enterprise Uganda includes a one month internship in country where teams of talented students and graduates are facilitated in developing an understanding of the economic landscape, and factors that mean rural Uganda has unrealised potential for grassroots economic development. By gaining insight into a range of existing business models and industries and exploring the barriers that have prevented so many niches being seized upon, interns will be able to formulate viable business ideas. Once equipped with the local knowledge and "know how" teams of interns will formulate and strategise viable businesses. Through partnership with Volunteer Uganda education institutions and using fundraised start- up capital, teams will apply their new and pre-existing skills to initiate businesses on school land. These will provide vocational learning opportunities to students and make steps towards long term financial sustainability of education.

Enterprise Uganda Vision

Rural Uganda is a context in which weak economy and lack of funding prevents education from being the truly pivotal force in bettering life outcomes. Part of the long term Enterprise Uganda vision is for proven successful business models to be freely and widely shared/franchised to education institutions, with us playing a role in facilitating them in seeking out low interest loans for initial start-up capital. Self-financing schools and "Education that pays for itself" offers a sustainable development paradigm that has the potential to not only alleviate, but eliminate poverty of education.

How To Apply?

The Enterprise Uganda internship is designed for, and only offered to business minded students seeking a new challenge. Successful applicants must be good team workers, problem solvers and must demonstrate a clear drive to have a positive social impact. Applicants are considered from backgrounds in a range of degree programmes. Both current students and graduates are considered.

Alongside immersion in VU and the community we work with, successful applicants get an opportunity to take on not only an impressive challenge but an unforgettable adventure which includes white water rafting on the Nile, Big Game Safaris and first had experience of a new culture.

To apply, select menu options "Enquire & apply" -> "Apply to volunteer".