Patricia, a young entrepreneur girl – Piggery’s project from AJWS

The story of Patricia, a young entrepreneur girl in Lamogi sub-county

Patricia Ajok, a 18 years old young girl who lived in Lamogi sub-county Oboo parish in patria Village. Patricia is the first born child with only one biological sister. She lives with her mother Apio Rose 38 years old women in Small grass thatch hut. Patricia is among the many young girls identified and assessed by the Role model men during verification exercise done under AJWs project to support community with some livelihood project to enhance on their living.

Background

Patricia completed her Primary Leaving Examination from Pagak primary school.  She later joins Bethel Christian secondary school for senior one but due to financial issues she could not continue with her education and she drops out. Her mother is a single mother who struggles on daily basis on her own to make ends meet, her only source of income is small scale farming and petty business within the trading centre where she lives. She sells small fish, tomatoes and egg plants. Occasionally she bruises Alcohol and works in people’s garden together with her two siblings to increase on her source of income for the family. Patricia was however lucky when RMM reached her Village for selection of young girls who drop out of school but they were in dare needs to continue with their education. This came as her turning point, she was selected to benefit from piggery project which in turn she would sell and used the money for paying school fees and buying of scholastic materials.

The piggery project 

At the beginning Patricia got one pair of pig a male and a female, fortunately her pig delivered seven piglets  (7)  this brought smile on her face and for her  mother too. She sold 4 piglets, each piglet was100, 000 and in total she got 400,000. Patricia was able to pay her school on time and now she is in school studying without any challenges. The school accepted her back after listening to her story, Patricia rush back home told her mother the good news. I and my mother sold the remaining pair of the piglet at two hundred thousand Ugandan shillings (200,000) to help buy scholastic materials, transport and part of pocket money. Patricia organizes herself paid school fees and went back to school.

Results

Patricia was overwhelmed with joy when RMM and GWED-G staffs visit her at home. We found she had returned back from school for first time holidays and got her pig has delivered six piglets again. She shared out how she felt while packing her things/stuffs to go back to school something she thought would not happen in her life.  “I rested from all sort of insult from my peers who though it would not be possible any more with a big smile on her face.” Says Patricia, I will sell this piglets for my second term school fees and give some money to my mother to put in her small business and farming to support her.

Future plan 

• Patricia plan to keep one more pair of piglets to add on the other pair given for her to generate more income.
• Her biggest dream now is to focus complete her education and support her mother and her little sister
• She intends to continue with her livelihood program to support her family

Challenges 

• Patricia is challenged with responsibility of keeping her piglets especially when she is at school due to fear of disease that may attack them
• Food for feeding her piglets since she goes away to school and her mother is a single woman with other responsibility.

This Success Story was written by Franny Achoko, Project Officer for AJWS project working with GWED-G. 31.01.2023. © GWED-G.