At Women Integrated Empowerment Development (WIED), we believe that empowering women and youth through skills development, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihoods is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Our projects are designed to create lasting impact in our community by providing training, employment, and opportunities for self-reliance.
1. Handcrafts & Artisan Skills Development
WIED began with a group of single mothers, widows, and HIV/AIDS-positive women producing handcrafts using banana fibre, recycled paper, and other local materials. Today, over 300 members are engaged in making high-quality items such as earrings, mats, handbags, and decorative crafts. This project provides skills, income, and a platform for women to showcase their creativity while preserving traditional art.
2. Cow Horn Products Factory
In 2016, WIED established a cow horn factory in Jinja, diversifying its product range to include bowls, combs, necklaces, and flower vessels. This innovative project not only promotes recycling and environmental sustainability but also creates dignified employment opportunities for women and youth, helping them earn steady incomes and improve their quality of life.
3. Women & Youth Empowerment Programs
Beyond crafts, WIED runs empowerment programs that train women and youth in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and small business management. These programs aim to reduce dependency, fight poverty and ignorance, and encourage self-reliance within the community.
4. Health, Spiritual & Moral Support
WIED also supports vulnerable women, caregivers, and orphaned youth by promoting health awareness, providing psychosocial support, and restoring spiritual and moral strength. Through peer support groups and community outreach, we address challenges such as HIV/AIDS stigma, poverty-related stress, and social exclusion.
5. Community Development & Outreach
We are committed to building stronger, more resilient communities. WIED participates in outreach initiatives that focus on education, environmental sustainability, and poverty alleviation—ensuring that the impact of our work extends beyond individual households to the wider community.
At WIED, every project is a step towards empowering women and youth, creating dignified work, and building a brighter, self-reliant future for our community.
