Training Update: First Annual KKU Business Plan Competition

A major contributor to the long-term wellbeing of KKi graduates is their ability to secure a livable wage after the program. Our mentors spend a lot of their time focusing on this issue because so much of an individual’s wellbeing relies on their ability to have the resources to pay for things like education, healthcare and nutritious food. One of the ways we prepare the women to earn an income after the program is through a training series on business development and management. We train them on everything they need to know to start and run a successful business. Knowing that 3 months of business training is difficult for anyone to focus through, we decided to pair it with practical and fun; a business plan competition. On April 12^th we hosted the first ever Krochet Kids Uganda Business Plan Competition at our office in Gulu. Here’s how it worked. We divided the women into 8 different groups and tasked each of them with developing a business that could support them after they graduate. Each group was paired with one of our staff mentors who helped them throughout the process. They worked along side the women and were available to help them think through challenging business concepts. On competition day each group pitched their business to the panel of judges made up of local business leaders. The day ended up being more of a celebration than an actual competition. The judges crowned a winning group, but in the end everyone felt like a winner because they all walked away with a better understanding of how to do business. Below are a few photos from the First Annual KKU Business Plan Competition. The Judges look over the business plan for the Global Unisex Beauty Salon. The winning group celebrates their victory. Mrs. Santa, Special Advisor on Micro Finance to the President of Uganda, was on hand to present the awards.