At just 20 years old, Nabiwemba Mariam from Namuwongo is steadily building a better future for herself and her two young sons through baking, determination, and the support of the SHE SOARS program.

Mariam’s journey began through the support of Reach Out Mbuya Community Health Initiative under the SHE SOARS Project, where she was equipped with health education, life skills, group skilling and financial literacy, among other empowerment sessions.

She is a member of the Tusobola Group, a community savings group formed by young people in Namuwongo with support from the project to promote saving, borrowing, and economic empowerment among adolescents and young mothers.

The group was initiated by a Community-Based Trainer (CBT), Hamuzah, who brought together nine friends with a shared dream of supporting one another through saving and borrowing money. Over time, the group grew stronger and larger with a membership of 24 youths.

“The name Tusobola means ‘we are able’ because we believe we can make it in life,” Mariam says proudly.

Before joining the group, life was extremely difficult for Mariam. She had dropped out of school in 2018 due to a lack of school fees. As the firstborn in a family of four children, she watched her mother struggle to run a small grocery shop while her father searched for casual work to support the family. To survive, Mariam washed clothes for people in the community and cared for children in different homes. During this difficult period, she became pregnant with her first child.

In 2025, SHE SOARS established the Tusobola Group formally and introduced sessions on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). Through the health education sessions facilitated by CBTs, Mariam and other young women learned about health, life skills, and business opportunities.

“I officially joined Reach Out in March 2025. After the health education sessions, we were asked what skills we wanted to learn. In February 2026, we were group skilled in bakery.

Our group chose bakery because it is a business that is always needed during parties and events,” she explains.

In early 2026, Mariam and her group members received free bakery training through the SHE SOARS program. They were provided with training baking materials, including wheat flour, butter, and ovens, during the training.

“To start this business, we trained for one week. I wanted to begin immediately, but I did not have enough capital,” Mariam recalls.

Determined to succeed, she borrowed UGX 100,000 from the Tusobola savings group. With additional support from her mother, she bought a small oven and started her bakery business in March 2026.

She began by baking cakes, queen cakes, doughnuts, and half cakes, selling them by the roadside near the railway line in Namuwongo. Though the first days were challenging, Mariam remained focused.

“As a beginner, my cakes were not very good and I made losses. I called the project lead who gave me a refresher course. We baked together with the trainer again and the cakes came out much better,” she says with a smile.

Today, Mariam earns profits from her bakery business and uses the money to support her household needs, care for her children aged four and two-and-a-half years, and continue saving with her group.

“The good thing with baking is that there is always a market. I can make profits and balance my capital because some products do not spoil quickly,” she explains.

So far, Mariam has saved UGX 130,000 through the Tusobola Group.

However, like many small business owners, she still faces challenges, especially the fluctuating prices of baking materials.

Despite this, her dreams remain big.

“In the next two years, I want to get a bigger space, diversify my products, and expand my market to weddings, corporate events, and other functions,” she says confidently.

Mariam’s mother has been one of her biggest supporters throughout the journey.

“When she joined the program, I encouraged her because she told me she was passionate about baking. I stayed home with the children during her training and promised to support her after completion,” her mother says.

Adding, “I bought her a small oven to help her start. I am happy she did not disappoint me. She works hard, sells her products, and now earns her own money. I am committed to continuing to support her so she can achieve her dreams.”

Mariam and her mother

Mariam is deeply grateful to Reach Out Mbuya and the SHE SOARS program for giving young mothers like her an opportunity to gain practical skills and rebuild their lives.

“Thank you, ROM/SHE SOARS, for supporting young girls with free skilling opportunities. Many people pay a lot of money for such training, but you gave us a chance to learn and grow. Because of this support, I can now save, care for my children, and work toward a better future,” she says.

Mariam sold her products during the 2026 PMU Visit April 2026