After dropping out of school at 16, Aisha joined RORU's Youth Skills Program and learned tailoring. Today she runs her own dressmaking shop and supports her family.
Aisha Nakamya was just 16 when she had to leave school after her parents could no longer afford the fees. For two years, she struggled with odd jobs in Kawempe market, earning barely enough to eat. When she heard about RORU's Youth Skills & Literacy Program through a community mobilizer, she decided to enroll.
A New Beginning
"I was nervous at first because I had been away from learning for so long," Aisha recalls. "But the teachers were patient, and the other students were in similar situations. We supported each other."
Over nine months, Aisha attended literacy classes three mornings a week and vocational training in tailoring every afternoon. She learned to read and write in both Luganda and English while mastering pattern cutting, sewing techniques, and garment finishing.
Building a Business
With a small seed grant from the program and the skills she acquired, Aisha purchased a second-hand sewing machine and set up a small dressmaking stall near Kawempe market. Within three months, her reputation for quality work had grown, and she now employs one assistant.
"RORU didn't just teach me to sew — they taught me to believe in myself," Aisha says with a smile. "Now I can pay rent, buy food, and I'm even saving to go back to school part-time."