Nakayiki lit the torch in her backyard for Butale woman

By Andrew Masinde

Rose Nakayiki used to solely depend on her salary, which was barely enough for her personal needs. Many times she found herself without food at home and she would incur debts, which she would sometimes fail to pay back.

One night, an idea crossed her mind: Since she had no powers to increase her salary and improve her welfare, she had to do something to salvage her situation. true

Nakayiki started by planting vegetables in her backyard for home use and when she harvested, she had a surplus which she sold and got money to buy a few household requirements and also pay medical bills and school fees for her children.

From then, life became better, but she realised that many of her fellow teachers at school were grappling with the same problems she used to face before she started growing vegetables.

She thought she would do a great service sharing the idea with her colleagues to help solve their financial woes.

Nakayizi now owns a residential house in Butale village in Masaka district, and heads a women’s entrepreneurial group of 57 members.

Inspiration

“As a teacher, I used see women struggling to pay school fees. I empathised with them because I had been through all that. I shared my experience with some of them and encouraged them to start something to generated side income,” she says.

Nakayiki adds that: “I took the women to my home and showed them what I was doing in my backyard and how it had changed my life. From then, my vegetable garden became a demonstration farm of sorts.”

In 2011, Nakayizi organised a group of 17 women and started training them in vegetable growing. The women would meet at her home to share ideas and practise. When they harvested the vegetables, they sold them and raised money to buy scholastic materials for their children.

However, she still had one problem: The women lamented that their husbands would not allow them to use the family land to grow vegetables for sale. She encouraged them to save a little part of their earnings and buy land, however small, where they could set up small personal enterprises to generate income.

After paying school fees for their children, the women would pool the remaining resources to set up joint investments.

Nakayiki asked members to deposit at least sh2,500 each every time they met. The group accumulated sh270,000, which they used to start a catering business. They would cook at weddings, funerals and parties.

Plan B

At first they used to share the money they earned from the services, but later realised this was not taking them anywhere. Nakayiki proposed that they set up a savings scheme.

The group accumulated enough money which they used to buy a heifer from Mado Dairy Group at a discount. After some months, they bought more cows and started rotating them among themselves.

One of the cows from Nakayiki’s enterprising project. PHOTO/Andrew Masinde

A certain number of women would keep the cows until they bore calves; and would then pass on the calves to other members.

Nakayiki hires someone who sells the products on behalf of the group and the members pick the money in the evening. Each member has to plough back 10% of the money into the scheme every month.

The group now sells dried vegetables from sh1,500 to sh5,000 a packet, in shops and markets in Masaka. Nakayiki says dried vegetables last long without rotting.

The group also learnt how to make underground water tanks. This has helped the women to tackle the water problems in the area.

“I advise teachers, especially those in rural areas to utilise their land. I get milk, part of which I sell and also have food at home. I am planning to retire and I know I will not suffer,” she explains.

Helping hand

Zam Nabakooza, a resident of Butale, had never dreamt of owning a cow. “I now have a cow, a banana plantation and a poultry farm. I also have a solar drying machine to dry my produce,” she says.

Like Nabakooza, Irene Namata got a cow. “I have managed to start up a poultry farm, piggery and goat farm, thanks to Nakayizi’s brilliant ideas.

Her journey

Nakayizi was born in Kyanamukaka, Masaka district in 1948. After Senior Four, she joined Nkozi Primary Teachers College (now Nkozi University), where she obtained a Grade Two teacher’s certificate in 1969. She teaches English, mathematics and Luganda.

In 1971, she began teaching at Nakibano Catholic Primary School in Mukono, then Kasawo Primary School in Mukono until 1975.

She also taught in Butale Primary School, Masaka in 1990, before being transferred to Kasango Primary School, Masaka, in 2000.

Nakayiki is happy that despite her meager salary, she has managed to educate all her children up to university.

What others say

Irene Namata, a group member
Nakayiki is a hardworking woman who loves the community. She has helped many people educate their children by inviting them to be part of her projects.

Maurice Nakawojwa, a former workmate at Butale Primary School
Nakayiki was the best teacher. She could even sit down fellow teachers and advise them. When I became a head teacher in the same school, Nakayiki was like my personal advisor.

Jackson Kamanya, a neighbour
No one in the village is as productive as Nakayiki. She has become the core for development in Butale. She has taught people how to grow food and now our place is hunger-free.