Poor family background, early marriage, and gender-driven violence are some of the barriers women face in their pursuit of attaining higher education in Africa. After a two-decade Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) war that left many families homeless and besieged, Northern Uganda presents an opportunity in rebuilding its human development and infrastructure by skilling its youth and providing a better life for its farming communities. Amidst its many challenges, the region provides a geographical advantage for growing shea butter tree (Vitellaria paradoxa), an important oil-producing tree species that grows in the drier areas of Northern and North-Eastern Uganda.
Meet Achieng – from vulnerability to leading a cosmetics Agribusiness
Raised by a single parent – her mother, Achieng’s story is that of resilience. Forced to drop out of school to support her family, Achieng volunteered at the community youth club to make ends meet. Her faith would later provide an opportunity to resume school when a good Samaritan in the community offered to support the completion of her undergraduate degree. Upon completion of her undergraduate studies in development studies and in hopes of better employment, Achieng still found herself with no job. Her zeal for a better life prompted her to apply for a RUFORUM scholarship under the Mastercard Foundation-TAGDev program. Achieng was the only female student to secure a MasterCard Scholar opportunity from Northern Uganda in cohort three (3) recruitment. An opportunity she takes great pride in. Pursuing a master’s degree in Agriculture Enterprises development at Gulu University, Achieng hopes to increase access to Organic Shea butter products both countrywide and for export. She believes that for transformation to happen and immensely benefit communities in Northern Uganda, shea butter production should be geographically positioned right from the tree growing to production. Achieng employs a group of women from production to processing and packaging which has greatly improved the livelihood of not just her family but also the families of the women she employs.
The RUFORUM Blog 
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