Project Kunihira: Bringing Entrepreneurship Training to Communities in Fort Portal, Uganda
Written by: Lilian Nansubuga
From January 2025 to February 2026, Street Business School (SBS) implemented Project Kunihira in Fort Portal, Uganda, in partnership with The Milanovich Family Foundation. The project explored new ways of bringing entrepreneurship training closer to communities by working with local Community-Based Trainers who could support entrepreneurs within their own communities.
The goal was to equip more people with the skills, confidence, and tools needed to build stronger businesses and create new opportunities for themselves and their families.
Over the course of the project, two rounds of entrepreneurship training were delivered across communities in Fort Portal, reaching 711 graduates—surpassing the original goal of 600 participants. Of these graduates, 541 were women, highlighting the important role women entrepreneurs continue to play in strengthening households and communities.
By the end of the program, graduates reported an average 96% increase in income, nearly doubling their starting income, and 78% had started or strengthened businesses.
Unique Approaches: Community-Based Training & Learning Circles
One element of Project Kunihira was working with local paid Community-Based Trainers (CBTs), who were trained and supported to deliver the SBS entrepreneurship curriculum within their communities. Through this approach, participants were trained by individuals working in teams rather than via the staff of established non-profit organizations (as is the standard SBS model).
After the opening activities of both the graduations, SBS hosted a live Learning and Appreciation Circle that brought together local leaders from the local community in a private setting. The session provided a space for leaders to exchange practical insights and learn from one another in a collaborative environment.
The session was translated by one of the CBTs into the local language of Rutooro, to ensure that all participants (especially local leaders who are more comfortable in the local language) could fully engage and contribute. This helped create a more inclusive and participatory environment, allowing for richer dialogue and shared learning.
At the Learning Circles, participants highlighted the visible changes they were seeing, including increased confidence, stronger business activities, and improved financial independence among graduates.
Grace’s Story: Building Step by Step
Grace, a 49-year-old mother of nine, spent years juggling tailoring and farming.
“I used to work very hard, but money would disappear,” she recalls.
By mastering record-keeping, Grace gained the clarity to scale. She pivoted from small tailoring jobs to supplying bulk school uniforms. She has since diversified into a beverage business and collaborates with her savings group, believing that “when one woman succeeds, we all succeed.”
Grace’s journey proves that success isn’t about perfect conditions; it’s about mindset and discipline. She no longer waits for a perfect windfall, instead reinvesting small profits to build her future.
Her philosophy is powerful in its simplicity: “If you wait for the perfect moment, it will never come. Start where you are and build from there.”
Celebrating Graduations Alongside the Community
Project Kunihira concluded with two massive graduation celebrations that brought together graduates, families, local leaders, community organizations, and partners to recognize the achievements of participating entrepreneurs!
The events celebrated not only the completion of training, but also the commitment and determination of graduates who applied new skills to strengthen their businesses. They were some of our biggest celebrations yet, with hundreds of graduates and hundreds of attendees who came out to congratulate them!
Looking Ahead
Project Kunihira demonstrated the potential of expanding entrepreneurship training to communities beyond traditional program locations. Through the dedication of local trainers, community leaders, participants, and partners, hundreds of entrepreneurs in Fort Portal gained practical skills to strengthen their businesses and create new opportunities.
Street Business School is grateful to The Milanovich Family Foundation for making Project Kunihira possible and for supporting communities as they build brighter futures through entrepreneurship. We look forward to continuing to create incredible impact, together!
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