When Fatuma Nakirijja enrolled in KAKAF's tailoring program eight months ago, she had never touched a sewing machine. Today, she employs two other women and has a regular order for school uniforms serving 60 students at a nearby primary school. Her transformation is not unique — it is the story of an entire cohort.
In January 2025, twelve graduates of KAKAF's Vocation Training program gathered for a celebration that doubled as a launch event: the official opening of three tailoring workshops run entirely by program alumni. It is the clearest proof yet that our model works.
How the Training Works
Over an intensive eight-week program, participants learn every aspect of professional garment production — from taking body measurements to cutting fabric, machine sewing, finishing, and quality checking. They also produce the reusable sanitary pads and school bags used in our other programs, giving their work immediate community impact from day one of training.
In the final two weeks, every participant receives business training: how to price their products, manage their finances, register with the local authority, and find and keep customers. This is the piece that transforms a skill into a livelihood.
"The sewing I learned quickly. But the business training was what I needed most. I never knew how to calculate my costs or how to quote a price. Now I do, and I am profitable." — Fatuma N., Tailoring Graduate
More Than Just an Income
The impact of these workshops runs deeper than individual income. When a woman earns, her children eat better, attend school more consistently, and are less vulnerable to exploitation. In Mpigi District, where most households depend on a single subsistence agriculture income, an additional skilled earner in the home transforms the family's trajectory entirely.
A Cycle of Impact
Three of our tailoring graduates now produce the reusable sanitary pad kits that KAKAF distributes to girls in schools. These women earn income. The girls stay in school. The whole community moves forward — and the loop keeps turning.
"Before KAKAF, I sold vegetables at the roadside — whatever we harvested. Now I have a proper workshop with two sewing machines and an apprentice. My children go to school every day. My life has changed." — Sarah K., Workshop Owner
What's Next
KAKAF is planning two more tailoring cohorts this year, with expanded intake to accommodate more applicants from our waiting list. We are also exploring a micro-loan scheme to help graduates purchase their own sewing machines — removing the last barrier between a trained woman and her own business.
If you would like to fund a training spot, donate a sewing machine, or partner your business to purchase from our graduates' workshops, we would love to hear from you.
Fund the Next Cohort
$150 covers the full training costs for one woman to complete the 8-week program. Your investment creates a business owner, not just an employee.
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