My name is Hellen Kyokali.

For years, I battled financial hardship while raising six children as a single mother. My journey started as a KCCA street cleaner, waking up at 3 AM every day to grace the dusty streets of Kampala hustling for my daily bread. Eventually, I transitioned to selling sweet bananas and avocados at Freedom Market, but managing my small capital was a constant struggle.

I sell sweet bananas the big, small, and avocado in freedom market Kalerwe. Before I attended the training, I had few customers at my stall, didn’t care much about either my personal or business outlook. Since IST team trained us, my life and business management skills changed for the better especially the increase in sales and profits. Additionally, my customer care skills and respect improved as IST showed us that customers were a crucial block in our business… I didn’t know how to handle or grow it well. I was part of a savings group, contributing between 1,000 to 2,000 UGX, but I wasn’t actively involved in saving.

When IST stepped in, they taught us the importance of working and coming together and having a single voice as a collective, and the benefits of proper financial management. Now, I have mastered the art of handling my finances, keeping records and no one does it better than me!

I started my business with selling only small sweet bananas and avocado with a stall that I made with my bare hands. But when IST came in, I was trained that it is a good idea to sell more than one product so that I have more than one income streams. I added big sweet bananas.

Being a single mother and the sole provider for a household of six has not been easy. Everyone in my family depends entirely on me.

Before joining the market, I worked as a cleaner for KCCA, waking up as early as 3 AM to sweep the streets. Eventually, I transitioned to market work, where I began a new chapter in my life. Through the training and support from IST, I learned how to manage my finances, which enabled me to save and invest money.

With the savings and determination, I was able to purchase a plot of land, and build my own home in Lugazi. You can’t imagine that a former street cleaner now, after a long day at work has a  a place to return to and rest with my family With this achievement, my mother, family and workmates are proud and I serve as an inspiration to those around me.

When it comes to leadership, they told us, we tend to think every position should be held by men and hold ourselves back. This was my eye opener and believed that it was possible to take up those positions. I actively participated in IST competitions and was selected to hold the position of the women vice chairperson in this market after the IST training. I then later left the vice chairperson role when I vied for leadership as the women councilor LC 3 Makerere 3. I lost because I did not have enough money to win the race but I appreciated the experience. 

But, now we as leaders in the market, we can now talk to these people without fear and solve whatever is bothering us (I think we should mention here what they’re advocating for and also specifically mention their standing up to the leadership dominated by men).

IST helped boost our confidence as women. Our cooperation as women in the market and friendship has improved more than before. Also, I personally had a smart phone which I would use to only take pictures and chatting with my friends. I did not know I can use a phone to get customers online. After that training on phone usage, I use my phone to promote my business. My customers have increased and I make more sales.

My request to IST is to take these trainings to other markets so that other women also get the skills. More so, IST and Korea Hope Foundation should help us in identifying markets for our products especially in outside countries and support us with a machine that makes Avocado oil.