By Joshua Asiimwe | Kasokoso, Wakiso District
In the hilly dust of Kasokoso, a sprawling informal settlement on the outskirts of Kampala, a grassroots project is helping women in Kasokoso slum gain economic independence through soap-making skills. Here, life teeters on the edge. Over 80,000 people call this dense and chaotic neighbourhood home. They live in semi-permanent structures, many without formal access to water or electricity. For women in Kasokoso, survival means waking at dawn to scavenge plastic bottles, crush stones in the quarry, or queue for water that costs between 300 to 500 Ugandan shillings per jerrycan—money many do not have.
At the heart of this transformation is a soap-making workshop under the Kasokoso Girls and Women Empowerment Project, an initiative by the Ugandan non-profit BASH Global Initiative.
Cissy Nakiyige Nakalema
Namukose Agnes, 43, a widow and mother of six, shares her despair: “After my husband passed, everything at home became difficult—feeding, schooling, everything. It’s all a struggle.”
Namukose Agnes
Namukose Agnes, 43, a widow and mother of six, shares her despair: “After my husband passed, everything at home became difficult—feeding, schooling, everything. It’s all a struggle.
In Uganda, nearly 43% of households are female-headed. According to the World Bank, about 29.5% of Ugandan households are led by women due to a high number of single, widowed, and divorced mothers, and these families are disproportionately vulnerable to poverty, especially in urban slums. Employment is often informal, low-paying, and physically taxing. Financial safety nets are virtually nonexistent.
Soap-making, though seemingly modest, is a strategically chosen endeavor. Liquid soap is in high demand in homes, salons, schools, and clinics and it’s affordable to produce.
Ekwiru Stella
Ekwiru Stella, one of the volunteers with BASH Global Initiatives and a mother of three, began making soap during the COVID-19 lockdown. “I started this business to help myself. I don’t need to wait for my husband to give me everything. I can stand for myself.”
Nakafero Judith
Nakafero Judith, resident of Kasokoso,who has been in Kasokoso for now 20 years, paints a stark picture. “Some women are forced to take loans from SACCOS with ridiculous interest rates. They lose even the little they have. But with this training, we can produce our own income, avoid bad loans, and support our children.”
“Kasokoso is faced with deep socio-economic challenges. Our goal is to bridge the gap by giving women practical, income-generating skills that allow them to stand on their own.”Jonathan Ndege, Programmes Director at BASH.
The women are not only taught how to make soap but also how to manage income and reinvest wisely. “If we sell all our products, we must restock and have a savings account,” Judith reminds them. “We must be wise.”
The model mirrors elements of successful women’s microenterprise initiatives across sub-Saharan Africa. According to the International Labour Organisation, skills-based livelihood training combined with financial literacy can lift entire communities out of poverty within a generation.
Namukose Agnes, shares: “I want to get out of these loan SACCOS and save my own money to rebuild my business.”
Nakafero Judith says, “When a woman brings money home, she becomes strong. It’s hard for anyone to put her in a desperate situation.”
For as little as $10, you can help purchase soap-making materials, safety gear, and containers. Just $50 trains one woman through the full programme. Donations to The BASH Global Initiative directly support local trainers, materials, and expansion of this project to reach even more women in neighbouring communities.
“When you empower one woman, you empower a nation,” says Mujadid Mariam Namulema, Chief Operating Officer of the BASH Global Initiative
For Cissy, Namukose, Judith, and the many others gathering each week to stir, mix, and bottle soap, this project is more than a workshop. It is a portal to freedom.
“Thank you, BASH Global,” Cissy Nakiyige Nakalema says quietly. “You’ve come to my place and given me support. I am truly happy.”
In a world where the dignity of women in slums is often dismissed, ignored, or unseen, the women of Kasokoso are standing up—bucket in one hand, business plan in the other
They are not asking for charity. They are asking for a chance.
Support the Kasokoso Girls and Women Empowerment Project here.