20-year-old Namusosa leads women’s agribusiness agenda in Busoga
Loy Namusosa in her poultry house. PHOTO/MICHAEL AGABA
What you need to know:
- For Namusosa, it’s not just about poultry farming, it’s about sisterhood, survival, inspiration, and empowerment.
Bulubandi Village, Nakigo Sub-county in Iganga District, is witnessing a grassroots revolution, not in boardrooms, but through the collective strength of its young women.
At just 20 years old, Loy Namusosa is leading this movement, bringing together over 500 young women and girls to build a future of strength, dignity, and financial independence through agribusiness.
Namusosa is proof that age is no barrier to making an impact. In just seven months, she has mobilized 20 youth self-help groups, each comprising 30 members, creating a ripple effect of empowerment in her community.
One of these groups, Basooka Kwavula Poultry Youth Group, started with nothing but a shared dream and trust in each other. Without prior experience in poultry farming, Namusosa sought out a model farmer in the community for training. Together, they started with 100 chickens and today, they have built a poultry house with a capacity of over 1,000 chickens.
But for Namusosa, it’s not just about poultry farming, it’s about sisterhood, survival, inspiration, and empowerment.
"We lost a single mother in my neighborhood who poisoned herself and her child because she had no one to turn to for help," she shares, her voice filled with emotion. "That should never happen again. I want every woman to have a place where she feels safe, supported, and heard. Women need more than just money, they need a community."
Her vision aligns with the Stimulating Agribusiness for Youth Employment (SAYE) Project, implemented by Heifer International Uganda in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and consortium partners, including the Consortium for Enhancing University Responsiveness to Agribusiness Development Ltd (CURAD), ASIGMA, Financial Sector Deepening Uganda, and the Federation for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.
The SAYE project is focused on unlocking opportunities for young people in agribusiness. Over the next few years, it aims to support 250,000 young Ugandans, with a special emphasis on women and persons with disabilities.
Since its establishment in 2023, SAYE has already made significant strides:
23,355 young people have received foundational and technical training through on-farm production, incubation, and enterprise development pathways.
10,800 youths have been placed in meaningful agribusiness work, 64% of whom are women, and 4% are persons with disabilities.
With the support she has received, Namusosa is determined to pay it forward. She continues to inspire women to believe in themselves, build businesses, and, most importantly, create support systems where no woman ever feels alone.
Her father, recognizing her passion, offered land for their poultry project. The women in her groups have not only gained skills but have also found a sisterhood that uplifts them through life’s challenges.
Namusosa’s story is just one among many young Ugandans rewriting the future of agribusiness, a future where youth, especially women, are financially independent, socially connected, and empowered to lead.
With young leaders like Namusosa, Busoga and Uganda at large are on their way to becoming places where women in agriculture don’t just survive, but thrive, through agribusiness skilling, youth-led leadership, and strong community support.
