Slow Food Uganda has unveiled a new initiative aimed at breaking barriers for young women by equipping them with skills, resources, and leadership opportunities to improve their livelihoods and influence change in their communities.
The two-year project, “Food for Change: Slow Food’s Gender-Sensitive Approach to Empowering Young Women in Uganda,” is funded by Start Small and will be implemented in Mukono, Kasese, and Ssembabule districts.
It was officially launched during an inception meeting held at the Slow Food Uganda offices in Mukono, bringing together 25 stakeholders from across the network.
Among them were Slow Food Uganda Vice President Bishop Robert Baluku, Slow Food International President Edward Mukiibi, and other partners working in food sustainability, gender equality, and youth empowerment.
The inception meeting created a platform to align participants on the project’s objectives, planned activities, and collective responsibilities in ensuring its success.
Launching the project, Bishop Baluku said he was optimistic about its potential to transform lives:
“I am very privileged to launch this project that will empower young women. We are not only going to equip them with knowledge but also with practical skills that will help improve their livelihoods.”
According to John Kiwagalo, Director of Slow Food Africa and Head of Programs at Slow Food Uganda, the project is designed to address the pressing challenges young women face, including marginalization and economic dependency.
“We realised that many young women are marginalised by their partners. As Slow Food, we decided to create a project that will support young women to become self-sufficient and leaders, driving change in their own livelihoods.”
The project will use a gender-sensitive approach, promoting equal opportunities while tackling cultural and social barriers that often limit women’s participation in agribusiness, leadership, and community development.
The Executive Director of Slow Food Uganda, Edward Mukiibi emphasized that empowering women is critical not just for families, but for food security and sustainable development in Uganda.
“This project focuses on building the capacities of young women — not only to make them independent but also to help them understand how to sustain their businesses even in difficult situations.
Uganda is still open with opportunities to start new ideas, and this project is here to support young women in turning those ideas into reality.”
Observers note that the timing of the project is crucial. Uganda’s youthful population faces high unemployment, and young women often encounter added challenges due to gender disparities.
By targeting grassroots communities in three districts, the program seeks to create practical models of empowerment that can be scaled up nationally.
Through this initiative, Slow Food Uganda aims to foster resilient communities where young women are not only beneficiaries but also decision-makers and innovators in the food system.
English 