Hello again, friends of KinoSol! Greetings for Uganda! I’m sure you’ve heard by now, but we are back from Africa! Our first study abroad trip was a huge success. We traveled with a group of Iowa State students to the warm and gorgeous Uganda, Africa. There we learned about social entrepreneurship, met with many locals, and experienced a different culture in unique ways. Keep reading for a sneak peek of what we did on our trip!
Innovation Village Tour
One of the first things students got to experience was a startup hub located in Kampala, a major city in Uganda. Cynthia, one of the Innovation Hub managers gave our group a tour and introduced us to many entrepreneurs and businesses. These native Ugandans had built their businesses from the ground up, working to fill a need they found in their own community.
One of the crowd favorites was ENVentures, a Ugandan startup that invests in other startups pursuing clean energy solutions. Julius, the country director, introduced us to his business and view on social entrepreneurship. Students got the chance to ask questions and compare their business to startups in the U.S.
Another favorite was KumiKumi, a startup focused on providing jobs for refugees. This company saw two needs, with refugees needing jobs and a gap in the clothing and accessory market in Uganda. They worked tirelessly to meet these needs, creating a positive impact and a profitable company in the process.
Bead Making
Later in the week, students met with Jane, an entrepreneur in Kasese. She rolls paper into tiny beads, which is then made into jewelry and handbags. Instead of talking about her business, Jane led the students through hands-on breadmaking workshop. Students quickly realized just how difficult it was to create the beautiful bracelets Jane sold in her shop.
Traditional Ugandan Meal
On the last day of the trip, we took the students into a traditional Ugandan home. A few of the locals allowed us to see where they lived. But to make the day even better, the locals teamed up with the students to cook a traditional Uganda meal. They pulled out all the stops by making chapati, samosas, and matoke, all traditional African foods. We then all sat down a broke bread (or should I say chapati) together. The students loved playing with the local children and chatting with the adults. It was a great way to end an amazing trip!
Well, that’s all I’m going to share for now… before I give away all our surprises! Hopefully, you enjoyed our greetings from Uganda! But if you would like more information about KinoSol and what our trips encompass, contact us! And tune in next week for our Holiday Special blog!
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