the forge

As Investment continues to develop we are always looking for new opportunities for the students to gain new skills. As an IY team we encourage self sufficiency in our students as well as for the programme and so we look for new business opportunities. Steve/IY is partnering with the farm at the site out there and the guy who manages it.... they have set up an outlet where produce from the farm can be sold to the community/teams/visitors.... we also sell the IY coffee, craft items that Steve sources from local places around Uganda,and chapattis that  made on site.    It is giving good opportunities for the IYs who work there on placement to manage the shop, keep accounts, order and source the right produce, market the business etc.. We are on average taking about £100 -£150 per week, the business is gradually growing and we have been really encouraged how this opportunity has brought out entrepreneurial skills in the young people who have worked there so far.  They have really taken up the challenge of setting up a new business from scratch...the building we are using was an old garage/mechanic area so they have had to re design and tidy it up a lot to make it suitable for our use.  The longer term plan is that we can have a cafe area where we can sell cups of coffee that we brew on site.