There Is Hope Malawi has highlighted new progress in its economic empowerment programming following staff participation in a regional entrepreneurship training workshop held in Kampala, Uganda.

As part of the Skill Up! Project funded by Welthungerhilfe, two representatives from the organisation travelled to Uganda for a Street Business School (SBS) immersion workshop focused on practical approaches to grassroots entrepreneurship.

The organisation was represented by Project Officer Nyengo Kumwenda and Deputy Executive Director and Acting Programs Manager Anock Kapira.

The workshop brought together development practitioners from Malawi and several other countries, including Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, South Sudan, Nepal, Tanzania, and the United States, to share strategies on strengthening community-level entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.

Nyengo Kumwenda (R) at the SBS Immersion Workshop in Kampala.

The Street Business School model emphasises starting and growing small businesses using locally available resources, focusing on knowledge, confidence building, mentorship, and behaviour change rather than reliance on external funding.

According to participants, the training reinforced the importance of recognising the existing potential within communities, particularly among young people in and around Dzaleka Refugee Camp and surrounding host communities in Dowa.

“We went to Kampala as learners. We came back as coaches, and with a clear picture of how we can do things differently and better for our communities,” said Kapira.

The organisation says the programme will now shift towards more structured, hands-on business coaching, including baseline, midline, and exit support for participants, as part of a longer-term economic empowerment strategy.

There Is Hope Malawi expressed gratitude to Welthungerhilfe for supporting the initiative, noting that the investment strengthens both staff capacity and future opportunities for young people in the communities they serve.