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  KO Overview
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Enterprise development    
        

Rural households typically generate income in a diversity of ways - from farming, from employment, from trading and other enterprises. Enterprise development is thus a normal part of life but it is also promoted as an important means of escape from poverty. Starting a new enterprise is invariably risky and failure is probably more common than success. This is a problem if credit is used to finance the activities and it is, therefore, important to help people take good decisions about new enterprises and particularly to assess the market for their products.

The growth of microfinance in recent years has provided many people with the opportunities to start new enterprises. However, much remains to be done to support these "micro-entrepreneurs" with advice, market information, product research and development, advocacy services, legal support and so on. This is particularly so in rural areas and the provision of business advisory services, complementing agricultural advisory services, has yet to develop in many places.

  
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TitleRural Women in Africa: Ideas for Earning Money
Creator/PublisherInternational Women’s Tribune Centre; IDRC
Content Language(s)English; Luganda
Type of MultimediaComputer Book
Description

This innovative and interactive resource, is the first in a series under development by IWTC in partnership with Media One, Kampala and IDRC/Acacia Project, Nairobi. The "computer book" as the narrator refers to it, is for rural African women entrepreneurs who have access to a computer through a telecentre but no experience in using one. The computer book is available online for direct use, free of charge, by those who have access to an internet connection and can also be obtained on CD-ROM.

The “computer book” is made up of three main sections plus an introduction and uses a visual format with audio narration for ease of access by those with minimal or no education. The sections are as follows:

  • Introduction – explains the computer and how to use it, explains the purpose of the “computer book” and how to navigate through it using the navigational tools.
  • Starting with what we have – recognition of the resources women have and thinking of new ideas for using what they have.
  • Making money from a product or service – guidance on choosing a product or service, pricing the product or service, getting the product to the customer and promoting the product or service
  • Expanding our opportunities – exploring new ways of making money, diversifying the current business and how to find the money needed.

The programme is particularly innovative and practical as it uses an interactive learning process to promote problem-solving, introduce new ideas and use experience gained from other successful small-business learning materials. The real life situations and identification of resources within Uganda provide a good example for adaptation to the local situation. The CD-ROM is available in English and Luganda and the online version can be accessed in either language.

KeywordsMONEY; ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT; INCOME GENERATION
CountryUGANDA
Date of ProductionJanuary 2001
System RequirementsFlash plugin
Download
Order by Emailwink@womenink.org
Order by PostIWTC/Women, Ink, 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA
PriceDollar (US) 20.00
Additional LinksReview by Women of Uganda Network
  
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