Meet the Namutumba Stylists: How Your Support Built a New Salon for 10 Mothers

In June, a highly determined group of women in Namutumba proudly opened the doors of their new cooperative salon, made possible through generous sponsorship support from Ahavas Shalom. What began as a bold dream has quickly grown into a thriving local business run by ten women working hand in hand to make it succeed.

Built on a foundation of community development training

The women credit much of their rapid success to the comprehensive community development training provided by Global Village Connect two years ago. That training gave them the practical tools to manage finances with care, keep highly accurate bookkeeping records, and serve walk in clients with outstanding professionalism.

Now, with operational skills and community opportunity working together, the salon is drawing a steady stream of walk in customers every single day.

Strategic focus on future growth

Looking ahead, the ten cooperative partners are focused on maximizing growth. Their next major milestone is to purchase salon products and supplies directly from manufacturing companies, cutting out local middlemen to save on transport costs and benefit from economies of scale. This strategic shift will significantly increase the business’s profitability.

While profits are currently being reinvested in inventory, the group confidently anticipates starting profit distributions by the end of October.

“This milestone will mean far more than just extra income. It will enable mothers to meet essential family needs such as school fees, healthy food, and medical care independently.”

Inspiring through collective action

The Namutumba salon is more than just a place to style hair. It is a powerful story of local resilience, teamwork, and women taking complete charge of their own economic destiny. With every braid, wash, and style, these ten partners are not only building stable livelihoods but also inspiring their entire community with the power of collective action.