Meet Susan: How Your Support Taught a 17-Year-Old to Turn Wood into School Tuition
After dropping out of school due to poverty, Namutibwa Susan used community development training to start a firewood venture and fund her return to the classroom.
My name is Namutibwa Susan, and I am 17 years old. I live in the Namutumba District of eastern Uganda. Not long ago, I was facing a challenge that no teenager should have to endure: I watched my education come to a sudden halt because of poverty.
In February 2026, I was forced to drop out of school during Primary Six because my family could no longer afford the school fees. Day after day, I stayed home watching my peers walk to class. I felt left behind, and I feared that my dreams of finishing my education were slowly slipping away forever.
But everything began to change when GVC supporters made it possible for me to attend a local community development training session.
Reclaiming hope without capital
The community development training gave me much more than simple bookkeeping skills , it restored my hope. I learned that even when you have absolutely no money to start with, you can still identify and use the resources immediately around you to build a future.
With no startup capital, I looked to the local woods near my home. I began collecting dry branches, splitting them, bundling them neatly, and selling them to families in my community who need firewood daily for cooking and boiling water.
On my very first day, I made a profit of UGX 2,000 (about $0.57). Though small, that first income gave me something far more valuable than cash: it gave me back my confidence.
“The training gave me more than business knowledge, it restored my hope.” — Namutibwa Susan
Saving for a return to the classroom
Today, I split and sell firewood regularly, earning approximately UGX 3,000 (about $0.86) each day. Every single shilling I earn is carefully set aside with one specific goal in mind: returning to school next term.
Because of this business, I am now on track to buy my own books, uniform, and school supplies so that I can walk back into my classroom and continue my education.
“I decided to collect firewood, bundle it, and sell it within my community. On my first day, I earned UGX 2,000. It gave me back my confidence.” — Namutibwa Susan
A business for the family
My determination doesn’t stop with my return to the classroom. Once I am back in school, my mother plans to take over the daily sales of the firewood bundles I prepare. This will allow our small business to keep running, continuing to fund my education while helping sustain our household.
I am deeply grateful to Global Village Connect and its donors for equipping me with the practical business skills and the confidence to take control of my own future. Because of you, I have a renewed belief in my dreams.
