Stories
June 16, 2025 • 2 min read
"It feels terrible to beg or wait for someone to give you food," Susan admits, her voice carrying the weight of years spent relying on aid. But today, her hands are no longer outstretched; they’re busy tending to thriving crops and livestock. From a war-scarred past to a self-sufficient future, Susan’s transformation didn’t happen by chance. It began with a single opportunity that taught her to turn struggle into harvest and dependence into dignity.
A Childhood Shattered by War
Susan Amito is 34. Her early years in South Sudan were happy until conflict erupted in 1994. Forced to flee the violence, her family sought refuge in Uganda, moving between settlements in Palabek and Kiryandongo before finally settling in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement. Though safe from war, survival remained a daily struggle.
The days of self-reliance were a distant memory. Susan’s family now depended entirely on UNHCR food rations, which were frequently inadequate or delayed. Essential services like healthcare and education seemed unattainable. As Susan grew older, she took on casual labor, but the income barely made a dent. “My husband and I worked tirelessly, yet we still had to rely on humanitarian aid,” she reflects.
A Turning Point
In 2022, Susan’s life changed when GOAL Uganda, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, connected her to the Markets for Youth Programme. This initiative connects young people, particularly women, refugees, and individuals with disabilities, to skills training, financial services, and market opportunities.
Through the programme, Susan received mentorship from the Kabarole Research Centre (KRC) and learned essential business skills, including enterprise selection, record-keeping, and financial planning. Inspired, she joined an agricultural training program with Agrifarm and Gudie Leisure Farm, where she mastered vegetable and pig farming.
From Struggle to Success
Spotting a market gap, Susan invested her savings, UGX 500,000 ($137), in tomato and green pepper farming. Her first harvest earned her UGX 2,000,000 ($545) more money than she had ever held. She reinvested part of her profits, expanding to eggplants and cabbage, and soon added pig farming as a secondary income stream.
Today, Susan’s relentless efforts have blossomed into success. What began as a modest quarter-acre plot of tomatoes and peppers has now expanded into a full acre of onions and cabbage, a venture set to bring in an estimated UGX 15,000,000 ($4,101) this season. Beyond crops, her thriving piggery business has already earned her UGX 1,650,000 ($451), with six piglets ready for sale in the coming months. Most importantly, Susan no longer depends on food aid, UNHCR has officially recognized her self-reliance, a milestone she meets with quiet pride.
A Role Model for Her Community
Susan’s success has made her a mentor to other young refugees. With her husband and children by her side, she dreams of further expanding her farm and piggery.
Her story is one of many under the Young Africa Works in Uganda: Markets for Youth Programme. To date, GOAL Uganda and the Mastercard Foundation have empowered 349,106 young people, including 26,074 refugees, with dignified work opportunities.
Learn more about the Markets for Youth programme
