“We are no longer struggling mothers. We are proud businesswomen.”
In the Acholi Sub-Region of Northern Uganda, a group of entrepreneurs known as Lacan Pe Kun Produce Dealers is building a business that is transforming not only their own lives, but those of their families and community.
Their work is rooted in something simple, but essential: food supply.
The group, primarily made up of women, sources staple crops directly from rural farmers and transports them to local markets for bulk sale. What began as a small, informal retail activity has grown into a structured wholesale business, connecting villages to larger market systems and ensuring a more stable flow of goods and income.
But their story did not begin there.
“We started as struggling mothers,” they recall. “We were retailing small quantities of produce, never more than 5 kilograms at a time. Life was very difficult.” With limited capital, they could only purchase small amounts of stock, often selling day-to-day just to get by. Growth felt out of reach.
That began to change when they connected with WPDI. Through business skills training and a business plan competition, the group gained practical tools in financial management, record-keeping, and market strategy. When they received a start-up grant, they used it to expand their operations, purchasing larger quantities of produce and organizing their business more strategically.
The results have been transformative.
They began with approximately UGX 3,000,000 in working capital. Today, their business has grown to around UGX 15,000,000, enabling them to operate at a wholesale level. They now hire transport to reach rural suppliers, purchase stock in bulk, and manage a fully stocked store.
This shift not only increased revenue but also created stability.
Each member now earns an average of UGX 200,000 per month through profit sharing, income that supports household needs and reduces financial uncertainty. For some, it has opened even more doors. “Personally, I used my share to open my own produce shop,” one member shares. “I can now comfortably meet all my daily needs and those of my family.”
Today, Lacan Pe Kun Produce Dealers is more than a business. It is a system of support, a source of dignity, and a pathway to independence. In a region still shaped by the long-term effects of conflict and economic instability, their work demonstrates what becomes possible when access to skills, capital, and opportunity comes together.
Through their business, they are not only generating income, they are strengthening local markets, supporting farmers, and building a more resilient community.
Want to see the women behind this growing business and hear their story in their own words? Watch our video to meet the members of Lacan Pe Kun Produce Dealers, here:
This program is made possible thanks to the financial support of a foundation that wishes to remain anonymous.