Feature: Ugandan woman skills local population with skills learned in China

A group of 30 women gather at Janet Lukwago's home in Entebbe Municipality in the central Ugandan district of Wakiso, determined to learn new skills to boost their household income.

Despite a morning heavy rain, the women are not deterred from taking one of the many lessons Lukwago offers after her return from Wuhan Province in central China where she gained skills in mushroom farming.

Ruth Nakazibwe is one the women who have quickly grasped the skill. Like her mentor, Lukwago, Nakazibwe does not regret the perseverance, noting that her household income has increased due to mushroom farming.

"At my workplace the money I used to earn reduced, so I had to look for alternative sources of income. A friend introduced me to Lukwago who urged me to grow mushrooms," Nakazibwe said.

"From my experience so far, when you farm mushrooms, you cannot lack money to at least buy basic needs in the house," she said

Nakazibwe told Xinhua in a recent interview that since she started mushroom farming about three months ago, she has recouped all the capital she injected in the business.

She says she plans to use the profits to expand her mushroom business. Currently her garden is at a friend's place because she does not have space at her house.

Like Nakazibwe, Lukwago says mushroom business is lucrative, noting that she is encouraging women in the community to take up the business.

She notes that an initial investment of about 20 U.S. dollars can yield about 130 dollars in a space of about three months when harvesting starts.

TWINING CITIES

About three years ago, Wuhan started its cooperation with Entebbe Municipality located on the shores of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest fresh water body. The beauty about these two cities is that they both have a water body. Yangtze River, the third longest river in the world passes through Wuhan.

In the last one year, Wuhan flew over 20 locals in Entebbe Municipality to China where they were skilled in various sectors ranging from vocational, farming, teaching, and tourism among others.

The locals spent over a month on a vocation training institute in Wuhan province where they were given practical skills to improve their livelihood.

Another set of the locals is scheduled to travel to Wuhan where they will be given various skills.

When the team comes back, they are charged with the responsibility of training their colleagues who did not get the opportunity to travel.

"The current cooperation agreement we have has quite a number of items which include medical cooperation, cultural exchange, sports and skilling. So we have really benefited a lot as a community of Entebbe," Vincent De Paul Kayanja told Xinhua in an interview.

Later this month, Entebbe will send a team to participate in the Wuhan Marathon in efforts geared towards boosting the cooperation between the two cities. Endit