Help 100 youth acquire cake baking skills

Creating Opportunities, Changing Lives – LGBTIQ Skills Initiative

Dear Donors,

Mbarara Rise Foundation is proud to share progress from our ongoing initiative to equip LGBTIQ individuals with practical skills and opportunities for self-reliance. Many in our community face barriers to employment due to stigma, social exclusion, and lack of vocational training. Our programs aim to address these gaps, giving participants the tools they need to build sustainable livelihoods.

Over the past quarter, we focused on hands-on training in cake baking, tailoring, poultry farming, and small-scale business management. Participants also received guidance on marketing, customer relations, and financial planning, empowering them to start their own micro-enterprises. This holistic approach ensures that skills translate directly into income and independence.

Early results have been promising: participants are setting up businesses, generating income, and supporting their families. More importantly, they are gaining confidence, leadership skills, and the ability to mentor peers—creating a ripple effect that strengthens the broader LGBTIQ community.

Despite these successes, challenges remain. Rising costs of materials, limited access to safe training spaces, and the ongoing social stigma faced by participants restrict our ability to scale the program. Without additional support, many promising individuals may not receive the training they need to secure stable livelihoods.

With your contribution, we aim to:

1. Expand training to reach more LGBTIQ participants in rural and urban areas.

2. Provide start-up support for micro-enterprises, including essential materials and equipment.

3. Offer mentorship and guidance to ensure long-term success for graduates.

4. Build safe, inclusive training hubs where participants can learn, collaborate, and grow.

Your support enables LGBTIQ individuals to gain independence, dignity, and hope. Together, we can transform challenges into opportunities and empower a generation of leaders who inspire change in their communities.

Thank you for standing with us and helping us create lasting impact.

In solidarity,
Mbarara Rise Foundation

Dear Donors,

My name is Josh  and I am a beneficiary of the cake baking skills program under Mbarara Rise Foundation. Before joining this program, I was struggling. As an openly LGBTIQ individual, it was nearly impossible to find safe employment or earn a living. I faced rejection from my own community and lived in constant financial hardship.

Through the Foundation’s cake baking training, I learned not only how to bake quality cakes but also how to manage orders, price my products, and engage customers. Today, I run a small cake business. It has given me both financial independence and personal confidence. I can now support my daily needs, rent, and even help others in my community.

However, many others like me are still waiting for such opportunities. Mbarara Rise Foundation depends on donor support to keep this program running and reach more LGBTIQ individuals in need of economic empowerment. I kindly call on you to donate to our fundraiser. Your support directly helps someone learn a skill, start a business, and regain dignity in a society that often pushes us aside.

Thank you for standing with us and believing in our potential.