First Livelihood & Entrepreneurship Cohort Graduates
Refugee Thrive Initiative (RTI) celebrated a major milestone this month as 18 women and youth graduated from its very first Livelihood & Entrepreneurship Empowerment cohort — a training program built on small business coaching, financial literacy, and savings group formation.
Over several weeks, participants learned the fundamentals of running a small business: budgeting, pricing, basic bookkeeping, and how to access markets. The cohort also formed its own table banking (chama) group, pooling small weekly contributions to build shared savings and access to credit.
Real Stories, Real Impact
Several graduates have already begun piloting their own micro-businesses — from tailoring and hairdressing to small food stalls — applying the budgeting and customer service skills learned in the program directly to their new ventures.
Program Highlights
- Small business training and one-on-one coaching
- Financial literacy: budgeting, saving, and planning
- Formation of a women & youth savings group (chama)
- Vocational skills linkages (tailoring, hairdressing, baking)
- Market networking and peer support
RTI plans to open its next Livelihood & Entrepreneurship cohort later this year, with a goal of reaching 150 women and youth in its first full year of operation.
Get Involved
Want to mentor the next cohort or help fund training materials? Visit our Get Involved page to learn how you can support this program.