On the outskirts of Mbale City in Eastern Uganda is Sino Uganda Mbale Industry Park which has created thousands of jobs for Ugandans.
Among those employed in the park are women, who have been helped to redefine their futures and proving that hard work, determination, and resilience can lead to success.
Leah E. Mukoya, a hotel manager at White House Hotel within the industrial park is among the women whose work has changed for the better, due to the employment.
She says she began as a janitor in 2022 before she was later promoted to supervisor and later manager.
“We accommodate Chinese investors who come to invest in the park, and they stay free of charge,” Mukoya explains, attributing her rise to merit and capability.
Today, she manages over ten employees, ensuring the hotel remains clean, well-maintained, and welcoming to guests.
She says her earnings have enabled her to support her parents and meet her personal needs.
“I don’t lack money. I take care of my parents and have managed to accomplish some personal goals,” she says, dreaming of becoming a major investor in Uganda.
Angella Rose Akurut, a single mother working at Grace Textiles says she has used her salary to transform her life.
She notes that whereas she was earning a modest daily wage, this has been increased significantly enabling her to launch a successful shoe business.
Akurut says today she can provide for her child and support her mother, defying the odds after becoming pregnant while in Senior Two and facing numerous challenges along the way.
For Florence Nabutere working as an administrative assistant at Unisteel, a state-of-the-art $100m factory in Mbale Industrial Park has transformed her life .
With earnings from this jobs, Nabutere has been able to pay school fees for her younger brother and pursue her entrepreneurial ambitions.
Officials say that the Sino Uganda Mbale Industrial Park has over 50 industries, employing over 50,000 Ugandans including women, who are recruited on merit, offering opportunity for career growth, financial independence, and personal development.