Namakula Alicia Mbalire

  • Women Income Network

  • 2022 Global Fellow

Namakula Alicia Mbalire professional headshot
  • Women Income Network

  • 2022 Global Fellow

bold idea

Increase the household income of rural women in Uganda while developing a regional bio-waste management system by training and equipping women to become maggot farmers.

organization overview

Women Income Network promotes maggot farming as an income-generating alternative to stone quarrying for women in Kalungu, Luwero district. WIN provides them with free maggot farming training, maggot parental stock, maggot cultivation shelters, and market linkage for the maggot meal when processed into animal feeds. WIN assures a market for the products, making maggot farming a viable solution for the women in the program.

Personal Bio

Alicia founded Women Income Network (WIN) at the age of 22, inspired by her experience of growing up with a single mother who, although she was engaged in the menial work of stone quarrying, could barely afford household expenses. In 2018, under the Millennium Fellowship, Alicia trained women in briquette making, to help them gain economic independence. She and her teammate Janepher later designed a better venture model, focusing on maggot farming. Seed funding from the Resolution Fellowship provided funding to add two groups of 15 women to the program. These women, now trained in maggot farming, are currently volunteering at WIN’s demonstration farm. Alicia believes the venture’s success is due to the large market size for protein-concentrated animal feeds, her knowledge as a biotechnologist, her partner’s experience in administration, and a diverse mentor support system.

  • Issue Area ?

    A general program area that describes the focus of this Fellow’s organization during their Fellowship.

    Racial Equity

  • Organization/Fellow Location ?

    Our most recent information as to where the Fellow primarily resides.

    Kalagala, Uganda

  • Impact Location ?

    Countries or continents that were the primary focus of this Fellow’s work at the time of their Fellowship.

  • Organization Structure ?

    An organization can be structured as a nonprofit, for-profit, or hybrid (a structure that incorporates both nonprofit and for-profit elements).

    Nonprofit

  • Visit website