Although he had learned basic baking skills while in the Democratic Republic of Congo and dreamed of owning a bakery, he lacked the business skills, capital, market information, and networks needed to turn his passion into a viable enterprise.
Today, Lambert is the owner of Haleluya Bakery, a growing enterprise serving customers within Kyaka II and surrounding communities. His business produces bread, cakes, doughnuts, and other baked products, generating a monthly income of more than UGX 3 million (CHF 635.02) and creating employment opportunities for others in the community. What was once a dream has become a source of economic independence, dignity, and hope for his family.
His breakthrough came in 2024 when he connected with the Agro-Tourism Association (ATA), a private sector partner supported through the EcoProsperity project, after hearing a radio announcement on Kyegegwa Community Radio inviting entrepreneurs to apply for business support opportunities.
Through this partnership, Lambert accessed practical business training, improved baking techniques, product diversification skills, market positioning support, and linkages to financial opportunities. These interventions helped him strengthen both his technical and entrepreneurial capabilities.
Equipped with new skills and market knowledge, Lambert expanded his bakery from a small operation into a growing business. He diversified his products, improved quality, and attracted a larger customer base. As revenues increased, so did his ability to provide for his family.
As a father of two daughters, he is now able to better meet household needs and invest in his children's future through education and improved living conditions. The bakery has reduced his dependence on aid and given him confidence that he can shape his own future.
The benefits of Lambert's success extend beyond his household. His bakery now provides part-time employment to approximately five people, demonstrating how refugee-led enterprises can create economic opportunities for both refugees and host communities.
His entrepreneurial journey gained further momentum when he participated in a business pitching competition organised by Agrotourism Association with support from Swisscontact’s EcoProsperity Project where he won UGX 2.1 million. ((CHF 436.95)) He reinvested the prize into expanding his bakery operations, increasing production capacity and strengthening the business's long-term sustainability.
Lambert's journey demonstrates what is possible when refugees are connected to functioning market systems that provide access to skills, finance, business support, and market opportunities. Instead of remaining dependent on humanitarian assistance, he has become a business owner, employer, and contributor to the local economy.
His story is not only about building a bakery. It is about restoring agency, creating resilience, and proving that with the right opportunities, refugees can transition from vulnerability to self-reliance, while contributing positively to the economic development of their communities.
Lambert’s story is part of the wider impact of the EcoProsperity Project, a Swisscontact-led initiative working to strengthen inclusive and market-driven livelihood opportunities for vulnerable communities across Uganda. The five-year project aims to improve the livelihoods of 12,000 young women and men, with 70% of the targeted beneficiaries being women, through climate-resilient and market-oriented economic opportunities.
Lambert's story illustrates how targeted interventions can unlock potential, turning vulnerability into opportunity and fostering entrepreneurship that contributes to local economic growth. Through such efforts, Swisscontact and its partners continue to build pathways for resilience, dignity, and long-term transformation in refugee and host communities alike.
This project is financed by Linsi Foundation, Happel Foundation and Canton Aargau, Canton of Basel-Landschaft, among other donors. It is part of the Swisscontact Development Programme, which is co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA.