Lilian Nakigozi is empowering urban women in slums to grow food, earn income, and fight hunger through vertical farming.
Lilian Nakigozi grew up in a poor urban slum in Kampala, Uganda. Her childhood was shaped by poverty, food insecurity, and the daily struggles of women trying to feed their families with almost nothing. After experiencing personal tragedy and witnessing the toll of hunger, she decided to take radical action.
In 2018, she founded Women Smiles Uganda, a women-led social enterprise based in Kampala that empowers women, youth, and persons with disabilities in underserved urban communities through sustainable agriculture and food security initiatives.
Empowerment through vertical farming
The basis of Nakigozi’s solution lies in vertical farming. This includes affordable, climate-resilient systems designed specifically for cramped urban spaces, such as balconies, rooftops, and small backyards. These vertical farms are made from wood and recycled plastic and feature 360-degree rotation and drip irrigation to optimise sunlight and water use. Each unit costs around $35 and comes with a flexible payment plan, making it accessible to women with limited incomes.
Aside from selling farms, the organisation also offers training in sustainable urban farming practices, including hydroponics, aquaponics, compost manure production, and record keeping. It also runs demo farms across Kampala that serve as practical learning centres where women, especially teenage mothers and unemployed youth, gain skills in growing food and managing small agricultural enterprises. Participants are supported with free quality seedlings and are linked directly to seed suppliers and markets using technology like USSD codes, bypassing middlemen and increasing their earning potential.
The initiative has targeted slums such as Katwe, Katanga, Kimombasa, Makindye, Bwaise, and Old Kampala, where about 35% of the city’s population lives. Since launching, Women Smiles Uganda has reached over 15,000 people across more than 30 active locations in Kampala’s urban slums. With women making up 80% of all participants, the organisation has created over 5,000 jobs through its vertical farming and training initiatives. As a result, 90% of beneficiaries have experienced a significant boost in income, while more than 1,000 children now have access to a balanced, nutritious diet thanks to the food grown in their communities.
Awards and recognition
Women Smiles Uganda was named one of the Top 50 African organisations by the Tony Elumelu Foundation and won the Takeda Entrepreneurship Award in 2019. It also received the Youth in Agroecology Business Track Africa (YALTA) Award in 2022 and has been recognised by the Obama Foundation, Westerwelle Foundation, and One Young World for its impact on poverty and hunger reduction, gender equity, and sustainable agriculture.
Now an Obama Scholar and EVWA Champion, Lilian Nakigozi continues to lead the organisation to ensure that every woman, no matter where she lives, has the tools to grow food, earn an income, and build a sustainable future for herself and her family.
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