Some of the products Flock of Birds targets to local markets include hotel and restaurant tablecloths, work overalls, school uniforms and candles made from a mixture of beeswax and paraffin wax. Flock of Birds believes that Ugandan businesses will be willing to pay slightly more for locally made products that are of superior quality as opposed to imported goods.

Another important branch of the Flock of Birds organization is software development training, which takes place in South Africa and Kampala. This component has major potential for income generation; not just for the individuals being trained, but also for the organization as a whole. Any profits derived from this endeavor will flow back into the Flock of Birds concept and help support their work in the north.

Teaching Basic Life Skills

Flock of Birds leadership, made up of highly driven people, has realized through experience that the training process in Gulu can be slower than expected.

“We wanted to provide opportunities for the most vulnerable, but the most vulnerable are also the ones with the least skills,” de Jager explained.

For those who have been robbed of a stable childhood and adolescence, basic life skills must be taught and new concepts slowly absorbed. In order to maintain a level of excellence, Flock of Birds gradually introduces projects and equipment to their young trainees. At the same time, the youth continue to surprise de Jager with their energetic approach to learning.

“Their level of commitment is inspiring. They are so excited to learn, and full of new ideas. It seems like every day there is someone saying, ‘Maybe we should try this,’ or ‘What if we did this?’ Last week when I was in Gulu, the young people there were just glowing.”

Flock of Birds’ work in Uganda is connected to a base in South Africa and in the Netherlands. At the moment, Flock of Birds carries several products made in South Africa. As Cape Town has been named the World Design Capital for 2014, Flock of Birds hopes to ride this momentum and connect with designers from around the globe.

The organization is constantly looking toward new goals. In the future — as quality materials are found and their training program advances — Flock of Birds hopes to have all of their products made in Uganda. They believe that small businesses are key, helping to bring the same quality products to multiple locations. As they seek to capture local markets at exhibits and trade fairs, they would also like to see Flock of Birds products being sold online and in European and American locations.

“Our goal is to get people moving away from dependency, to pursue real business alongside social aims. We want to bring the expertise and energy of people from different vocations together to make this grow,” de Jager said with a smile, settling back into her seat. “I think it’s really happening.”