“Through hands-on activities, peer collaboration, and local resource use, the project helps teen mothers envision a better future, gain entrepreneurship skills, and strengthen community connections.”
This project empowers teen mothers by building practical skills, confidence, and income opportunities using sweet potato doughnut-making. It addresses social exclusion and limited opportunities after early motherhood by creating a supportive, community-based learning space.
As part of the Germinator project implementation, I conducted a community-based learning session with 10 teen mothers, using sweet potato doughnut-making as a practical learning methodology. The activity was intentionally designed as a low-cost, locally grounded practice to demonstrate how available resources can be transformed into value-added products.
Through the sweet potato doughnut-making process, participants learned and practiced collaboration and teamwork, basic food safety and hygiene, and value addition using locally sourced sweet potatoes. The session also introduced basic entrepreneurship concepts, including simple cost awareness, product quality, and the potential for income generation from small-scale food processing.
Beyond technical skills, the space was designed to support personal reflection and confidence-building. Each teen mother was allowed to share her personal goals, including what she hopes to become within the next two years, and to reflect on key lessons gained from the activity. This sharing fostered mutual encouragement, peer learning, and a sense of belonging.
Participant feedback highlighted that the training responded to their most urgent needs. Many expressed that the approach helped them regain confidence, feel valued, and see practical possibilities for improving their livelihoods. Overall, the activity functioned both as a skills-building session and as a transformative learning experience aligned with Germinator’s emphasis on experimentation, local knowledge, and social impact.
What I enjoyed most about this project was working closely with teen mothers and learning from their lived experiences. Listening to their stories helped me better understand how challenging life can become after early motherhood, especially in contexts with limited economic and social support. This deepened my empathy and strengthened my commitment to creating spaces where they feel respected, supported, and capable.
Farmers are enthusiastic about conserving biodiversity and reviving and preserving their traditional agricultural knowledge, but economic pressures and the state-supported ideology of market-oriented production place significant barriers in the way.
“Looking to the future of the project, I imagine it continuing and expanding. What started with 10 teen mothers has the potential to grow and reach many more. The project could evolve into a sustainable, community-led initiative where teen mothers continue producing sweet potato doughnuts, generating income, and mentoring new participants. New relationships with local leaders, farmers, and markets are possible, as well as new questions around scaling, ownership, and long-term sustainability.”
This post is based on Anne Marie Dushyirehamwe’s report for 2025 Germinators Projects.