Paper short abstract:

Large numbers of young women have entered the urban informal economy in Uganda since the 1970s. This paper explores the ways in which female entrepreneurs navigate a range of social and economic challenges in order make a living in Kampala.

Paper long abstract:

The work of women in urban Uganda has been historically restricted by colonial discourses of the 'town woman' and malaya (prostitute) (Davis 2000). However, large numbers of young women have entered the urban informal economy since the 1970s, driven by increasing rates of marital breakdown and rising costs of healthcare and education (Tripp 2012). Drawing upon a household survey, a panel of life history interviews and an ethnographic case study, this paper explores the ways in which female entrepreneurs in Kampala navigate a range of social and economic challenges in order make a living. Particular emphasis is given to the changing role of voluntary associations - such as savings groups and burial societies - in responding to increasing rates of marital breakdown. The paper draws upon the testimonies of a number of female workers who separated before and during the course of the life history panel.