Entrepreneurship is often born from difficult circumstances. For Ruth Joan, that journey began as a child after her father died and her family’s circumstances dramatically changed. Today, at thirty-three years old, Ruth Joan’s ingenuity and determination have made her stand out in Lacor near Gulu City—as a business owner, community leader, mentor, and mother of four. With support from THRIVEGulu, and the GEAR (Gender Equality and Resilience) Project, in partnership with CARE International in Uganda, Ruth Joan has inventively expanded her hairdressing salon to include refrigerated drinks that provide a dependable source of daily income.
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When Ruth Joan was young, she had no option but to leave school after completing her primary examinations. She couldn’t imagine at the time that a different type of formal education was available—one that would sustain her growing needs, creativity, and determination to build an independent future.
After enrolling in a six-month hairdressing course at the Gulu War Affected Training Centre, a friend offered her a job in a salon. However, even after working for seven years, long-term stability was not on the horizon.
Ruth Joan had always dreamed of owning her own salon, but she lacked the money to begin. So, she found work as a babysitter for an Italian family, earning UGX 400,000 per month—approximately $100, and three times what she had previously earned.
For one year, Ruth Joan saved her income carefully. She used UGX 1,000,000 to purchase a small plot of land with a building and invested an additional UGX 1,500,000 in salon equipment, including chairs, combs, hair dryers, and cosmetics.
After two years of operating her personal salon in Lacor Marketplace, Ruth Joan now explains, “owning the building means I no longer have to worry about monthly rent,” an accomplishment that gives her important stability. But income from hairdressing can be unpredictable. Some days the salon is busy; on others, she may have no customers at all!
Through the GEAR Project, Ruth Joan received UGX 1,000,000 to strengthen her business. Rather than investing only in additional hair products, she purchased a refrigerator and began selling cold water and juice to people in the marketplace.
“Selling drinks now brings in money every day,” Ruth Joan explains. “This helps me, especially on days when my salon doesn’t have many customers.”
The additional income helps Ruth Joan provide food, school supplies, and other necessities for her children, which has in turn created opportunities for others. Currently, Ruth Joan trains two young people in hairdressing, each of whom pay UGX 50,000 per month for instruction.
Ruth Joan’s leadership extends beyond her business. Her fellow members of the Kacel Wa Twero Village Savings & Loan Association group (Together We Can VSLA) selected her to serve as their chairperson. On March 12, 2026, she also spoke at the GEAR International Women’s Day conference at Bomah Hotel, sharing her achievements and the obstacles she has overcome.
Ruth Joan’s growing salon and drinks business reflects not only the impact of THRIVEGulu and the CARE Gender Equality and Resilience Project, but also years of persistence, sacrifice, and careful planning.
Ruth Joan now hopes to expand her salon and one day open a large cosmetics shop. She does not yet know exactly how she will accomplish that goal, but her past offers good reason for confidence. Again and again, Ruth Joan has turned limited resources into lasting opportunity—for herself, her children, and the people learning alongside her.
