Providing food security, tackling malnutrition and creating income for women by developing and selling innovative products made from excess organic pumpkins

Joyce Kyalema

Passionate about women’s empowerment and food security, Joyce Kyalema found a way to address both of these issues by developing nutritious products from excess pumpkins. She noticed that pumpkins were growing in plenty in Uganda, but that they were being given to animals when they could instead be processed to create products that could help malnourished children and provide an extra income for rural women.

Joyce took part in SE Forum’s SE Outreach Accelerator in 2016.

Josmak International

Josmak International

Joyce founded Josmak International (U) Limited in 2014 and since then she has developed a range of nutritious, organic products made from pumpkins. Josmak currently sells pumpkin seeds, pumpkin beverages and pumpkin powder, which can be used to bake bread and cakes. Josmak’s impact is threefold; firstly, they provide food security by developing innovative, edible products out of a vegetable that is not otherwise used to its full potential. Pumpkins can be kept for 8 months if looked after, which helps many families during the dry season when food is scarce. Secondly, their products provide health benefits, especially for children who suffer from malnutrition. Thirdly, Josmak provides employment for rural women and mainly single mothers, thereby increasing their income and enabling them to provide for their families. Josmak needs to set up processing plants in order to process more pumpkins and to increase their social impact. Joyce also wants Josmak to sell products in other countries – both in East Africa and the rest of the world. The SE Outreach Accelerator will provide her with the tools to start this process.