Barbara Ofwono, the proprietor of Victorious Education Services Ltd, shorty after an interview with Business Focus. Supported by dfcu bank, Barbara has grown the school from 30 pupils in 1999 to over 4,000 currently. For many women entrepreneurs in Uganda, access to capital remains a key barrier, especially in the early stages when businesses lack collateral or track record. At that point, many viable enterprises stall, not for lack of demand, but support.She Powers Uganda’s Economy, a storytelling platform by dfcu Bank, brings these realities into focus, highlighting the moments that define whether women-led businesses grow or stop.Through its Women in Business Programme, dfcu Bank has supported more than 80,000 women entrepreneurs across Uganda with financing, advisory, and market access. Initiatives such as dfcu Rising Woman, the Women Business Advisory Centre, and targeted financing under the GROW framework extend this support, backing women not only when businesses are established, but when potential still outweighs proof.Barbara Ofwono’s journey was defined by that moment.The BeginningOn a quiet afternoon, the laughter of children fills the air across the campuses of Victorious Education Services Ltd. It is a sound that carries more than joy, it carries transformation, resilience, and hope.At the centre of it all stands Barbara Ofwono Buyondo, teacher, mother, and visionary entrepreneur. But above all, a woman who chose to answer a calling bigger than herself.“I believe God created me to nurture generations,” she says. “That is who I am.”It sounds simple, but behind those words lies a journey marked by rejection, sacrifice, bold faith, and a partnership that helped turn possibility into reality.In 1999, Barbara started with almost nothing, thirty children, three staff members, one million Ugandan shillings, no grand buildings, no guarantees, and no roadmap.At the time, even her choice of profession was questioned. Teaching, especially at the kindergarten level, was not seen as prestigious. Some of her peers dismissed it. Others quietly doubted her.“People looked at us like we were just babysitters,” she recalls. “Even saying ‘I am a teacher’ did not carry the respect it should.”But Barbara saw something others didn’t. Where society saw small beginnings, she saw the foundation of a generation. And she leaned into it.Unavoidable Life CallingBarbara didn’t always want to be a teacher. In fact, she tried to resist it. But her father saw something she hadn’t yet fully embraced.“He noticed it early, that I had the ability to teach, to guide, to nurture,” she says. “When the time came to choose a career, he directed me toward teaching.” Years later, she understands why.“When God creates you for something, you cannot run from it. You may delay, but eventually, you return to it.”For Barbara, teaching is not a job, it is instinct, identity, and purpose.She speaks of children with a depth of understanding that comes from both experience and calling, having raised four of her own while nurturing thousands more.“I don’t think there is anything that fulfills me more than being around children,” she says. “That is where I belong.”What began as a small kindergarten slowly grew, child by child, parent by parent, trust by trust. But growth brought new pressure. Parents wanted better facilities, better resources, and better learning environments. Barbara knew the school had potential, but potential alone does not build classrooms. She needed capital.The Defining MomentSo, like many entrepreneurs, she turned to the bank. What followed was a moment she still remembers vividly.“They asked me for collateral, for structures, for history,” she says. “Things I didn’t have.” Her application was rejected. “I walked away with nothing.”For many, that would have been the end of the dream. But for Barbara, it became fuel.The turning point came when she engaged dfcu Bank.Every transformative journey has a moment when everything begins to shift. For Barbara, that moment came when she found a partner willing to look beyond numbers and see vision.Unlike her earlier experience, dfcu Bank did not just assess what Victorious Education Services was, they recognized what it could become.“dfcu believed in the dream,” Barbara says. “They saw beyond where we were.”With access to financing and institutional support, Barbara was able to expand, improving infrastructure, investing in quality education, and building a system that could sustain growth. It was more than a loan, it was validation.“When someone believes in you when others have said no, it changes everything,” she reflects.From 30 Children to 4,000Today, what Barbara built stands as a testament to persistence and purpose. From just 30 children, Victorious Education Services Ltd now educates more than 4,000 learners. From three staff members, the institution has grown to employ around 500.What was once a single kindergarten has expanded into five campuses, and a sixth, digital frontier, a fully functional online school.But growth, for Barbara, has never been about numbers alone.“It is about impact,” she says. “What is happening in the life of that child? Who are they becoming?”When COVID-19 disrupted education systems worldwide, many institutions paused. Some never reopened. Barbara made a different decision.“We asked ourselves, if children stop learning, what happens to their future?” she says. The answer became action.Victorious Education Services launched an online school, initially as a temporary solution. But what emerged was something far more powerful.Today, children from across Uganda, and beyond, study remotely, following structured programs from baby class to Primary Seven.“We have had children undergo medical treatment abroad and still continue learning,” Barbara explains. “They didn’t lose a year. They didn’t fall behind.”Lifting Others Along the WayBarbara is deeply concerned about a growing gap she sees in society, the erosion of values.“You find people who are highly educated, but lack integrity,” she says. “Where does that come from?”At VES, education is not just academic, it is holistic. Faith, character, discipline, and community are woven into the learning experience.“We are raising not just thinkers, but responsible human beings,” she says.Barbara’s vision extends beyond the classroom. Through sponsorship programmes, the school supports more than 50 vulnerable children.One story stands out, a young girl raised by an elderly grandmother, who joined the school unable to read or write. Years later, she excelled in her national exams.“You don’t bring a child this far and then abandon them,” Barbara says. “We continue to support them.”The school also invests in income-generating initiatives, including student-led projects, and supports parents through entrepreneurship training.“If the home is stable, the child will thrive,” she explains.A Legacy Written in LivesOver the years, Barbara’s work has earned national and international recognition, including more than 27 awards.But accolades are not what move her. She speaks instead about her former students.“They are everywhere,” she says. “Doctors, teachers, leaders.”Some return to thank her. Others enrol their own children.“That is the greatest reward,” she says.The Power of BeliefLooking back, Barbara knows her journey could have turned out very differently. A rejected loan application could have ended everything. But resilience kept her going.And when the right partner came along, dfcu Bank, it unlocked a new chapter.Today, her story is not just about building a school. It is about building a system that nurtures dreams, restores dignity, and transforms communities.Despite everything she has achieved, Barbara speaks as though she is just getting started.“There is still so much to do,” she says.And as long as there are children to nurture, dreams to awaken, and futures to secure, Barbara Ofwono Buyondo will keep showing up, not just as an educator, but as a builder of generations.Her journey reflects a broader reality for women entrepreneurs in Uganda, where progress is often determined at moments of constraint, and where the availability of the right support shapes what happens next.For dfcu Bank, these are the businesses at the centre of She Powers Uganda’s Economy, enterprises built through persistence, strengthened through access, and scaled through partnership. The post From Bank Rejection to Nurturing Generations: Barbara Ofwono’s Journey with Faith and dfcu appeared first on Business Focus.