Women's Global Empowerment FundAn Update from Gulu
new clients; conducted 3 GBV (gender based violence) sessions that comprised of our clients together with their husbands (partners) to address gender issues and domestic violence; also to educate men about our program and its benefit to their families. In total 47 men 55 women attended the sessions and all was successful with men committing to tell their fellow men in the community about the benefit of Credit plus program. Below is a success story from one of group headed by Christine together with photos of the different trainings. Program Director
Also in July, our intern from the University of North Carolina, Ella, and team organised a soccer match between child mothers and girls in Gulu prison and WGEF. The team including staff and our clients and was organized inside the prison and was attended by hundreds. It was fun and was a great opportunity to share the pressing needs of women in prisons.From Scratch to a Business Owner
Christine is 32 years old and lives in Gulu Town. She is married with 3 children two of them currently in school. For the past 3 year she was undergoing training with different Financial institutions in preparation to get some Capital (loan) to help her open a restaurant but to her disappointment whenever she finished the trainings, its became so had to get a security to guarantee her loan, simply because of her status in community her and her husband are discriminated because they were former captives during the insurgency often referred to as (Rebels). “It was great joining WGEF program that helped us form a 5 member group, trained for only some weeks and the only security is ourselves in the group, all my members we share common challenges and this has enabled us to come together. We started a group restaurant using a loan of $140 from WGEF. Our business is 1 year now and has expanded, we have employed 2 helpers to help serve our clients better”.
“To explain the benefits is had, but I feel that I can now freely interact with my community by serving them the discrimination is no more just in a short period. 2 of my children go to school and my husband is supportive after having attended WGEF training together, our success in business is changing our community perception towards many of our category making me so proud. At least we have a program that allows us to make our choices, and give us financial support to help us realize our goals”
– Christine Ayaat- Client Gulu
