WGEF Graduates 27 Young Girls with Computer Skills

As part of Gulu Women’s Resource Centre’s goal of providing women with current and critical information, community meeting space, computer and life skill trainings, WGEF offered a 3 months’ basic computer training for 27 young girls and women to help them learn and improve their knowledge and skills in basic computer applications. The training drew participants from primary schools, secondary schools drop outs. It is through information and education that self esteem and empowerment is facilitated, enabling women to stand up and lead themselves out of the vicious cycle of poverty that is often presented before them.

Young women are such a powerful resource to the community of Gulu and inspire us daily as they work tirelessly towards a bright future. Regardless of their backgrounds, health status, and heartbreak, they have big dreams to change their lives and community. This is where WGEF’s contribution and support is critical to provide them with tools to enable them realize their potentials

“On my graduation today I feel powerful and inspired because me 4 of us we are already been employed, the missing gap was the lack of computer skills which has been filled up the training provided to us. Gulu Women’s Resource Center is the bridge that is connecting all women young and old with meaningful resources and it is facilitating change in community” we are so blessed to have the Center in Gulu. Thank you WGEF for the Opportunity” – Nancy

WGEF Supplies Free Sanitary Pads to 300 South Sudan Refugees

“The fighting in our home country separated me from my family, I don’t know if they are still alive, I was left alone with no one to tell my challenges, no one to take care of my needs such as sanitary pads I have to use a piece of cloth, but also cleaning it is a challenge because we don’t have enough water and soap in this camp” – Christine, 14 years old.

Sadly 70% of mothers in Bolore and Pagirinya refugee settlements think periods are dirty and 66% of girls and women manage periods without toilets. Having your period in a refugee settlement is uncomfortable, unsanitary and unjust PERIOD! Influenced by differences in sociocultural norms, without education for young girls on how to manage their periods, whether and from whom they can seek reliable information and help.

When a girl faces obstacles in managing her menses in a healthy way, she is at risk for infection, her self-esteem and self-confidence suffer, she may remain absent from school during her period, or worse still, drop out of school altogether upon reaching puberty. Over time, these negative effects add up, preventing a young girl from achieving her full potential and having a healthy, productive life. It’s about justice.

WGEF is responding to this crisis by supplying Lucky Girls Sanitary Pads to young girls and women in Bolore and Pagirinya refugee settlements. These 2 settlements host 36,000 people of which 72% are young girls, women and children between 9 to 18 years.

This month WGEF has provided 300 young girls and women with Lucky Girl Sanitary Pads, and critical information on menstrual health; our goal is to deliver 7000 pads every month to women and girls living in the camps.

WGEF Disburses 350 New Micro Loans in June

WGEF disbursed 350 new micro loans to to support women in Omoro District who are looking up to better their lives, start and expand their business.  All women were provided intensive business skills and provided with micro loans to help them start and expand their business. Each woman represented a household we need to see improvement in house hold income, children able to go to school and families Table access quality health care services.

“I feel like I matter, from today instead of focusing on just survival, being given the opportunity to access credit for the first time then I have a new beginning and confidence begin to looking for ways to thrive in my life” – Jennifer, Omoro District

WGEF Credit Plus participants receive a microcredit loan bundled with social and educational services, allowing them to create an opportunity for sustainability, increased food security and health and nutrition. Each loan recipient is required to attend bi-monthly meetings. These meetings will entail loan repayment and training on business skills, literacy, health or leadership development.  Women invests their micro loans in varied business such as produce selling, baking, tailoring and knitting, grocery store, poultry and agro loans. All these loans help women and their house holds become more resilient and better able to provide for their families in times of economic difficulty.

“When I received my first loans of $100 from WGEF last I dedicated myself to use the opportunity to change mile life and support my family better. Now all my children are going to school and I have bought 2 cows. Most important I feel less stressed now. Thank you WGEF for trusting me.” – Hellen, Koro District

“The fighting in our home country separated me from my family, I don’t know if they are still alive, I was left alone with no one to tell my challenges, no one to take care of my needs such as sanitary pads I have to use a piece of cloth, but also cleaning it is a challenge because we don’t have enough water and soap in this camp”

Christine is 14 years old.

Sadly, 70% of mothers in Bolore and Pagirinya refugee settlements think periods are dirty and 66% of girls and women manage periods without toilets. Having your period in a refugee settlement is uncomfortable, unsanitary and unjust, PERIOD! Influenced by differences in sociocultural norms, without education for young girls on how to manage their periods, whether and from whom they can seek  reliable information and help.

When a girl faces obstacles in managing her menses in a healthy way, she is at risk for infection, her self-esteem and self-confidence suffer, she may remain absent from school during her period, or worse still, drop out of school altogether upon reaching puberty. Over time, these negative effects add up, preventing a young girl from achieving her full potential and having a healthy, productive life. It’s about justice.

WGEF is responding to this crisis by supplying Lucky Girls Sanitary Pads to young girls and women in Bolore and Pagirinya refugee settlements. These 2 settlements host 36,000 people of which 72% are young girls, women and children between 9 to 18 years. 

WGEF is committed to delivering 17,000 Lucky Girl Sanitary Pads per month, along with critical information on menstrual health; our goal is to continue making monthly supplies to refugees living in resettlement camps.  

We hope you are inspired and proud to support WGEF! 

Karen and Bukenya

“For my entire life I had no idea that failure in my business was from the challenges I had at family level, with all the issues about home management addressed in the training, with the business skills that I have learnt and my Loan of $75 from WGEF, I’m excited to begin a new journey in my business.” – Anena Nwoya, WGEF Client

Let us share our excitement for enrolling 600 new clients who have successfully completed business skill training and all disbursed with micro loans. A number of these women are small scale farmers. Creating local food production is the surest way of curbing food insecurity and guarantee peace in the region. Go for business car loans from this company for a reasonable rate of interest.

We have opened new repayment meeting centers where we also offer emergency cash quickly and have trained additional peer counsellors to help support the new members advise and council to enable them succeed in business. We also recommended them to use WebCitz management services, to sell their local produce on the market, globally. All the centers are community-based, giving women a space to make their repayments and access other support from our program with out incurring transport cost.

2017 Literacy Enrollment: 600 new adult learners starting classes

We are excited to report to you that our first intake for adult literacy started this week. Three new centers have opened with an intake of 600 participants. We have divided them in 2 shifts, each group attending classes for 3 hours a day, 2 days in a week. In total, 5 literacy centers are up and running and we will have the second enrollment in September.

Our Centers are located in the Districts of Gulu, Amulu and Omoro and Nwoya. Each center has 2 adult literacy instructors who are trained by the government of Uganda. We facilitate each instructor on a monthly basis to support learners. At the end all learners will sit for exams and will be assessed, then reports will be submitted by the instructors. Leaners not only learn how to read and write but also important topics such as nutrition, parenting, reproductive health and child health care.

Learn more about our literacy program here.

What do beauty products and women’s empowerment have in common?

The ultimate beauty guru, Erin Flaherty, the Health and Beauty Director of Marie Claire magazine will be in Denver to discuss Women’s Global Empowerment Fund and her own trip to Uganda.

Erin is the Beauty and Health Director of Marie Claire magazine, which is the global authority on work, culture, beauty and fashion from a feminist point of view across its 30 international editions. In 2016, Erin traveled to Gulu to report a story on WGEF and its partnership with Urban Decay’s Ultraviolet Edge Fund that appeared in the March issue of Marie Claire. During her visit, she attended the opening of the Gulu Women’s Resource Center, received an overview on numerous programs such as Access to Justice, the Healthy Periods Initiative, and the Literacy Project, in addition to being a guest at Gulu’s annual drama festival, all of which culminated in an inspiring experience she will never forget.

She will also discuss the partnership between Women’s Global and Urban Decay and the work being done to bring women’s issues to the forefront of conversation. Read Erin’s article here.

You can be part of this conversation by joining us at our Annual Spring Luncheon at RedLine Denver.  Take the opportunity to meet others who are also interested in changing the lives of women around the world.

WGEF Annual Spring Luncheon
11:30 – 1:00 PM | April 26, 2017 | RedLine Art, Denver