Field Report, June 2016: Never Underestimate Any Small Actions

My tears of joy rolled down, my heart beat Firstar as I visited Florence today. Her warm welcome and embracing me with a real hug was enough to explain her feeling, she said:

“I have kept this gift for you for so long you gave me the means, you made me hopeful again, you made me feel important and helped get a position in my community, you made me realize my resources. The training and small amount money you borrowed me has changed my life I will never forget you”

Florence is among many amazing women that we support. I stayed in their village for 3 days, trained them in business skills and provided them with micro loans for their agro business. Then she had no food, no business and livestock but she had her family land. After harvests now she has 6 hectares of sim sim, 2 hectares of cassava 10 goats, 19 chickens. She is able to educate her children. I’m very lucky to have worked with Florence and many other women on their journey to get out poverty and I do this with a team of committed individuals, here in Gulu and with you, this achievement is for all of us.

We are so pleased to have been selected as a 2016 Top-rated Nonprofit by Great Nonprofits!  Thanks to all of our supporters for the excellent reviews that contributed to this  honor!

Learn more about WGEFund and Great Nonprofits!

Once a Victim, I’m a Champion

I’m Atim Mary, a 36 year-old single mother with two daughters. I was formerly abducted and experienced all sorts of violence. Before joining WGEF I lived an isolated life, even when the community did not discriminate against me I discriminated myself. I lacked a voice and I had no one to speak to. My turning point was when a group of four members requested form a group with me. I attended both business and Domestic Violence trainings offered by WGEF, what I learned was that I’m not alone, and I got inspired to lift myself up again.

I received a $50 loan from WGEF, which supported me to start a business of selling clothes, initially moving door to door, now I’m owning my own boutique. My children and I live a simple and decent life. I can support my children. I’m an advocate for my fellow women suffering violence in silence and I’m a community leader representing my fellow women at the division council in Gulu district.

Thank you WGEF for turning me from a victim to a champion. Happy Mother’s Day.

Atim Mary, WGEF Client in Gulu Uganda

To address the issues of stubborn poverty and the challenges women face regarding access to and information on health, justice & human rights, gender based violence, economic empowerment, education and activism, Women’s Global Empowerment Fund (WGEF) is launching the Gulu Women’s Resource Center (GWRC). GWRC is a one-stop center that will provide essential support, information and education to women and girls in northern Uganda.

The goal of this initiative is to create a community space providing women current and critical information, community meeting space, and computer and life skill trainings. 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.

Learn more about Gulu Women’s Resource Center here.

WGEF is breaking the silence on menstrual health management for women and school-going girls in Northern Uganda.

Today we started to address this reality, training 15 young girls on how to produce affordable and safe sanitary pads for themselves and school going children, providing education and awareness creation real empowerment that benefit rural school going girls and women. Women and young girls are provided an opportunity to learn how to make, use and sell sanitary sanitary pads, creating employment opportunity while addressing menstrual health management challenge for rural women and schoolgirls. Its about dignity and equality, period.

Learn more about the Healthy Period Initiative here.