During a trip to Uganda in 2024, we observed severe poverty, particularly among women in northern Uganda. We were there ????. In the area we visited, many of the women were Sudanese war widows and refugees, engaged in arduous, “back-breaking” labor such as breaking rocks, making bricks, and carrying water. This labor, often done by hand, yielded minimal income. Dani Cifor encountered a woman who spent a month crushing two cubic yards of rock by hand to earn only $30, half of which went directly to her children’s school fees.
But that was not enough, many girls stopped going to school when they reached puberty. Due to lack of proper sanitation, facilities, and supplies, we found the girls were embarrassed and would withdraw from school. Subsequently they would marry (often early), have children, and sadly too many would go on to be abandoned by the men. They were left to raise families alone with no means of support, having to resort to impossible backbreaking work to just sustain themselves and their families.
Because we have seen this need we have taken it as a challenge to empower these vulnerable women and girls, addressing both their economic hardship and lack of access to sanitation. While we gave (NAME), who was breaking rocks, the equivalent of one month’s income (about $30) this is not sustainable nor empowering. We aim to help both with the labor and money making as well as with the sanitation at the schools.
Expected Impact (Future Project):
The project aims to:
- Alleviate the extreme physical labor and economic struggle faced by widowed women.
- Empower girls by ensuring access to education, which can break the cycle of poverty.
- Restore dignity and promote health through improved sanitation.
The ministry’s observations in Uganda revealed the profound struggles of war widows and the barriers preventing girls from accessing education. This project, focusing on both economic empowerment and critical sanitation infrastructure, represents a compassionate and strategic approach to improving the lives of these vulnerable populations.
To find out more, get involved or get help:
- Be part of everyday miracles at Purpose and Legacy, get involved or donate.
- Get food for your family, check out our open hours and come by.
- Drop us a line so you can be added to the mailing list and learn more about this project.