Living Hope
Photo album 2014
History Living Hope was established in January 2008 to restore dignity to vulnerable women, most of whom are HIV+, single mothers and returnees from abduction into the LRA rebel army who ravaged northern Uganda. Some of these women had been brutally mutilated and bear the scars of war; others were used as sex slaves, all of them disenfranchised and victims of circumstances they did not create. Through Living Hope, vulnerable women are given a hand up so they’re empowered to take care of themselves and their children. They receive assistance with basic necessities, are empowered with vocational skills and are either employed with the program or provided with microfinance loans to start income-generating projects of their own.
Living Hope
KAMPALA
Opened in 2008, the Living Hope Centre in Kampala, Uganda is located at Watoto Church’s head office downtown. The unit in Kampala facilitates tailoring, liquid soap and candle making. The facility hosts more than 30 ladies who are employed as seamstresses for income generating activities. Discipleship, business training and adult literacy classes are also facilitated at this location.
Living Hope
GULU
The Gulu facility is located in the former Night Commuter Centre on Coronation Road, in Pece Valley. The centre was built to protect children from abduction during the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel war. In the aftermath, Gulu district chose to allocate it to Living Hope (rent free) in support of empowering women affected by war. In the Gulu facility the women specialise in peanut butter making, bee keeping and Shea butter development. Discipleship, business training and adult literacy classes are also facilitated at this location.
Living Hope
GUSCO CENTRE
Gusco is a beautiful centre in the heart of Gulu, which was refurbished in 2011 to provide a tranquil environment for women who had been brutally mutilated during the LRA rebel war. As a result of these mutilations, ladies were ostracised by the community and were unable to freely live in society. The program at Gusco aims to help the ladies deal with the trauma of their past. Here they learn to forgive and find acceptance by experiencing the love of God and living a productive life. The ladies also receive discipleship, small business management skills, tools to run a small scale farm and start-up capital.
January
Making Merry During our Christmas party last month, Living Hope honoured 20 women who excelled at our workshops and our Living Hope coordinator in Gulu, Christine Lutara presented them with a special gift. Amongst them was Rhona Namuyomba. We gave her a beautiful handbag for being enthusiastically involved in all our activities at the centre. Rhona showed good leadership skills by helping mobilise other women and she never missed a discipleship class. “I didn’t know I was all those things. It was nice being identified as a leader. I was very, very happy,” she said. Rhona joined our tailoring department last year. Today she is helping us make uniforms for our Watoto schools. This opportunity helps her look after her four children. To learn how you can help us empower women like Rhona, click here.
February
One step at a time
In February, our community workers visited Living Hope ladies in their homes. During a visitation, Teddy Nantongo, 47, proudly displayed her accounts books to Auntie Jolly. Teddy was abandoned by her husband in 2001 when she discovered her HIV status. Since then, Teddy has earned a living by selling a type of fish known locally as mukene. Teddy joined Living Hope last year where she learned how to manage her finances and save money. She also received a loan which enabled her to grow her business. She will finish repaying her loan in just two months, making her eligible for larger loans in the future. To help us empower women like Teddy with the knowledge and skills to become successful businesswomen, visit www.watoto.com/livinghope
March
Bearing Fruit Christine Acen is one of six women who trained in beekeeping last year. She was involved in setting up the apiaries and now helps us look after our 62 colonised beehives. Christine and our team worked in the dark and in silence to avoid disturbing the bees. The harvest yielded 146.5 kilograms of honey, which will be sold locally. We hope to empower twenty women in beekeeping this year and to colonise an additional 37 beehives. Email us at livinghope@watoto.com to help empower women like Christine with practical skills.
April
Restoring Dignity Lillian Anena is one of ten women who received reconstructive surgery last year through Living Hope. Lillian had her ears cut off by rebel soldiers during the civil war in Gulu, northern Uganda. She lived in shame for years and felt unable to move on. The reconstructive surgery has restored her dignity and helped her reclaim her identity. Lillian’s journey toward restoration is not over. Last month she returned to our rehabilitation centre to receive discipleship and trauma counselling. “I’m learning about forgiveness and how to let go of the past. I got saved and now I fear God. I feel good because I realise that I’m not alone,” she said. Thanks for helping us show women like Lillian that it’s never too late for God to restore a life. Email us at livinghope@watoto.com to help us empower women just like Lillian.
May
Becoming Business Leaders Living Hope has partnered with the Uganda Industrial Research Institute to develop its own line of soap products. Thirty three women received training in Kampala and Gulu. They learned to develop formulas and mix different elements to produce liquid detergent, Shea butter hand wash and bath soap. We sent samples of our soap to Watoto team members who gave us constructive and positive feedback.The most successful product is a moisturising bath soap made with Shea butter and honey. This project will help us create new opportunities to empower and employ vulnerable women in Uganda. To help us develop this project and buy the necessary machinery, For more information, email us at livinghope@watoto.com.
June
Empowerment It was Sarah’s first time travelling to the city and she was excited to visit Watoto in Kampala. “People have been so generous. I realise we are not separate in heart even though we don’t speak the same language.” Sarah joined Living Hope last year after she lost her son in a fire. Her husband abandoned her after their child’s death. Sarah didn’t know how to cope with her trauma and grief and was unable to look after her other children. At Living Hope, she received trauma counselling and discipleship. “I’ve learned to read my Bible. God’s word is the most important thing in my life. It keeps me happy,” she said. Today Sarah is learning job skills through our tailoring department in Gulu. Thank you for helping us introduce women like Sarah to God’s healing love and the power of His word. For more information, email us at livinghope@watoto.com.
July
Writing Her Future Beatrice Okidi, a volunteer literacy teacher at Living Hope, guided Rose’s hand as she traced her name on paper for the first time. At the sight of her name Rose looked up at her instructor with a proud smile on her face. Women in advanced literacy are learning English and perfecting their writing skills, but many women like Rose are learning to read and write for the first time. “Being able to read and write will improve my chances of getting a job� she said. To help us empower women like Rose with basic life skills email us at livinghope@watoto.com.
August
Looking Forward ‘Our facilitators teach the group of women how to do a weekly budget and prioritise their expenses. “We teach them that it’s possible to meet their own needs and save for the future” said Anne Butesi. Rose Nabiryo is a HIV+ widow and mother of two children. She runs a small stall at the market where she sells cassava and sweet potatoes. “I’m benefitting from these new ideas. It will help me sustain my family and be more economical in my spending” she said. Thank you for helping us empower women like Rose with practical skills that will help her build a better future for her children. For more updates email us at livinghope@watoto.com.
September
Women In Leadership Thirty-six Living Hope women participated in a leadership training course that enabled them to start their own cell groups. Amongst them was Evelyn Akullo who joined the Living Hope program last year. “The purpose is to reach others and encourage one another. We are gaining the courage and strength to lead and speak to others” she said. Cell groups help us keep in touch with the thousands of women who have been through our program. “It’s easier to walk this journey with sisters. We empower them so that they can connect with each other, experience new opportunities and do life together”said Living Hope coordinator Vernita Rwotlonyo. For more updates email us at livinghope@watoto.com.
October
Ray Of Hope Lydia is a HIV+ widow who is fighting to regain custody of her child. After her husband died, Lydia’s in-laws took everything from her including her son. Without a job, Lydia has been unable to defend her case. This opportunity at Living Hope has given her a positive outlook. “I have a desire to work as a designer and open a shop. Working with other women helps because we exchange ideas, make friends and learn new things,” she says. The school uniforms that Lydia has learned to make will be used by our Watoto children at the villages. Living Hope supplies school uniforms for the Watoto schools, providing plenty of opportunity for women like Lydia to perfect their skills and earn a salary. Thank you for helping us give Lydia the resources she needs to rebuild her life. God bless you. For more updates email us at livinghope@watoto.com.
November
Breaking Through The Shell Prossy patiently shows other women at her table how to string beads and attach clasps to the end of each necklace. She works alongside them, responding to their questions and encouraging them. “It has really built my confidence to train others and see them understand something that I’m teaching. I’ve learnt to treat each person according to their character because they each respond differently,” she said. We love seeing women like Prossy break out of their shell and become leaders. It’s a long process, but we know that empowerment is possible. For information on how you can partner with us to engage more women like Prossy, email us at livinghope@watoto.com.
December
Christmas Cheer After celebrating the women’s achievements and presenting each one with a gift, a few ladies from this year’s discipleship class came to the front of the group. They thanked their community workers Jolly Miiro and Claire Ashaba with cheers, hugs and gifts for their special care. Then Sarah Lugoloobi read a letter of appreciation to our staff. “Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our success and restoration of the hope that we had lost. May God reward you abundantly,” said Sarah.