As the Mend program comes to a close, its beneficiaries are models of empowerment. This is a story about 22 war-affected mothers who utilized skills training and education to improve their quality of life, invest in a sustainable future, and grow as leaders within their families and communities.
When Irene was 16-years-old, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) was at the peak of its reign of terror over northern Uganda. Abductions occurred regularly, hundreds of thousands of families were fragmented and many individuals, like Irene, were forced from their homes to live in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. The camps, originally established by the Ugandan government as a way to protect people from the LRA, were a danger in their own right. Due to life in the camp, Irene was forced to drop out of school. She found herself pregnant at the age of 17 and already responsible for her siblings since her parents were killed by the rebel army.
Irene has come along way since those days in 2003.
She attended a tailoring course through the World Vision Children of War Rehabilitation Center, the same currently being funded by Invisible Children, before she was hired as a seamstress at Mend. Since completing her contract at Mend she has continued to develop her plans to start a business that will help her support her family into the future.
Irene receives her certificate of completion from Mend’s social enterprise manager.
“Before joining Mend, I had a hard life. Now, things have changed,” she said proudly. “I do not rent land, but live in my own house, and I always have enough meals.”
Her son, Steward, is 10-years-old and enrolled in Primary 4. Irene has made many investments to improve his quality of life including paying for his school fees, something she is particularly proud of.
“When he comes back from school he is able to speak to me in English. I am proud because while he is still a child, he can now teach me,” Irene said.
Irene’s sister sits in front of the six-room home that Irene was able to build with money she earned by working at Mend.
Irene had been forced to drop out of school after Primary 3 as a result of the conflict, but she gained further educational skills through Functional Adult Literacy classes at Mend. She also enhanced her business skills through additional trainings. She has since saved money and invested in a six-room house, literally building her livelihood from the ground up. She rents out some of the rooms in the house for a profit, while also staying there with her family.
“I appreciate the people who bought my bags and want to tell them that they should take care of the bag with happiness because I made it when I was happy,” Irene said smiling.
We invested in the Mend ladies with the hopes that they would become agents of change in Uganda. Their successes show the power of that investment. Your contribution will Help us continue empowering community members like irene into the future.
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