10,000 lights of hope for formerly trafficked girls in Uganda

We're getting ready to celebrate 2 years as an official non-profit, and the start of our first project - The Empowerment Centre.  Rachel Tumwine, our liaison in Uganda, will be a regular contributor to our blog, and will be writing stories from the field.

Hi! I'm Rachel Tumwine; I am privileged to work with both Destiny's Women and Amilia’s Light as a Liaison.  My role is to help bridge the distance between you, our generous supporters and the world of our girls, who each yearn for and deserve a chance to make the most of their lives.  I enjoy seeing the girls grow to be more responsible and how they now look forward to their futures through the lenses of the hope you give through your generous donations to Amilia’s Light. 

10,000 lights of hope for formerly trafficked girls in Uganda

  In March of 2015, Michelle Luhrmann, founder of Amilia’s Light, traveled to Uganda and met some of the girls in the Destiny Women Uganda program.  Miriam Enyaga, Destiny Women’s founder and director, personally counseled girls who had been prostitutes and helped with their rehabilitation. Michelle’s interaction with these girls revealed a common thread in their stories. 

They had left prostitution but didn’t know what to do next.  Other questions arose like:  Where were the girls getting money for their day-to-day needs?  Who was providing for the girls who had children or were expecting children when the fathers weren’t involved? The needs were heartbreaking and Michelle was determined to help. 

Destiny Women already had dreams about rectifying the situation believing that learning business skills was a key part of their transformation.  So with a shared dream of empowering formerly trafficked girls with education and business skills, as well as restored self worth and identity, Destiny Women and Amilia’s Light got to work writing proposals, sharing ideas and seeking donations.  By the end of the year, Amilia’s Light raised $25,000 for the Empowerment Project and Destiny Women commissioned a Task Force Team (EPTF) to identify a location and launch the project.  Three months later, a salon and boutique were opened in a prime business center in the heart of Kampala city and a craft shop opened later in the same year.  

The Empowerment Program:
10,000 Lights Women's Business Centre
(10kWBC)

10KWBC Craft Shop

The girls had a place to come together to earn an honorable living and learn new business skills. They named it the 10,000 Lights Women’s Business Centre. 

A day of Training
Professional Development Trainor was brought in to teach basic business skills, such as entering sales in a ledger, merchandising and customer service. 

Annet, a bright and vivacious young woman, has been eager to learn and grow,  recently told us why she is grateful for the Empowerment Project,  “I want to have a happy family where I will provide for my kids. I don’t want the life that I have gone through for my children.” 

Annet, 10KWBC's greeter and sales person

10KWBC Task Force
(EPTF)

The Empowerment Project Task Force team meets weekly to monitor and evaluate the project while also playing key roles as mentors.  Through regular meetings, and individual and group counseling, the girls are reminded that they are valued and that each one of them has the potential for greatness.  A bright light of hope is replacing the uncertainty of not having the opportunity to  work or get training, in order to care for themselves and their families.  Dignified work at 10,000 Lights WBC reminds them daily to reach their highest potential in every aspect of life. 

Starting a business and training center for girls that are recovering from unstable backgrounds has not been a smooth ride.  Some girls who were thought to be ready for the Empowerment Program turned out to be ungrateful for the opportunity and opted not to work with the 10,000 Lights WBC. Destiny Women has kept these girls in the bigger fold and encourages them in group contexts outside the Empowerment Project.  Even some of the participants have had difficulty envisioning the benefit of the Empowerment Project and needed a lot of encouragement to invest their hard work in order to reap harvest.  Turning a profit has taken much longer than anticipated. 

Teddy, and Rev. Phil Bauman
October 2016 visit with Destiny Women.
Teddy recently learned basic haircutting skills 

But fruit is starting to be seen, the 10,000 Lights Women’s Business Centre earned enough money to pay the three shops’ rent for the first time in eight months.  It is anticipated that this business will be fully sustainable within three years of inception!

The future is bright.  With the training and work experience from 10,000 Lights WBC the girls will be able to start and run their own businesses and pass on the skills through mentorship. Their children will be well provided for and have access to good education because their mothers are better equipped to care for them.

Thank you for the job!
Empowerment Program Boutique