From Orphan to Thriving Tailer

I lost my parents during the LRA insurgency which took the lives of thousands and created great insecurity in Northern Uganda for 32 years.  I grew up as an orphan looking after my younger brother. My Aunt took us in and brought us to Lira town.  She was a tailor in the main market, and she trained me in tailoring skills. By the time I was twenty years old, I was helping her with the tailoring work. 

My aunt gave me one sewing machine to start my own work, but the income was not enough for me to support my young brother and my baby.  I shared my challenge with one of my friends at the main market and she advised me to join Obanga-Akica Village Saving & Loan (VSL) group in 2020.  I learned how to budget and started saving some of my money. That same year 4 girls who had drop out of school because of early pregnancy came to me and asked me to train them in tailoring.  At the time, I had only one sewing machine and could not accommodate their requests.  I went to the VSL group and borrowed UGX3,000,000/$800USD and I bought three more sewing machines and materials for training these girls. I paid back the loan with interest for a total of UGX 3,300,000 in part with the money the girls paid me for training them and the increase in production we were able to sell at the market.

Then, in 2021 I had saved UGX 1,350,000 and borrowed another UGX3,000,000 so that I could increase the number of sewing machines to accommodate 7 girls.  At present, I am training 10 girls who dropped out of school, some with babies, other because of lack of school fees and others are orphans like me. I have since paid back the loan with interest.

This Obanga-Akica VSL group has lifted me from my poor orphan life and enabled me to support others who are facing the same challenges I had growing up. It is such a joy that I can not only support myself and my family, but others as well. I have recently bought land for construction of a small house for me, my child and brother.

My great thanks and appreciation go to Obanga-Akica group and to WNSP who provided multiple trainings and visitations to my work place to bring encouragement and expertise. I tell other orphans and girls who have to drop-out of school like I did that there is hope through the work that WNSP is doing through the establishment of these VSL groups.