Now hope is restored and I am able to solve my problems

Everyday You are changing lives. This is the story of how you have transformed Awilo Harriet's life - told in her own words. Harriet was not able to finish school. She was left pregnant and hopeless. That is, until Ignite Change saw her when the rest of the community had left her. Her story is just one of many. It’s a powerful reminder of how no matter where you are in the world we are all connected and we ALL need each other.

And next Tuesday your donation will be TRIPLED to reach and transform lives of families like Harriet's!

My name is Awilo Harriet. I come from Adak ‘A’ Village in Kamdini. 

Before knowing about Ignite Change, life was not good. It was tough for me as a young mother because I got pregnant in senior two and dropped out of school. People were talking about me in the community which was very discouraging. I did not know what to do to make myself valuable and that made me feel hopeless at that time. 

Ignite Change brought together a group of young mothers, we were trained for 6 months by a mentor from the Organization on important lessons like, life skills, business skills, God’s word, savings, and health education among others. When this training was done, we were graduated and given certificates, but it did not stop at that! We were then informed that 10 members would be taken for a tailoring. I am happy to say that I was among the members whose names were selected and benefited from the tailoring course.

It was not an easy journey especially for me as a young mother because at that time, I had a 6-month-old baby with whom I carried every day to attend the training course for 9 months. I endured and struggled until I completed my course because I felt overlooked and mocked by everyone except Ignite Change.

After completing the course, Ignite Change opened a tailoring center and gave us all the startup kits, tools and materials we needed to get started with our trailering business.

Today, I have become self-empowered, and my family livelihood has improved. I speak with all the confidence that I feel very different, my life has not remained the same. I have become very important to myself, family, and the community. I feel valued, respected, and helpful to the community because I am giving my skills and knowledge to other youths in my community by training them. 

My family's economic status has greatly improved. I now make clothes out of materials for people, and this is generating income to provide for my family. I now pay rent for my business and support my children’s education, buy food, pay medical bills and can meet my family needs easily.

These skills have taken away my worries and the pain I had when I lost hope. Now hope is RESTORED and I am able to solve my problems. My family’s economic status has improved, I am happy, and my family is happy.

Life Has Never Been the Same - Scovia Akello and Her Poultry Business

My name is Akello Scovia and I am 33 years old. I am a resident of Amukugungu village.

I came to know about Ignite Change when we were mobilized to come together under a group by our mentor. Under that group, they called the young mothers and orphans. So, we came together under a group that we named Oribcing Women’s Group in Ocini Parish, Kamdini Sub-County.

They started mentoring us on how best we can make money and save, however little it is, then develop from it. We were taught different business ideas and were encouraged to start saving under our group.

After completing the mentorship, I was motivated to start an income generating activity. So, I decided to start rearing chicken. I started by rearing 2 hens and a rooster. I kept them well, both hens laid eggs and the number increased at once to 32.

Scovia with her chickens

The Ignite Change mentor continued visiting me and I was advised to borrow money from our savings group and buy more chicken. I borrowed 100,000 shillings ($27.40) from the savings group and bought more chicks. A few died, but I managed most of them well.

After just less than 6 months, I realized a massive increase in the number of my chickens and as I talk now I have over 100 birds.

House for chickens to sleep in at night

I am now living a better life because at least I am earning from my birds. On a weekly basis, I make a sale of about 3 trays of eggs, each tray going at 13,000/=. I get over 39,000/= ($10.70) every week, something I never dreamt of achieving before.

All my 5 children are now happily sustainable and able to go to school. I am supporting them financially in their quest for better education. But previously, they were not all going to school.

By the end of this year, I am planning to make huge sales from the chicken and buy oxen to help me with agriculture so that I am able to do both planting and livestock agriculture.

Scovia with one of her goats she bought from her chickens

As of now , I am greatly impressed and I am happy that I am able to venture into other business opportunities. I have bought some goats and I have started rearing them. Slowly I believe I will buy more and they will increase in number just like the chicken has. In fact life has never been the same after I was taught and mentored, I foresee much more achievements in the future

You Believe You're Stuck

My name is Akao Juliet, I am a woman, 20 years old. When I met Ignite Change, I had already given birth. In my heart, there was something I wanted to do, but there was no way to reach it. Our mentor from Ignite Change took us through training. I now have many new ideas on how I can get out of poverty and develop by starting up a business. 

Before I met Ignite Change, I was not doing anything, I was only farming. I had trained as a tailor, but I did not have the items needed to start a tailoring business. After receiving training on development, my interest grew in starting my own business. Before, I had no idea how to get the items needed to start, I thought I had no way of getting money. 

After receiving advice from my mentor, I used the little money I had to rent a garden and plant soybeans back in March 2022. From the harvest in August, I got 3 sacks of soybeans and I sold them for 650,000 shillings ($176). Then I used that money to buy a sewing machine and other materials like threads and zippers to start my tailoring business. I rented a storefront on the road side where people could easily find me. 

Akao Juliet with her Income-Generating-Activity

Even after the training, Ignite Change continues to mentor us and give us advice. They even helped us start saving by giving us a savings box. Up to now, the members of our group are still saving together. 

At this time, I want to thank Ignite Change for changing the lives of girls like me. Let's say you have dropped out of school, your parents don’t have money. You believe you’re stuck. But through their good advice, I was able to start a business. So I want to thank them for that. I thank them also so much for continuing to bring good things to our community. Up to now, I am doing well. I have my own business. I can help my parents or siblings or my relative who is sick because I have enough money. I was able to leave where I was and now I have become someone who can stand strong by myself.

-Akao Juliet, Young Mother, 2022

Now I am a Powerful Woman

My name is Akao Janet and I am one of the young mothers in Adak.

Ignite Change trained us for 7 months with a lot of topics that changed our lives.

After graduating, Madam Colline (our mentor) came back and started mentoring us the alcohol users. In my case, I was a serious drunkard and alcohol brewer.

During the mentorship, I had two basins of peas (Aguka) in the house and then the mentor asked me if I could sell them off believing my life will change out of it.

When I started selling the peas, my mentor never left my side but kept on guiding me on what to do. I sold the two basins and got the profits of which I bought another sack. Form one sack, I bought 5 sacks. After selling 4 out of 5 bags, I have 700,000/= as an income. This changed my life and I took my mind from alcohol brewing/ drinking and now I am a powerful woman.

I can now pay my children’s fees, buy food items like salt, sugar, and soap, etc. I don't beg for anything from a man.

In two years to come, I want to get a weighing scale in front of my home and start buying from farmers in bulk and put the produce in trucks for big cities.

I would like to ask Ignite Change to extend this program to other people not stopping with us so that many can also become powerful like me.

Recognition to the organization for their support to change our lives.