Covid posed challenge on people and communities all across the globe, yet in every crisis there are peCovid posed challenges for people and communities all across the globe, yet in every crisis there are people who roll up their sleeves to help: A small team in Uganda, Africa named “friends circle” active in several non-profit projects, noted the threats the covid crisis imposed especially on teenage girls, with the continuing lockdowns and closed schools.
The initiative started in September 2021 inviting young girls, at first only from Butiru and surrounding villages, to a “Girls’ Club” three afternoons a week. The number of girls accepting the offer rose from 50 in the beginning to about 450 girls in Butiru alone.
Many hundreds more joined with the opening of further clubs across more locations in Luwa-Bunabitu, Bupoto, Magale, Lwakhakha and Bugobero.
The general aim of this project was community strengthening and the empowerment of women. They were taught cooking, baking, handicrafts such as sewing and crocheting baby things, hats and other well-marketable things.
In Uganda, women love braided hair extensions, thus the skill of braiding was also taught and was helpful in earning some extra money. Besides teaching craft skills and providing tips on marketing, the girls were also taught how to calculate profit, and that you should never “eat up” your capital. Once a woman has her own money, she is not as vulnerable as those depending on a man for their livelihood.
But what does this all have to do with flour?
Donations helped the team to buy flour as the basic ingredient of all baking and cooking lessons. Teacher Eshter demonstrated how to make delicious cookies, cakes, mandazi, chapati and doughnuts under local conditions.
And now, due to sharing the story, they were more than happy to receive a big donation of 500kg from Engaano Millers! Thank you so much.
And thank you to Elisabeth, Mary Jane and Rebeccah and the entire team for this wonderful Flour-Power Initiative and story!