Hey everyone! My name is Amaal Nuux and I am currently interning with Arise and Shine Uganda. The mission for this organzation is to create sustainable community development through the provision of quality education to all! AASU has four main projects which includes: the childrens orphange, nursey & primarary school, community outreach projects, and community education. Since arriving here I have been able to spend time at all locations but eventually found my way working with the women in Kibuye village. These women have all suffered through the same proverty and pain, forcing some to abandon their children due to not having the means to provide for them. Most women from the village are unemployed and there is a lack of income generating opportunities. Their families live from hand to mouth and substance farming is the only other way to earn money by selling fruits and vegetables in the local markets. Its also very common to see women as the sole providers to their families with little help from their husband. They are usually hit worst by chronic poverty. It was through these events that led Sharon Nyanjura (Director of AASU) to start these income generating activites which promotes economic empowerment for women while also improving the community and themselves. Since this operation has started there was been an overall improvement in the lives of the women and their community. With the new skills in craft making, beads, and tailoring they are able to help lay a foundation and transform their lives and familes. Nothing makes a mother more proud then being able to pay for school fees and provide basic living requirments for their children. The only problem is the women have aboslutely no shelter or facility to work from. The previous shed that only supported the tailoiring project is falling apart and has been destroyed by termits. With the increase of income generating activites being introduced, they are left with no choice but to work outside moving from tree to tree to get some shade from the extreme heat so they can complete their work. Although its difficult to work in those conditions nothing can prepare them for the sudden burst of pouring rain that essentially damages all their material. Those beautiful necklace and bracelet beads are made from torn up pieces of magazines, old posters and unwanted paper that immedietly get spoiled when it rains. The process is intricate and involves cutting the papers in to thin slices then using a stick to get them to the desired shape. It can take a week to make one necklace, and thats why during the rainy season all production slows down as a means to prevent materials and beads from getting damaged. During the last few weeks in the village it has rained almost everyday and I am seeing less and less of the women. Its during these months of heavy rain that they dont have enough money to send their children to school or provide food for them. Its during these months they are reminded how difficult life was prior to these community projects. Since I have not been able to see or work with them due to the rainy season, I have been visiting the women in their homes to stay in touch. With each visit I noticed a common trend, most of their children not in school that month or having very little to eat. With some of the kids having HIV they have specific meal reqirments and they cannot afford to go without food. It was also during my visits they started to share their desires of a facility to work from. These community projects have changed their lives but with a roof over their head this job would no longer be seasonal. By providing the women with a safe facility to work from there would be no more interuptions. They will be able to produce more work, giving them the ability to send all their children to school and buy the neccassary items to run their households. The money we raise will be used to build a large brick building with benches and desks as work stations. We also hope to provide a solar powered light so they can have the option of working in the evening as well. These projects have already created a sisterhood and community within the women. Their dream now is to have a place to work from so they can continue empowering one another while woking towards the same end goal. Please feel free to follow me on my Facebook page as I share the pictures and stories of all the women who are involved in these projects! Please share with as many people and donate however much you can. Lets help these women send ALL their children to school and continue providing for their families while improving the community! 

You can find their pictures and stories on the pages below.  

Facebook Page: https://web.facebook.com/AmaalNuux/?ref=hl

Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/amaalnuux/?hl=en

Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/AmaalNuux 

Arise&Shine Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Arise-and-shine-Uganda-133109643399722/

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH IN ADVANCE FOR SHARING, DONATING, LIKING, AND ADVOCATING FOR THESE WOMEN!! 

Best wishes to you ALL,

Amaal Nuux