Thank you so much for helping women in Uganda take control of their lives after experiencing gender-based violence. Your support means, ActionAid women’s shelters can help survivors of violence make a new start.
Harriet, 42, was one such survivor. She experienced dreadful beating and abuse for 14 years at the hands of her husband. Despite these terrible circumstances, she still managed to provide food and pay school fees for her children.
Traumatised from the abuse she’d received but determined to survive, Harriet left her husband and made contact with the ActionAid Women’s Shelter in Kampala. There, she was able to access counselling after her ordeal and get training in new skills, along with the funds to start her own business.
Becoming empowered economically is vital to helping survivors like Harriet live independently. By earning an income, women in Ugandan society are respected and decreasing the prevalence of this kind of violence.
But Harriet wasn’t content with earning money to support her own family. She also wanted to help other women. She chose to start a business making re-usable sanitary pads to help girls attend school, even when they have their periods.
Today, Harriet’s business is thriving. She has trained over 22,000 girls all over the country to make sanitary pads, stay in school and gain livelihood skills.
Because of the help of ActionAid supporters like you, Harriet is a proud business leader and a self- proclaimed women’s rights activist. Her work has touched the lives of thousands of women across Uganda.
Thank you so much for supporting incredible women like Harriet to survive, thrive and help others after experiencing gender-based violence.