Building a business. Creating opportunities. Nangobi is taking charge of her future
One of the hardest parts of our work in Uganda is saying no.
When you see so much need, and know that even a relatively small amount of money could make a real difference in someone's life, it's hard to turn down a request for help.
Over the years, we've been asked to help students attend college, repair school buildings, build kitchens and latrines, provide water tanks, and much more. These are all worthwhile needs, and I wish we could say yes to every one of them!
But after ten years of working alongside communities in rural Uganda, we've learned something important: We can make the greatest difference by staying focused on helping people build better futures for themselves.
We've provided emergency assistance to families facing difficult circumstances, and that support has made a meaningful difference. But we've also learned that responding to immediate needs alone isn't a sustainable approach for CLP.
Our goal has always been to work with communities from the inside out. We listen to the women, learn what's working, and ask how we can best support their efforts to improve their lives.
And again and again, we've seen that investing in women and girls creates opportunities that reach far beyond one person.
That's why we're investing in education, vocational training, and opportunities for women to build businesses, manage their own money, and provide for their families. We're also helping girls stay healthy and in school, because education opens doors that might otherwise remain closed.
These programs may look different, but they share a common purpose: giving women and girls the knowledge, skills, and resources to take charge of their own futures.
We still have big dreams! We'd love to expand our vocational training, develop new business opportunities, and someday have a dedicated vocational center where more girls can learn valuable skills.
But we know we can't do everything at once.
Sometimes saying no to one good idea allows us to say a much stronger yes to something that can create lasting change.
After all, our goal isn't to be in the aid business forever. It's to help build a future where fewer people need aid in the first place.
And we're so grateful to our wonderful community of supporters who believe in this approach and are helping us move forward, one step at a time.
With gratitude,
Mary
P.S. We have some exciting ideas for the future, including expanding vocational training so more girls can gain skills and opportunities. We're not quite ready to take those next steps, but we're dreaming big and planning carefully!
