Betty Ocan:
My name is Betty Ocan a widow and chairperson (Pie-Tek Women Group), I joined the Women’s Global Empowerment Fund in 2008 as a client to receive loans it was my first time and I was just been inspired by my neigbour who was getting the services too. I used to stay and sell tomatoes at home and have to suffer with my stress and all the problems in silence, I had no one to share with, and hardly solved problems that I had. Since I joined the WGEF my life changed, since I have my own group members whom we can sit and share with any issues partaining our lives, infct what I used to think they were impossible, they are! With the help of other group members (women).
I thank God for this program that provided me with the opportunity of being a peer counselor Imargin Im a leader who is recognised in the community not only by the women undergoing into the program but even other women in the community, now my home is ever full with visiters (women) who come to share and seek advise from me (who did not attend school) and now I fill I must contest in the upcoming elections to become a political woman, why not? There I will struggle to extend my services and make women more aware of their potantials.
“I thank God for this program that provided me with the opportunity of being a peer counselor…” -Betty Ocan.
With my group we continued getting loans from the Women’s Global Empowerment Fund, Im Succeding with my business, seeing it expanding every loan cycle, I learnt to save, and I feel a big change in my life it can be seen even from my physical apearance you know when you have money you will never fear to tell out your views and ideas and people really respects, Im seeing all this with my eyes.
I only request that the office continue supporting us and more women in the community in all the programs, there we will have a better generation where women are respected and not taken like properties and tools.
Thank you, I love the program.
Betty Ocan
Chairperson
Pie Tek women Group, Gulu
Grace Ouma:
My name is Grace Ouma a client and peer counselor with the Women’s Global Empowerment Fund, which has done a lot to me particularly, through the micro credit Loan programe at first I thought it was only getting loans but I realised, the office was not giving only loans but also other training Like GBV (Gender Based Violence) I went through the training and has helped me in my house because iam able to make decision with my husband and children together.For example ‘’my husband now consults me when he is to sell any family property, and most importantly he cosiders my advises, in any disagreements there is no transactions that will take place.it is through sharing with my fellow women in the program and the training that we always get on how to handle such responsibilities that is making me feel the sense of value than before’’
“Our business is expanding we receive 300 chics in our first lot of which 251 grew and we sold all in the Christmass season we gote profits…” -Grace Ouma
I received the training from the office on leadership, like on councelling and on how to form a group which is vital as we are returning back to our villages.There is a very big relationship between me and my village. I m a leader and our group business which poutry is supporting the community in a way bringing a market close to our neighbours, our business is expanding we receive 300 chics in our first lot of which 251 grew and we sold all in the Christmass season we gote profits and we are planning to get 600 in the next lot.
I participated in Kikopo Pa Mon program last year and gote a certicilitate of advocating for women’s voice (rights through monologue), Innocently, the community is so proud on the way I was advocating for their rights through the poem, hence I have been choosen by the mother’s Union of Orthodox Church to be in their group as a Leader, I was also chosen by Gulu Disabled Person’s Union to advocate for the disabilities rights through their Poems. Im so happy and impresed with opportunity that I gote from that program.
Through this information I mentioned I must thank the Women’s Global empowerment Fund for the services they rendered to me I will be pleased if they continue extending services to other women .and also apeal to the office to lobby for us for more funds as women from Gulu District and personerly I want to achieve my goals of having my motorcycle as a business, sleeping in a good house, and be able to leave a health life together with my family by 2012. I will realise all my goals through saving and profits that Im generating from my restaurant business that I started with a small loan From WGEF, so if I continue getting loans from womens Global I will be able to stand independently.
Thank you so much and God Bless you!
Yours,
Grace Ouma
Piloya Gladys:
My Name is Piloya Gladys, 21 years a business woman selling Tomatoes in the market. Some years back I was abducted and spent 3 years in the captivity by LRA rebels because of this I lost the opportunity to go school it has been haunting me a lot when ever I go to hospital and get medications , reaching home I had to take it to my neighbor to read and translate for me the meaning of the writings , I have been shy for many year to talk about any thing ,and it kept me isolated for years.
“After paying back the loan I realized to have a profit of 30,000 shillings, I have extended my business to chicken realign project which will give me more profits…” -Piloya Gladys.
An opportunity came in may 2008 when I was introduced to the Women’s Global microfinance office by a friend who told me that they support women who are in a group when I reached there my eyes was opened since I attended trainings ranging from many. skills, and I will never fore get the leader of this office who look like a father to every woman who visits the office he made me to learn how to share with fellow women in the training , he used to ask some questions after every training and always I was fearful but at all time he was encouraging me that Piloya you can make it try it tomorrow.
Our group called Dyere Keni Women Group received a loan of 500,000 shillings for three month of which we used it properly following the advises we were receiving from the trainings every after two weeks,
After paying back the loan I realized to have a profit of 30,000 shillings, I have extended my business to chicken realign project which will give me more profits. We have repaid back our loan and applied for more.
I thank the office for taking us back to school, through our literacy teacher now I am able to write my name please continues helping more women in Gulu, God Bless you!
Piloya Gladys