The Hare Group consists of 36 members living in the filthy and dangerous Bison Slums in Tororo, Uganda where the Ngiyo Ber Women once lived. They are women ages 20-40. 95% of the women are illiterate, forced to leave school in primary grades because of lack of funds. Some have not attended school. All have children.
But unlike the women of Ngiyo Ber, the people in the Hare Group have lived in an urban setting their whole lives, not as farmers. So the focus will be on business development vs. farming.
Currently they do what they can to make small amounts of money so that they can feed their children. They sell charcoal, fish, and vegetables. Some go into town now and then and find work where they can. They wash clothes or clean up a store. But it is not enough; they are malnourished and in need of medical care and safe place to live.
Their ultimate goal is to have a home outside of the slums.
Through funding from Give Us Wings, they have been skillfully mentored by a woman named Medina from the Ngiyo Ber Women’s Group who led a 5-day training in December 2008. Topics included leadership, group dynamics, running meetings and note-taking. They are going to be starting literacy education soon, and two members of the group are going to be trained to be their teachers.
Medina and the Ngiyo Ber Women are going to mentor the members of the Hare Group long term.
Even just the act of forming a group has been beneficial. Anna, says, “Now if you are sick people bring you food. If you lose someone people collect shillings so that you can have a proper burial.â€
This group is organized and poised for success. They meet weekly and have honest and open communication.
Give Us Wings has met with them several times and discussed the fact that this is a long road. But they have taken the big step—forming the group. And now, we and they continue with smaller steps each day.
