In the remote areas of Uganda, where old traditions and beliefs are still strongly held and effected, teenage mothers are ostracized and ruthless punished. Several women are also abused physically and emotionally. It is common to find men beat their wives to severe injuries in the name of disciplining them. Many young girls and women are victims of gender-based violence. Their own families turn against them whenever they seek help. ‘’Your husband paid dowry and bought you so he owns you’’ the victims are told by elders whenever they seek rescue. For this reason, many are stuck in toxic and abusive marriages because they have no where else to go or anyone to turn to. These women suffer mental and psychological wounds that they leave with every day. An emotionally and psychologically sick mother can not raise an emotionally and psychologically healthy child. Suicide is common since men see their lives as a dead end.
Purposed Hope Foundation faces the challenge of providing a shoulder for these women to lean on. We aspire to be a solution to the pain these women and teenage mothers live with. Everyday we look out for them, to be their hope that their families and communities can not provide. For this reason, our directors Dr Recheal Arinitwe and Mr. Brian Kalaki put together funds to purchase a property and shape it to fit a home for the teenage mothers and their children who have been rejected by the community for getting pregnant before marriage. This property is also built to be a home for mothers and women suffering gender-based violence but have no one to turn to for rescue. The purpose of this safe home is to house these vulnerable girls and women so that they can have where to live as they plan a new start of their lives.
The property that has twelve rooms, has a capacity to accommodate 30 mothers and their children. The residents, will have a bed to sleep on and three meals a day. They will also be able to access therapy to heal them from their traumas and transition them into emotionally and psychologically healthy women. From the safe home, they will be trained vocational skills like pottery, weaving, cooking, baking, tailoring etc which they can use to start income generating businesses to support their lives and their children.
The property will also have a play area for the children to these mothers, a kitchen, a room for the resident counselor or psychotherapist and a room for the security guard to protect these mothers. The property is also surrounded by a wall fence to protect and provide privacy to these mothers. It is located in Busimbi, Mityana municipality 40km from Kampala City.
We walk this journey to be hope, a solution and an answer to a prayer from teenage mothers and victims of gender-based violence. We have pushed it to where it stands now, however, we still have a long way to go. The property needs to be fitted with door and window glasses, it’s the walls need plastering and painting. It also needs to furnished with furniture and house hold items that these mothers can use. With your donations, we can have this done. Let your kindness be an answer to these women. We hope to hear from you. Thank you.