For the past few days, we’ve explored a bit further into the benefits of having a bright light in your pocket – a solar-powered headlamps from Watts of Love. Today is our last day in Nakivale for a while, so we wanted to be sure our last headlamps went to folks who could really need them, but that we haven’t met quite yet. The ARC teams in Nakivale had an idea. People with disabilities living in Juru – a rural area of the large settlement – don’t have a lot of resources to support them. It’s their families that take care of them, but they’re struggling to get by, too. “Many people with disabilities rely on one family member or sometimes two for everything,” said Doreck from the ARC team. “Any extra support they can get goes a long way.” So today, we wanted to give our last lot of Watts of Love headlamps to people with disabilities in Juru who our team has identified as particularly in need. A tool to rely on at night, that will help them see a little … [Read more...] about Some Extra Support
Changemakers365
Getting Ready to Graduate
We all know what it’s like to cram all night for an exam. It’s stressful, but you can make it through with some coffee, good music, and a friend or two to keep you company. But there’s one absolute necessity that you may have taken for granted as a student – access to electricity. Without something to light up your books, papers, or charge your computer, how could you possibly get your work done? But as the students at Nakivale’s only high school are preparing for their own final exams, those are the very challenges they face. “We don’t have a generator,” says Issah, a senior student getting ready to graduate. “When the power is out, your work is done.” While this may seem like the perfect excuse to skip out on studying, for the high school students in Nakivale this can be a real detriment to their education. And for kids like Issah, who loves history and wants to be a journalist, they’re looking to soak in all the knowledge they can get. “I love history because it tells … [Read more...] about Getting Ready to Graduate
Powering Change
Meet Jean de Dieu. He’s what we call a Community Activist – someone from the refugee community who volunteers their time to fight violence against women and girls. He has an infectious smile and boundless energy. And, big dreams for his community. “I like where I live,” he says. “And I hope that the little contribution I bring people will make this a safer place to be.” Jean de Dieu and his fellow Community Activists are on call day and night. It can be a tough job. But at night, it’s even tougher. We decided to surprise Jean de Dieu and the other Community Activists with a little something to brighten their days – and nights. Watts of Love headlamps! “I am so happy,” said Jean. “If anyone calls me in the middle of the night I can see where I’m going. If someone needs a report to take to the police for filing, I can easily write it now.” Jean believes deeply that real change is possible – he’s seen it himself. “When I compare the community from a few years ago to … [Read more...] about Powering Change
Far Out
In Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda, our teams are responsible for getting clean water to over 100,000 refugees who live in the 184-square-kilometer settlement. That’s a lot of people, a lot of ground to cover. And a lot of water. To power this undertaking, we employ dozens of water operators who are in charge of making sure things run smoothly. But as you might imagine, reaching the furthest ends of the settlement can be a challenge. That’s where our water operators in Juru come in. The area called Juru is far away from the most populated part of the settlement, where the landscape is hilly and green. But at night, it gets dark. “This place is far away from most homesteads,” said Andrew from the ARC team. “There are five water operators here, and they take shifts spending all night and all day at this water point.” These guys carry a lot of responsibility, and water crises come up day or night. We thought they were perfect candidates for change. How? You … [Read more...] about Far Out
A Beautiful Heart
“It’s been a while since we’ve had electricity.” Mama Noume sits in her small, darkly lit workshop, surrounded by her handiwork – dresses, jackets, and pants sewn from traditional cloth. A calm and warm person, Mama Noume isn’t the type to complain. But the lack of electricity at her workshop is clearly a problem. “My girls have a hard time seeing sometimes,” she says. For Day 100, we’re taking one small step toward getting them some light. We first met Mama Noume last year on Day 335. And it only takes a few minutes with her to realize that her heart is with the girls she takes in and teaches to sew – they’re all young women who are either abandoned or the head of their families. They’ve been left with a terrible burden. But Noume tries her best to make it right. “I teach them how to sew clothes and also reusable sanitary pads,” she said. “Right now, I have two girls with me. Overall, I’ve trained about 30 girls over the years.” You read that right – 30 girls! … [Read more...] about A Beautiful Heart
A Cup of Tea
Tea is such an important part of Rohingya culture. But because Rohingya communities have been uprooted from their lives, they don't have the means or ability to get it. We wanted to bring back a little bit of normalcy and tradition, to help them feel some comfort during tough times. So we set about getting one gift bag for one woman in each household in one community – filled with tea! We got everything these women would need to make and have tea – sugar, milk, and a cup. And all of it went into a shoulder bag, hoping it would be useful to the women moving forward as well. "I used to drink tea, so this is very important," said Jushna, a member of the community. "Before I drank tea everyday," said Amina, another neighbor. "I like this gift very much." We wanted to show some love and support to everyone in this community. To give a small moment of comfort, a reminder of home, as they work to regain stability and get back on their feet. … [Read more...] about A Cup of Tea
A Place to Sit
One Rohingya community was struggling to create safe, efficient stoves to prepare their food. So we had an idea – train a women's stove-making team to craft their own stoves, that were then distributed to people who need them. While the women are doing an amazing job – it’s incredibly difficult work. They're in the sun or shade for hours at a time, sitting or crouching on the ground. It's so strenuous on the body. We wanted to help ease the strenuousness of their work, even a little bit. Our idea? Something simple...stools! And cushions on top, making a more comfortable place to sit and work. “It is so comfortable!" said Jushna, one member of the stove-making team. "I will also use it elsewhere. This is very important because we have nowhere to sit. I can use the cushion for sleeping.” The women feel so much pride in their work, and such a great sense of togetherness. None of the women knew each other before, but now they've become like a family. They … [Read more...] about A Place to Sit
Got You Covered
We've purchased sewing machines for women in one Rohingya community, who we first met yesterday. But there wasn't any space for them to work. And because of security reasons, they can't leave them outside in an open area. So we had a simple solution – why not build a covered, secure workshop for the women to work in? With a shelter, the women could keep their sewing machines in one place. Plus it would be a cool, shaded spot to work – and protect them from rain during the upcoming monsoon season. We asked some volunteers in the community to help us pull everything together. And they did – in just two days! The sewing group is now looking forward to an upcoming training, and they feel more secure themselves knowing that they don't have to house these valuable machines in their own homes. Together, this community worked to create a workspace that will benefit not only the sewers, but anyone who can use a secure place to work. They took the idea and ran with it – … [Read more...] about Got You Covered
Bridging the Gap
A lot of what we do with Rohingya communities is all about making their families safer and more resilient. But there was one problem one community faced that was a clear physical hazard – their bridge. Over 1,000 people walk the bridge that connects their neighborhood to a market area every day. But there were no railings and it was starting to fall apart, making it very unsafe for everyone, but especially children and older folks. This was something we could help fix. So we told the community about our plan, and everyone jumped into action. Our friend Mohamed worked with the community to create a bridge they could be proud of. With bamboo to strengthen the bridge's stands, railings added to the side, and spray paint to make it bright and colorful, a new bridge started to take shape. Everyone working on the bridge decided together what colors they wanted to use, giving it a feeling of energy and joy. The most amazing part of this project was the ownership and … [Read more...] about Bridging the Gap
A Light in the Dark
The group of Rohingya women we've been working with over the past few days face a lot of challenges. One of them is light – there is very little light on their block, and no formal security barriers between them and the rest of the camp. Their safety is often at risk. When we spoke with the women about their biggest challenges, they often talked about their safety. Having lost their husbands, these women often feel vulnerable. So we had an idea, and one that we've tested a few times in places like Uganda and Somalia – headlamps! Thanks to The Shine On Project, we gave out Watts of Love headlamps to some of the most vulnerable women in the group. And they were so excited – they said they would use it for many things, including working inside, sewing, walking at night, and going to the latrines. "It will be very useful!" they said. The headlamps were put to use right away, assembling the sewing machines. It was exciting to see that they wanted to use them for … [Read more...] about A Light in the Dark