“Since we started working together, I knew there was something really unique about this group of women.”
Jennifer from the ARC team works with a lot of people who need support. But there was something different about a collective of Ugandan women who came to her, seeing how they could work together to make change. “I knew that they would hold on to ideas like gold,” she said.
They were organized, they had leadership, they knew what they wanted. “They all had the group’s best interests at heart.”
We first met this incredible group of ladies yesterday, when we surprised them with new basket-making materials. And today, we’re building upon an activity they already have their sights set on – making low cost, reliable energy.
The ARC team had already trained the group on how to make briquettes – a compressed, coal-like energy source made from trash and other raw materials – and clay stoves. “We don’t have a lot of tree cover here,” said Jennifer. “The beauty of the briquettes is that they can use their garbage to make coals that will burn. So it really saves them the energy to go and look for firewood.”
But there was a problem. The briquette-making machine was broken.
This was an easy fix – literally! The women hadn’t made enough money from the briquettes yet for the repair. So we stepped in to help.
Now, they can get back at it, both using the briquettes themselves and selling them to others. And instead of spending hours looking for firewood, they can dedicate more time to their other pursuits, like basket-weaving for additional income.
Jennifer is excited about this new beginning – and she’ll help guide them along the way. “This activity can really help to transform their lives.”
