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

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

“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

Last week, we met the incredible albino community in Nakivale. Both in their home countries and in the refugee settlement, they face discrimination and marginalization. But there’s strength in numbers. In Nakivale, they live in a neighborhood together, lifting each other up and banding together to form a supportive community. When we first met them on Day 54, we noticed something – many of them were having a hard time seeing in the bright sun. Some folks had sunglasses, but many didn’t. This was something we could do something about. So for Day 62, we’re getting this community some shades! We got 45 shades for the community – one for each albino person! Even people who already had sunglasses were excited to get some stylish new pairs. Albino people lack pigmentation in their eyes, so they’re particularly sensitive to the sun. These protective shades will make their eyes just a little more comfortable. There are a lot of needs in the albino community in Nakivale. We … [Read more...] about Cool Shades

A few days ago, we met an incredible group of self-starting farmers who have banded together to make some change. The 20 members of their cooperative work collectively on their field, cultivating crops (mostly tomatoes at the moment!), splitting the money earned, and putting it toward things like school fees, medicines, and even more seeds. The first time we encountered this group, we noticed that they had just been able to purchase a new fertilizer machine – which is great! But there was just one problem…they didn’t have masks or gloves to protect themselves from the harsh chemicals. So, we thought – that’s a very doable fix! We got the farmers enough masks and gloves to ensure that they can work safely, without compromising their health. “This is so important,” said ARC teammate Jacques. “Now they’ll be properly safe.” This group of farmers is already working incredibly hard toward making change for themselves, their families, and their communities. This change was … [Read more...] about Safety First

If you’ve raised a child or have been close to someone who has, you know that taking care of a baby is a 24/7 job. Day or night, little ones need to be fed, their diapers changed, or simply soothed back to sleep. But imagine that on top of sleepless nights, you have to juggle everything in total darkness. That’s the reality for many parents in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. “The majority of people don’t have power in their houses,” says Doreck, an ARC counselor in Nakivale. “At night, when women go to breastfeed their babies, and sometimes they need to clean their babies, they can’t see them.” There’s one group of women in particular who could really use some extra support – single, breastfeeding mothers who have faced trauma. This is a group that ARC works with in Nakivale, helping them get back on their feet. So, we wanted to solve at least one problem for them – giving them light at night. “These women have been deserted, and have gone through very difficult situations,” … [Read more...] about Night Lights

In Nakivale, many people’s livelihood is farming. And just like farming anywhere else, they sometimes have to start early – really early. “People get to their fields even at 4:15am,” said Andrew from the ARC Uganda team. “It’s very dark at that time.” But there’s a problem. In the refugee settlement, there’s not a lot of reliable access to electricity. People sometimes use flashlights to get around during the darkest hours, but batteries run out. There’s one group of self-starters who’ve formed a farming cooperative – and are kicking butt in the process. Their crops are thriving, they’re working together well. So, we thought, with just a little bit of light early in the morning – how much further could they go? One farmer named Mwindo joined the group because he wanted to be a part of change. “We want to improve our lives,” he said, standing in front of their field filled with small green tomatoes. “Together, we harvest what we have here, sell it, and then put that money … [Read more...] about The Break of Dawn

For the next few days, we’re thinking about the power of light. Especially in a place like Nakivale Refugee Settlement, which is cloaked in darkness when the sun goes down. What can access to even just a small amount of light do for someone in Nakivale? How could it change their lives? In refugee camps, access to reliable light can also mean access to better healthcare. And the clinic team at Medical Teams International know that all too well. “We struggle with power here,” said Kate, the nurse in charge at the MTI clinic. “If the generator is down, then you’re in a fix. We also use the power grid. But it’s not reliable. This is very difficult at night, when needs are so high. There’s nothing you can do. Sometimes we have no choice but to keep working in the dark.” Luckily, thanks to The Shine on Project, there was something we could do to help. We gathered the MTI teams together for a little surprise – HEADLAMPS! And not just any headlamps. Solar-powered lamps from Watts … [Read more...] about The Doctor Is In

The albino community in Nakivale is tough. Often a population that is marginalized and discriminated against, they’ve been through a lot. But despite it all, the community sticks together. It’s tough for many of us to imagine the absolute darkness that is Nakivale at night. But for albino people, they have no choice but to spend most of their time outside in early morning or evening hours – their skin is extremely sensitive to the sun. “They always have a challenge of movement and working at night,” said Andrew from the ARC Uganda team. “They can’t afford paraffin, they can’t afford electricity. So it’s difficult to get things done. Plus, it’s dangerous for them to walk around the settlement in the evening.” Thanks to The Shine On Project, we had an idea – bringing a reliable, sun-powered source of light to guide these families in the dark. Through the The Shine On Project, we were able to give them 45 solar-powered headlamps from Watts of Love! Kids and parents … [Read more...] about Bright Lights

For our special Valentine’s Day edition of Changemakers 365, we’re taking a short break from our redesign of Sisterhood Boutique and hopping to Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. Our ARC teammates in the settlement are spending this Valentine’s Day away from their loved ones, so we’re bringing the love to them. And nothing says Valentine’s Day like chocolate, candy, and messages from the heart. Check out our surprise for the team! Nakivale is home to over 100,000 refugees from across East Africa. Each and every day, our team there pours their heart and soul into their work, supplying the entire camp with clean water and providing services that help people heal from abuse and trauma. We wanted our valentine to be as big as their hearts! Who doesn’t love a good surprise? Each bag included a personal Valentine’s message, letting them know we’re thinking about them today, and everyday. “Thank you for bringing the blessings. You are putting a smile on our faces!” … [Read more...] about Will You Be Our Valentine?