Nearly 9,000 women in Uganda joined the workforce by graduating from vocational programs in December 2018. Their program is in Wakiso District, one of the largest geographical districts in the country. These women completed training in high-demand fields such as tailoring, baking, catering, and hairdressing. Their new skills allow many of the women to earn an income and lift their families out of poverty. A driving force behind these programs is The Honorable Rosemary Seninde, a member of Parliament, the Minister of Education, and founder of the Seninde Foundation. Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni presided over the graduation. Click on photo or this link to watch video.

Tabitha Kyambadde (St. Louis Park Sunrise) and Judy Johnson (Maple Grove) contributed greatly
to the success of the programs by collecting and donating more than 200 sewing machines. These were used to train women in the Seninde Foundation and at two newly established sewing centers in the Wakiso District and in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Southern Uganda.

Nakivale is home to over 100,000 refugees from 13 war-torn African countries. Along with the sewing center, it also promotes peace, reconciliation, and healing among members of vastly different cultures and customs.

Pathways to Hope Africa Uganda, the collaborating organization, plans to start teaching English and basic math to women in the camp in order to further enhance their skills. Pathways to Hope was founded by St. Louis Park Sunrise Rotary Club member Tabitha Kyambadde.