Northern Uganda Women and Children Support Initiative, Inc. (NUWOCSI)

Today, in America, people are celebrating Thanksgiving Day. It’s a day where we gather with family and friends; when we prepare a big feast of stuffed turkey, gravy, vegetables, cranberry sauce and every flavor of pie you can imagine; when we eat enough at one meal to last a week; and when exciting football games between rival high schools are played.  Most important, it’s a time to reflect and give thanks to God for all He has provided during the year.

Today, homes are filled with the delicious aroma of roasted turkey and pumpkin pie and yes, as I sit here in Uganda I have to admit I am feeling a little homesick right now and missing my family and friends as I think of them gathering together and wishing I could join in on the festivities.  It’s just another day here in Uganda as this Thanksgiving Day is just an American holiday. However, one of the local restaurants in Gulu will be preparing a turkey dinner, complete with pumpkin soup for us American Expats to enjoy and not to feel to deprived.

Even though I am not home in American to celebrate this day with my family it does not mean I can not take the time to reflect and thank the Lord for all He has done for me this past year and there is much to be thankful for…

Tegot-A-Too Village center. There is no electricity out here yet so solar is the way to go.

This year I started a non-profit organization,  Northern Uganda Women and Children Support Initiative, Inc. or NUWOCSI for short. Of course, I am not alone in this new venture. I have some great founding board members from both Uganda and the United States helping in getting this organization “off the ground” and working towards the goals we envision for this non-profit. I thank God for each of them  and for their willingness to serve. Their input, advice and work is invaluable and I appreciate them so much.

I discovered during the past year how much paperwork is involved in starting a non-profit. It is daunting how much documentation is required and at times I thought I would drown in it all, so I am very thankful for the help and expertise of those who helped in reviewing, proofreading and helping me put it all together.

Northern Uganda Women and Children Support Initiative, Inc. is a registered non-profit in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and currently our 501(c)3 tax exempt application is pending with the Internal Revenue Service. We anticipate a reply from the IRS sometime at the beginning of the new year. We would appreciate your prayers that this process goes smoothly and our application is approved.

We are currently looking into building a new website that will enable people to not only make donations online but to also purchase the quilt projects from our Tegot-A-Too women’s project. This would be part of the marketing strategy for selling the women’s products with 100% of the sale price going directly to the women and their project.

Continuing our English Literacy Program.

English Lessons!

It’s also an exciting time as we look into developing new projects to help benefit these wonderful, hardworking women I’ve come to know and love. We have a project we are looking into that would be a benefit both nutritionally and financially, not only to this women’s group but to the whole village and community, but it’s still in the “fact-finding” stage. I hope to be able to tell you more about this at a later date.

Busy working!

The Tegot-A-Too quilters are still working hard and producing some great work. Please take a look at “Our Quilt” page for more photos but below is a sample of their current work. They are also continuing their English Literacy program and many now greet me in English. As they try to speak to me in English, I’m trying to respond in Acholi. It’s a continued learning process for all of us!

We call this the Congo Log quilt. The women cut and design the squares themselves. Notice the hand quilting!

Bed size Congo Log quilt. The photo doesn’t do it justice.

A closer look!

We call this the Picture Swirl.

One thing that has been so encouraging to me, as their “teacher” is seeing so many women now designing and making their own small projects from home, mostly handbags from the small pieces of fabric that remain from our group projects. Nothing goes to waste! There is one woman who is working on a bedsize quilt that she pretty much designed all my herself. I gave a few suggestions but she took it further. I can’t wait to show it to you as it pleases me so to see their confidence building! There are so many talented ladies in this group. Most of them just need a little encouragement and confidence building and then watch them soar.

So, as I reflect on this Thanksgiving Day I have to say thank you God for allowing me this opportunity to be here in Uganda, doing the work I am doing and to be able to serve these wonderful women. I am thankful for the comfortable home I have here, for the health I have experienced, for the protection and safety from the many boda-boda rides and bus trips I take, for the opportunity of friendship from visitors to Gulu, and for the hospitality and acceptance of the Ugandan people. As a woman living and traveling alone,  East Africa is the place to be as there is always someone willing to look after you and assist you.  I am thankful for living in such a safe part of the world.

I’d be remiss not to thank all of you who have supported me this past year with your gifts, your supplies to the project, you financial support and most important, your prayers. I am truly a blessed woman!