When I step into Judith’s home, the first thing I always notice is the paper.
Stacks and stacks of colorful paper — already cut, neatly piled, waiting their turn. Waiting to be rolled into beads, then strung into bracelets and necklaces, and eventually… turned into school fees. Into opportunity. Into hope. I’ve learned over the years that in this community, even a small stack of paper can carry enormous dreams.
Judith is a mother, a farmer, and an artisan — and every one of those roles exists for the same reason: her children’s future. She supports her family in two ways. On Fridays, you’ll find her at the craft market in Kampala selling the jewelry she carefully makes by hand. Other times, she travels north to the small plot of land she owns, where she plants maize, groundnuts, and sweet potatoes. The bead market isn’t what it once was, so she works the land to fill the gaps. Nothing is wasted. No effort is casual. Every decision is intentional.
Judith’s own schooling ended in Primary Four after her father passed away and her mother simply couldn’t afford the fees. At sixteen, she married. Her husband became a soldier for the rebels. When she became pregnant, she made the impossible decision to leave and return home. She never heard from him again.
When war continued to swallow Northern Uganda and she was now a young mother with children to protect, Judith followed her sister to the Acholi Quarter. She worked in the stone quarry — one of the hardest jobs imaginable — until the paper bead market began to grow. I remember those early days when bead-making started to take off. Judith learned quickly and mastered the craft, choosing to roll and string every bead herself so she could earn just a little more.
And here’s the thing about “a little more” —
a little more meant food.
a little more meant school.
a little more meant possibility.
Her youngest child, Atim Cecilia, is that possibility unfolding right before our eyes.
Cecilia is the first in her family to graduate Senior Six. Today, she is enrolled in a two-year nursing program — something that once felt far beyond reach. Her siblings’ education stopped earlier, not for lack of desire, but for lack of means. Cecilia continued because her mother refused to let the door close… and because sponsors chose to believe in her story.
When Cecilia talks about why she wants to become a nurse, she doesn’t talk about status or income. She talks about distance.
“Growing up, I discovered that in our villages people have difficulties accessing medical attention,” she told me. “I hope to build a clinic in my village so people will not have to move long distances to seek medical care.”
Judith already sees that future clearly. She plans to give Cecilia a portion of her land when she graduates so she can build a clinic or pharmacy.
Cecilia told me, “I feel like it is very good, because the hospital is very far. If I have the clinic nearby, it will help people in the village a lot.”
Judith’s advice to her daughter is something I wish every young person could hear:
Know the family you come from. Don’t compare yourself to others. Remember how you’ve been helped — and help others.
And Cecilia carries those words with her. She told me,
If I find any child or mother who is sick, I should help them… even if they cannot pay.
When I asked Cecilia what keeps her motivated, her answer was simple and humbling:
I have someone who believes in me. That gives me the courage to work hard every day.
And when I asked Judith about her daughter, she didn’t hesitate. She smiled the kind of smile only a proud mother can give and said,
She’s on the right path.
After nearly two decades of walking alongside women like Judith, I’ve learned that change rarely happens in giant leaps. It happens bead by bead. Paper by paper. Tuition payment by tuition payment. A mother who lost her own education making sure her daughter finds hers.
This is what opportunity really looks like — not instant transformation, but steady, determined progress across generations. Papers turning into beads. Beads turning into tuition. Tuition turning into clinics. And belief — simple, consistent belief — turning into impact that stretches far beyond one family and into an entire community.
From a little girl who once asked for a doll to a mechanical engineer, and a sponsored child who dreamed of helping others to a practicing doctor — Winnie and Jotham’s journey is a beautiful reminder of what long-term support and community can achieve. Now engaged and preparing for their February 28 wedding, their story is living proof that hope, opportunity, and perseverance can truly transform lives.
Meet the women who keep Project Have Hope moving forward every day. From Mama Oyet’s steady leadership and Santina’s entrepreneurial drive to Jennifer’s rising confidence and ambition, each woman’s journey is a story of resilience, growth, and community. Together, they are not only building brighter futures for their own families — they are shaping opportunity and hope for the entire Acholi Quarter.
“My mom would always tell me, ‘If you’re not the best in your class, then why are you going to school?’” recalls Winnie seriously, but with a smile, as she thinks of how her mother, Mama Oyet, has demanded the best of her. That encouragement has helped Winnie, just 23 years old, attain her current success as a mechanical engineer for Pepsi. Her three older siblings also have all earned university degrees. Mama Oyet, whose own education was cut short by the war in Northern Uganda, is determined that her children have a better life. Thanks to her hard work, they do. Poverty and war are no match for Mama Oyet.
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When Mama Oyet first came to the Acholi Quarter after fleeing the war, she worked tirelessly. She’d make pancakes to sell in the morning and alcohol to sell in the evenings. “I did what I needed to do,” Mama Oyet says in a hushed tone that defies her audacious and resilient spirit. Mama Oyet is a force and she has instilled that same spirit in her youngest daughter.
“The best I can do is to make my mom happy,” Winnie declares with equal parts love, strength and admiration. “My success will be that she is well cared for and happy.”
"I think big!" gushes Eric. "I want to be the best designer ever!"
His goals aren’t limited to fashioning clothes, but to every aspect of design. With unbridled ambition, a strong work ethic and passion, this 22 year old is unstoppable.
Thanks to Project Have Hope's scholastic sponsorship program, Eric had the opportunity to pursue a course in fashion and design, and is currently employed by a company that manufactures clothes for government contracts.
Eric’s passion for design was ignited when he was 17 years old. His uniform was too big and ill-fitting. He was determined to fix it. “ ‘Let me try,’ ” he recalls saying to himself as he sat behind a sewing machine for the first time to adjust his uniform. “From that day, I loved tailoring.
Pursuing a course in tailoring would have been an impossibility without the financial support of Project Have Hope. Susan has gained both a skill and a confidence that helps her to navigate the future and the challenges that persist.
Much of Susan’s youth was spent rising before the sun and going to bed long after the moon had risen. Her day would start at 4am, when she would rise to head to the fields to work. She’d return home as the sun was setting and begin the time-consuming task of preparing a meal. Day after day.
At 19, a young mother herself, Susan moved to the Acholi Quarter. There, she labored in the stone quarry, often with her infant baby on her back.
When Project Have Hope began, it was a welcome relief to Susan. She could work from home with her daughter seated nearby and roll paper into beads. “It was simple work, easy work,” Susan carefreely recalls. Not only was the work easy, but she’d earn twice what she earned in the quarry. “It was a very great change for me.”
Susan later enrolled in a tailoring course through Project Have Hope’s support. From the beginning, she was thrilled with the opportunity tailoring presented. “You can expect money any day, any time,” Susan beams. “If I return to the village, I can bring my tailoring machine and work from there and earn a living. I can work anywhere.”
“Education is important because it transforms a child who has lost hope,” Achiro Molly heartfully acknowledges. She should know. Education has given her the power to write her own future.
“I want to be hardworking like my mom,” Achiro Molly says with the quiet perseverance of a woman beyond the years of 22. The third born in a family of six, Molly’s mother had no choice but to work hard. Forced to flee from her homeland in the North because of war, Molly’s parents found shelter in the Acholi Quarter. Molly’s mom first worked in the stone quarry and then found easier work crafting paper bead jewelry when Project Have Hope (PHH) began its work in 2006. To supplement her income, she also sold vegetables and boiled maize to hungry neighbors.
When she was still in primary school, Molly’s father died, increasing the hardship her mother faced. PHH stepped in and took over payment of Molly’s school fees. The financial strain of school fees forces many young children to abandon their studies, leaving an educational gap that can never be filled.
An eager student, Molly always loved going to school. Even at a young age, she saw the power of education. “I wanted to change my family’s story from worse to better,” Molly recalls of her younger days, a feat she has conquered.
After completing Senior 4, with financial assistance from PHH, Molly pursued a course in early childhood development. During her studies, she did a one month internship at Hilpog Junior School. Upon graduation, Molly dutifully sought work. She inquired with the headmaster at Hilpog. His reply, so impressed with her role as an intern, “I don’t even need to interview you.” It’s been three years since Molly began her teaching career. She co-teaches a rowdy group of 3 and 4 year olds. Her demeanor is calm despite the mayhem one would expect from a roomful of youngsters. She confesses, “My biggest challenge is when they don’t keep quiet.” She credits her success to believing in herself.
In 2022, Molly’s mother returned to the North. Molly’s two older siblings are both married with children of their own, so the responsibility of her two younger sisters falls upon her. Her salary makes it possible for her sisters to continue their education. “My mom has struggled for us and has done everything for us,” Molly earnestly appreciates. Now, at just 22, it’s Molly’s turn.
Through PHH, Molly was able to receive an education and complete a course in teaching, paving the way for her to build a successful future and that success is now paving the way for her younger sisters.
Molly’s diligence and steadfast belief in herself is the driving force to her ultimate success – a success she is sharing with her younger sisters in hope they too, will have the same opportunities that she has.
Standing by the chalkboard, white chalk in hand, Mercy stays focused. Peering at her are 28 little faces seated on the floor, looking up with wide eyes. Some attentive. Some distracted. Some quiet. Some skittish. Children. What more can you expect from a roomful of 3-year olds?
At just 24 years old, Mercy has achieved more than many who have grown up in Uganda’s Acholi Quarter. When she was in primary two, Project Have Hope took over her scholastic sponsorship, ensuring that she was able to receive an education. It was in primary two when her own mother’s education was halted due to lack of money.
Mercy often reflects on what her life would have been like if Project Have Hope hadn’t made it possible for her to attend school and receive a certificate for early childhood development. “If I had not had an education, I’d be married with kids now,” she says, dismayed by the thought of that path which she has seen many others take. “That means I couldn’t pursue my own dreams.” With an education, Mercy now has the power to build a secure future that will enable her to pursue a path of financial independence, and her current success is enabling her four younger siblings to continue their studies, ensuring they, too, can pursue their own dreams.
“I feel like I can help,” Gloria boldly asserts in her quiet, thoughtful demeanor which betrays the true fire that burns from within her. At 23, Ageno Gloria is already a go-getter. She is on track to complete her BA of law from Uganda Christian University in April 2024. “Before I went for law, I wanted to be a teacher,” Gloria recalls. “Now I want to be a family lawyer.” She continues, “There’s a lot of domestic violence back at home (in Northern Uganda). Women are violated. Women are forced into marriage.” She wants to change that and to advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. She believes that too often, girls and women don’t know their rights. Fearlessly, she intends to change that.
Gloria is one of the founding members of Echo Hearts, an NGO in its early stages, founded by a youthful group of 21-32 year old Ugandans. The organization aims to teach people the law and advise them of their rights. “Both men and women do things out of ignorance,” Gloria notes. The organization will help advise men of their responsibilities and women of their rights.
As a youth, Gloria spent two years working with Kectil, a community based organization (CBO) that focused on education, entrepreneurial training and the environment. She fondly remembers her time organizing community clean ups, but counters, “That was not my dream. I was helping someone else aspire to achieve her dream.” Echo Hearts is the beginning of pursuing her dream of giving a voice to all women in Uganda.
I consider Uganda to be my second home, and a beautiful home, indeed, it is. The people are extremely friendly and the country, infinitely lush and diverse. I’ve been fortunate to have visited most of the national parks and to have experienced trekking to see the mountain gorillas on two occasions. But even so, there’s so much of the country I’ve yet to explore. I find myself often encouraging people to visit this amazing country, both to see it’s natural beauty and also to dispel myths they may have. I sat down with my German friend, Yvonne Hilgendorf, who calls Uganda home. She’s been working in the tourism industry for over 12 years. Passionate about sustainable and community tourism, she started her own company, Manya Africa Tours, in 2019 so she could share her love and knowledge of Uganda with others. “When I first reached Uganda, I felt home for the first time,” Yvonne confesses. “I never had this feeling before in Germany, and I was always looking for a purpose.” She found that purpose in Uganda.
PHH: What prompted you to first visit Uganda and then make it your home?
YH: I have studied Tourism Geography at the University of Trier in Germany and was looking for a diploma thesis topic so I visited Uganda in 2008 for the first time to do the research for my thesis. I lived in 3 communities for 1 to 3 months which were Ruboni at the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, Bigodi Wetlands near Kibale National Park and Bushara Island on Lake Bunyonyi.
PHH: What’s your background in tourism in Uganda?
YH: I have worked for 12 years for different international and local tour companies and hotels, in the roles of director of sales, sales and marketing executive, and assistant to the executive director. In these capacities, I’ve gathered a lot of experience by solving problems on the job. In Uganda everyone thinks that you know everything if you come from a developed country, so it is expected that you don't fear and just do.
PHH: You’re the author of Community Based Tourism in Uganda, what was the inspiration?
YH: My professors inspired me to write the book since there is very little information on Tourism in Uganda. Community based tourism provide tourists with exceptional experiences and a real insight into Uganda.
PHH: What are the benefits of community tourism for both travelers and the community?
YH: Both sides can learn a lot from each other. Culture in Western countries is disappearing more and more. Forests and wildlife, as well. So we include different community projects which keep the culture alive, such as traditional meals with Ugandan families and projects that protect endangered animals like the Rhinos Sanctuary and the Uganda Carnivore Project, which protects the big cats. Communities learn to value their nature and wildlife and won't poach or cut down trees. In turn, they receive an income to support their families and their own projects. We really like to give back but also that people don't expect the outside world to only give. We love the idea of an exchange between the two worlds or totally different cultures.
PHH: Why do you think it’s important to promote sustainable tourism efforts in Uganda?
YH: Sustainable tourism in Uganda is vital to protect the beautiful nature and biodiversity and culture of Uganda for future generations. To do that, while also educating both the tourists and the local people is key. More importantly, local people earn an income through tourism and are more independent from outside donations.
PHH: Why did you start Manya Africa Tours?
YH: I am thankful to have worked for other tour companies for so long, but I also realized
that there must be something bigger and more challenging. I wanted to create a sustainable company. For example, we try to reduce plastics on our tours. We plant trees. We give back through certain projects. We want to show the different aspects of Africa and not the typical, often quite negative, pictures that are shown outside. My son, Leon, was born 12 years ago, and I want to give him a start for his future. I honestly hope that he will work with me one day.
PHH: In what ways does Manya Africa Tours immerse tourists in Uganda’s culture?
YH: We use only local guides. Though they all speak different tribal languages, they are also fluent in English and some speak French and German to accommodate our clients’ needs. Our office team is also composed of a combination of expats, like myself, and Ugandans. We like to support women, as well, because they are the most in need, but also the strongest I have ever seen. We always include different projects in our safaris, like a traditional lunch at Tinka John. We also have a matooke project where the tourists can actively participate in the production of banana juice or the so-called “war gin.” We can even arrange a visit to kraal of the Karamojong, or an overnight stay with them and their cattle, an unforgettable and unique experience.
PHH: What makes Uganda unique and a destination everyone should visit?
YH: Uganda is lush green compared to our more dryish neighbors ,Kenya and Tanzania and has a welcoming climate (not too hot, not too cold) and welcoming, friendly people. The landscape of the country is ever changing. Highlights include the Rwenzori mountain range, Lake Bunyonyi, the Nile, national parks like Murchison Falls, and, of course, the chimpanzees and mountain gorillas. To see them is a lifetime experience that brings goose bumps or tears to the eyes.
PHH: What are the top 5 destinations or experiences in Uganda that you think shouldn’t be missed?
YH:
If you want to learn more about the diversity in Uganda and experience it firsthand, feel free to contact me directly @ info@projecthavehope.org or Yvonne @ info@manyaafricatours.com.
