“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.”
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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.
