“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.
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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.
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