BRELIM CHARITY SUPPORT PROGRAMME FOR VULNERABLE WOMEN AND WIDOWS
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This widow was identified by BRELIM Charity with the agony of taking care of these orphans as a single parent. |
Hopelessness being brough to an end through child care support and promotion of social activities like; MUSIC , DANCE & DRAMA |
There is increasing evidence to show that female-headed house holds face the incidence of poverty much more than the male-headed ones. A study in Botswana found out that male-headed households had about 2.6 times and 8 times more earning power in the urban areas and rural areas respectively. This situation places enormous responsibility on women as sole breadwinners and has adverse implications for productivity and income generation at the house hold level and for child survival and development. Considering that the chances for a widow, more so an AIDS one, to find a spouse - be it part-time, are immeasurably remote, then it is a fore gone conclusion that their situation is bound to be ugly. Yet more research in Uganda about will writing and succession planning reveals that well as standby guardians (those to whom children are willed prior to parental deaths) are predominantly male, it is women who assume much of the responsibility for orphaned children ultimately.
BRELIM CHARITY found out that the income generating capacity of these households is profoundly constrained by numerous dependent children; lack of opportunity to accumulate productive resources like cattle, goats, and farming implements; and difficulty in getting access to credit. They are further constrained by limited education and training which limits their employability.
BRELIM CHARITY has countered this trend by organizing widows in groups, and then offer them different skills, depending on their own choice and demonstrable ability for sustainability. Some have chosen to learn sewing, and to these BRELIM CHARITY wishes to give to 5 sewing machines to 5 groups, each with 4 members in addition to the goats we have always given them.
These widows are also trained in personal financial management, idea generation and entrepreneurship development, and - as expected - how to live positively with AIDS, or how to avoid it all together. Those that excel are fronted and recommended for funding from any of the three microfinance institutions that we partner with, or any other of their choice.
Another group is being trained in the making of marketable local handicrafts such that in the event that resources make a way, a shop that specializes in only these products will be put up in either Iganga or Jinja.
BRELIM CHARITY is also involved in the promotion of food and vegetable farming, in a bid to bring the required nutritional needs of these people as close to them as possible, income generation notwithstanding.
BRELIM CHARITY buys the inputs such as hoes, watering cans, wheelbarrows, fertilizers, seeds and the like. To depart from the subsistence norm, the clients of this project are required to posses two gardens- one for home and the other for commercial use. Should funds become available, BRELIM CHARITY is planning to scale up this project as it has proved to be highly beneficial to the widows in particular and the PLWAs in general.
With our meager resources, we have managed to mobilize the widows to do humble self sustaining businesses like: The selling of roasted maize, Ground nuts growing, Second hand clothes selling which profits go directly to them and the orphaned children being supervised by Brelim Charity in respect of right apropriation of funds.
BRELIM CHARITY PROJECTS
Arts & Crafts:
In this area the widows are encouraged to be creative as concerns weaving and designing using their hands as seen in the picture below:
Send a Goat Project:
It is designed in such a way that Brelim Charity provides a goat to a house hold sends one goat to another needy house hold when it delivers and the circle continues. So far 30 families have benefited from this project.
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This over 90 years old widow has got value added to her life through BRELIM charity feed the poor programme. |
The HIV/AIDS desease left this over 90years widow trapped in old age parenting after the son died living her with the burden of these three little ones grand daughters who have to look to her for provision. |
BRICK LAYING
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| Brelim Charity staff giving a hand in the initial stages of Widow's brick laying Project |
Molded Bricks pending baking |
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HORTICULTURE |
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A widow's horticulture field
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Harvesting in process for Home consumptions and financial benefit |
DONATING A BICYCLE
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| Brelim donates a bicycle to the widows as an incentive for hard and also help them fetch water for their brick laying from a far off water source |
Pastor Tonny hands over the bicycle to the Widows |
Copyright 2004 – 2009, Brelim Charity Uganda |
