HELP AFRICAN FAMILIES

MY STORY 

MAKING GHANGE POSSIBLE

My name is Nabweteme Maria, I am a Ugandan aged 27 years old. I live with my big family including several siblings, mother, aunt, uncle and cousin in Kampala - Luzira, Kisenyi zone 1. 

Since my early childhood, I remember my parents struggling for daily survival, while they were getting more and more into drinking until they finally divorced. Growing up meant for me, grabbing any job and working hard to make a little money for food. My whole focus was always on survival to help my mother with food, water to drink, health care and other necessities. Even though my grandmother would toil to provide for us doing meager jobs like selling fish etc., there was never enough!

When the COVID 19 pandemic hit our area with lock downs, my mother went bankrupt with her little hair salon and shortly after, my grandmother died in hospital from COVID 19. Since then, our situation got worse. I am until now the only one making some money on a regular basis while everybody else is without income. 

Sometimes I recall the times when we spent whole days in a little garden nearby, where we always found something to eat. These were happy days, until a business man purchased the land and we were not allowed anymore to use it. 

After I was forced to take up the responsibility and provide for the whole family, working long hours in several jobs, my health started deteriorating. The feeling of losing hope and existential fears were weakening me increasingly, causing several health issues including ulcers and depression. 

The little building, my grandmother had left behind for us as a family to live was seized by one of our aunts who lives nearby. Compared to us, she is quite wealthy but provides nothing for us. Instead, she bullies us and keeps us in fear.  In several occasions she has thrown me out of the house. But most times I have vehemently refused to leave because I have nowhere else to stay with my siblings. I feel her pressure being way too much on my head but have to stay strong for my siblings and the rest of the family. 

A few months ago, the house collapsed as well due to heavy rains making the situation even harder because for quite some time we had nowhere to stay.

My community and neighbors, just like us suffer from so much pollution, we live unhealthy, are exposed to so many diseases and everyone tries as much had to make ends meet some collecting plastics and wastes, making door mats among others have negatively been forced into acts like drinking, prostitution among others. Since its a ghetto all hope is gone.

My dream and duty is to care for my family! I want to see the young lads and the little siblings go to school. I don’t want them to struggle like I do! I want them to survive and to be happy. I want all my family including myself to live a decent life without poverty and hunger! This burning desire gave me the will power to study on both government and a friend’s sponsorship during the last 6 years international business at Makerere University in Kampala while working several jobs at the same time. Three years ago, I received my Bachelor’s degree and end of 2022 I will receive my Master’s degree. This will enable me to work on international business relationships in favor of my home country and our people. In doing so, I will hopefully earn enough money to support my family directly!

One of my goals is also to start a non-profit organization that invests amongst others into land where Ugandan families can live on good soil with good water and clean air and grow their own healthy food. At the same time, they will be educated about a healthy lifestyle including proper nutrition and responsible use of medication while learning about alternative and natural healing methods. 

I will be very grateful for your support. Be it money, your experiences with such projects including sources of information and connections to other people and projects.