Fifteen years ago, THRIVEGulu opened its doors to provide trauma counseling to women who had returned to Gulu after twenty years of war and confinement in IDP camps and the atrocities that came with it. We created northern Uganda’s first (and only) drop-in Trauma Healing and Recovery Center.
But Psychological trauma often comes with poverty and a wounded spirit, so we formed Empowerment Groups to help the women step forward with a sense of hope and security, providing ways for them to support each other emotionally and financially.
But the women needed more.
It quickly became evident that Literacy learning was vital to their future since they had been deprived of an education growing up during the war. In the last 7 years, you, the supporters of THRIVEGulu, have helped more than 1,500 women and men achieve basic literacy in both English and their native Acholi.
Our THRIVERS want to share their new skills and passion for reading with their children and grandchildren, but they needed the resources to do so. There were no free, public libraries in Gulu, until now!
Our THRIVERS have started businesses, but they didn’t have consistent access to electricity and internet to promote their businesses in the 21st century economy or to search for and apply to jobs online, until now!
Our THRIVERS are working hard to stay in school, even as teen parents, but they found it difficult to access resources on reproductive health and safe parenting practices, until now!
THRIVE embraces holistic support services in all of our programs. In addition to literacy activities, the Library provides:
Our library building is completed and open to the community—and we thank our supporters for making that happen!!! As any librarian will tell you, a library is a living organism and will always need your support. You can still leave your legacy in Gulu with support of the programming that we provide, books, equipment, toys & games, water, and more. You can help generations of Ugandans for years to come.
Support the work of the library team—$2,500 provides 3-months’ salaries and benefits to the library staff and stipends to our volunteers.
Provide a supply of culturally appropriate and/or locally published books for individuals and families to use at our center. We need to keep our school curriculum titles current and relevant, of course!
Provide indoor comforts such as soft seating, wooden chairs and tables, rugs, and materials for both individual and small group activities.
Provide & maintain amenities for extending the center’s use outdoors like mats, sunshades, tents, plastic chairs for group activities, and play equipment.
Support the work of the literacy program by providing a supply of educational materials and school supplies to our literacy learners.
Help bring our modern library and resource center to life to help the people of Gulu continue on their ongoing journey to self-sufficiency and personal empowerment!
