Changing Lives in Palabek
In the Palabek Refugee Settlement where THRIVE operates, there are more than 50,000 refugees, 86% of whom are women and children. Local Ugandans suffer under the enormous strain on land and resources, which they now must share with the refugees. In line with THRIVEGulu’s mission and vision, the Humanitarian Program Plan deploys a unique range […]
From Child Soldier to Freedom.
I was 11 years old when I was abducted by the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) in an ambush on my way home from school. Once I was caught, the solders tied me up with a rope at the waste and attached me to a line with the other abducted children. They held us until dark […]
This war has starved my heart.
THRIVE is on the front line of the 3rd largest refugee crisis in the world today. Nearly 1 million refugees from South Sudan have crossed the southern border in search of safety. Recognizing that the arrival of so many people generates enormous stress on the host community, we provide support services both to the refugees […]
Standing On Her Own
In 2010, Regina’s life drastically changed when her husband unexpectedly passed away. At such a trying time, Regina became burdened with the overwhelming task of providing for their 5 children while already living in poverty. As a housewife who was also illiterate, she felt lost. How could she earn enough money to feed her children […]
I Can Do This!
“Sometimes tears roll from my eyes when I start thinking about my situation.” When she was 16 years old, Stella* was raped. In Northern Uganda, when a teenage girl becomes pregnant by whatever means, she also becomes pregnant with stigma. Most girls who find themselves in this situation drop out of school. Most never return. […]
Atim’s Story of Transformation Through Savings
One of our goals at THRIVEGulu has been to expand our successful programs to reach more vulnerable communities throughout Northern Uganda. Over the past year, we have helped over 300 women and men join our adult Empowerment Groups. Our combined beneficiary count for our core “Mother” program now reaches almost 10,000 individuals. The model of the Empowerment Group […]
A Role Model in her Village
At just 11 years old, Filder was forced to drop out of school. The war in Northern Uganda created a ripple effect for Filder and thousands of people across generations. Dropping out of school wouldn’t be the last time that the war would affect her life. Years later, as a young mother of two children, […]
Let’s stand up for equality, justice and human dignity.
By Saundra Buys As we checked into Shalom House our first night in Kampala, we heard a blast. Soon we learned that the Al-Shabaab militant group had caused 74 deaths from suicide bombings at two sites, including an Ethiopian restaurant quite near where we were staying and at a rugby club where crowds were watching […]
My Recent Trip to Gulu and an Update on our Literacy Program
When we first went to Gulu to establish THRIVE as an NGO after the LRA war ended, we asked people who had been displaced by the conflict or had lost their homes, land and communities, what they felt they needed and wanted most. We knew that people needed services and were trying to heal. They wanted […]
