Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you. —Jeremiah 1:5
When our daughter was born in 1998, my husband and I chose Jeremiah 1:5 to announce that God had blessed us with our first child, Annie. Knowing that God cared about the most minute details of our child, even before birth, was an extraordinary gift! We witnessed Annie grow in the good soil of God’s grace, and a few weeks ago, we celebrated her marriage and the start of a new family in Christ.
Uenize Fabiah, pictured above, was also knit together by a loving God who embodied within her everything she needed to live a healthy, meaningful life. As a child, Uenize lacked access to primary education and healthcare. As an adult, Uenize married and focused on being a mother to six children. Like most mothers, she dreamed of a beautiful, healthy life for her children. Then Uenize’s husband abandoned the family, and that dream seemed to be impossible. With the enormous responsibility of raising and providing for her family, she began each morning with the same question-—How will I feed my children today?
Although outside obstacles stood in her way, God was always with her.
Uenize kept hope close to her heart. Two years ago, God opened the door to new possibilities when the Kellermann Foundation launched its pilot for Uplift Batwa Talents. Determined to build a better future for her children, Uenize enrolled in the pilot as a vocational trainee. She attended every session with eagerness and dedication while mastering the art of making beautiful, energy-saving charcoal stoves. She also soaked up life-saving information at the program’s maternal health workshops at Bwindi Community Hospital where she learned how to best care for her health and the health of her children.
As a graduate of the program, Uenize sells approximately 80 units per week and is known as one of the most hardworking women in the region. Beyond pottery, she cultivates crops to ensure her family never goes hungry, and she participates in a new savings collective to improve security for the future. She is equally admired for a neat and well-organized home, earning her the reputation of being the cleanest woman in her village! Uenize is truly a Batwa role model of self reliance and dignity. Praise be to God!
Transformation from survival to self-reliance
From charity to dignity—from hope to home.
There are many more young Batwa like Uenize who are eager for opportunity and inspired to make the journey to self-reliance. Once given the opportunity, the Batwa will exceed expectations with their steady determination. Rev. Canon Jovahn Turyamureeba writes, “Today, you may meet the Batwa in church, at school, or along the road—clean, confident, and dignified. This is a true transformation and a remarkable shift in both identity and way of life. The Batwa in the community can now go to the marketplace and purchase clothes, household items, and food for their family. Likewise, a child can compete favorably in class alongside others. These are clear signs of self-reliance and progress.”
—Laura Corley, Executive Director