“Growing up, I Fortunate never thought I would ever learn how to make a basket. I remember watching my grandmother weave them, her fingers moving with quiet precision, the fibres bending under her control. I always wondered how it was done, but there was never time to learn. We were constantly being sent on errands, and by the time I came back, she had already moved on to another step. With something like basket weaving, you have to be present from the start to truly understand it. So I missed out on learning that skill from her.

I spent most of my childhood staying with my father in the village. We weren’t doing much, just sitting at home, not going to school. Life felt still. Some of my friends had moved to Kampala, and every time they returned for the Christmas holidays, they’d tell us about the opportunities in the city. The stories filled me with curiosity and a bit of hope. I decided to leave. I boarded a bus to Kampala for the very first time, excited and scared, with no real plan but a belief that something better was waiting.

When I got to Kampala, I reached out to a friend who welcomed me into her home. She also helped me get my first job as a housemaid. That was how life in Kampala began, humble, but it was a start. I stayed in that job for about eight months and started saving. Once I felt I had a bit of footing, I took a risk. I bought a charcoal stove, a frying pan, and a few other tools and began my own small tea escort business, frying sumbusas, chapatis, and cassava. Instead of waiting for customers to come to me, I hawked around busy places. It was hard work, but it helped me take care of my family.

One morning in October 2024, while I was frying, a friend told me about a program that was offering free training for women and young girls. She said it would teach us skills we could use to earn a living. It almost sounded too good to be true: free training, no fees, just show up and learn. When the day arrived, we went to Masanafu at Faces Up’s office. I was nervous but hopeful. I found a group of women just like me, all trying to carve out something better for themselves. That made me feel like I belonged.

They gave us a list of skills to choose from, and I selected all of them. I wanted to learn everything. On the first day of class, I was excited, scared, and unsure if I could still learn anything new. I remember my friend leaning over and whispering, “You know our situation, and the reason why we are here.” Her words grounded me. I knew I couldn’t afford to take this for granted. I got serious.

Today, I can plait an entire head by myself. I can make jewellery, baskets, and earrings. Seeing the finished work in my hands makes me proud in a way I had never experienced before. It wasn’t easy; there were many times I pierced myself while weaving, or struggled to get the right shape for a necklace. I made baskets that weren’t strong enough, hairstyles that didn’t last long, but I kept going. Over time, I got better.

The beautiful thing about learning a hands-on skill is that you carry it with you wherever you go. You don’t leave it behind. My skills help me earn and support my family, and they’ve given me confidence and peace of mind. After we completed the training, together with my friend, Nakimuli, we decided to work together and started a mobile hair salon. In a week, we plait about 3-6 people and we can earn quite a bit to support ourselves. The biggest challenge now is the market we don’t sell as many baskets and jewellery as we wish we could. I think if someone out there connected us to bigger markets, we would be grateful and also boost our incomes alot.

If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s to never ignore opportunities to learn. When you hear about a training or a workshop in your community, take part. Don’t assume it’s not for you. You never know what might come out of it. These are the very skills that changed my life. They might just change yours, too.”

We are honoured to walk alongside women like Fortunate as we strengthen the ecosystem surrounding the children we serve. This journey is only possible because of people like you, people who believe in change, who invest in impact, and who care about building brighter futures for others. Your generosity makes a real difference, sharing what you have with those who have less. Thank you for standing with us.

If you feel moved to support or be part of this journey, here are three meaningful ways you can help us create lasting, sustainable impact in the lives of women like Fortunate.

• Donate — You can give in honour or memory of someone special. Your support allows us to reach more girls and deepen our impact.
• Refer a partner — If you know a potential funder, donor, or development partner who might be interested in our work, we’d be grateful for an introduction. You can reach us at [email protected].
• Share her story — If you would like Fortunate’s journey or even stories of others to reach others, pass it on. Tag someone who should read it, or send it directly to a friend.

Thanks for reading this far, please come back next Friday for another story via our campaign #ArtsAndThePeople #FacesUp #ArtsEducation #EmpoweringGirl