“I used to sit in the back, quietly drawing. I never spoke unless I had to. Not because I didn’t want to—but because I, Lyton didn’t think anyone cared to listen. I live with my mother and sister in Bukulugi, Masanafu. My mom’s left arm doesn’t work the way it used to. But that’s never stopped her. She still wakes up every day and pushes through—doing whatever she can to keep our family going. It’s just… sometimes even that isn’t enough. So I try to help with whatever I can make from my art. Still, I used to keep a lot to myself. Even during the early sessions at Faces Up, I just… stayed quiet. There was too much inside. My past. The way people looked at us. The things we’ve been through as a family. It all made me feel like my opinion didn’t count. But something shifted. One day, I shared. Just a little at first. Then more. And they listened. People listened. It made me feel like maybe… I do have something to say. Like maybe, my voice matters after all.

Now, I’m preparing to sit for my Senior Four exams later this year. I still draw. I still help at home. But most importantly—I speak up. I want to be a fashion designer after school. That dream is the reason I chose to study art. I’ve always believed that everything around us whether it’s buildings designed by architects or clothes by designers has its roots in art. I wanted to learn those basics, to understand how things are created, shaped, and brought to life from an idea. I didn’t know much about art until I joined the Faces Up training program, but I remember back in primary school during a fashion show, I made a small bag. I looked at it and told myself that one day, I would sew many bags and create beautiful things.

When we moved to a new neighbourhood, I had to put that dream on hold. There was no one around to teach sewing or bag-making, and I had no way of continuing what I had started. Then one day we joined Faces Up. We began with drawing. I participated, but to be honest, I didn’t enjoy it much. I kept thinking about sewing. I wanted to be behind a sewing machine, stitching something I had imagined. Then the day came when they brought us sewing machines. We were told to start a project using recycled plastic sacks. At first, it was just about picking up plastics from the neighbourhood, later we turned the waste into bags to show people that dumping plastic is harmful and that we should recycle. But for me, it was more. I was finally sewing. Today, I can make all kinds of bags in different styles and sizes. We made it a habit to collect plastic waste in our community, and now it’s become difficult to find plastic sacks lying around, safe to say our project worked. And it worked in more ways than one. The plastics we collected no longer pollute our soil, the bags we made found new homes, and I gained skills I never thought I’d have.

I will never forget the day I went back to school. It is the happiest moment of my life. I had been out of school for two years. I had lost all hope. People in our neighbourhood talked about us like we were already finished, saying we’d get married early because we were always just home doing nothing. I remember sitting at home when a lady came and asked why we weren’t in school. She listened to our story, and though she didn’t have much, she found a way to take us back to school for a short while. When she couldn’t afford to continue, that’s when we got more help. At first, going back to school felt strange. I was used to being home. The first week was boring and awkward. But our teachers were kind and patient they made sure I understood every lesson. That’s how I was able to pass my Primary Seven and now I’m preparing for my Senior Four exams.  My dream is to become a fashion designer, but beyond that, I want to help others the way I was helped. It’s not just about having skills or being back in school it’s about being shaped into someone who is disciplined, focused, and considerate of others.

There have been challenges. One that hurt me deeply was when my best friend got pregnant. People assumed I was involved. We were always together, so they said I must have led her astray. It broke me. I didn’t even know she had a boyfriend. Being blamed for something I didn’t do made me feel helpless, until one day, during a mentorship session at Faces Up Uganda , I opened up about what had happened. I was told, “You are not the problem. The fact that you stayed strong and made different choices shows your strength.” That reminder is what I carry with me now. When life gets hard, I remind myself I’m strong, and I’ve already walked away from things that could have destroyed me.

My principle in life simply this, I know it might sound childish to some but, “I never really try to keep non-development company around me. I always choose quality people and beneficial people, people that inspire me.” I learned that the company you keep can shape how others see you and how you see yourself. I try to stay around people who lift me up, not tear me down. To girls my age, I would say never give up. Don’t listen to people who try to pull you down or tell you that you can’t do something. Filter the voices you allow into your life. Many people speak just to make you lose faith in yourself. And be content with what you have, however little it may seem. Too many girls go looking for things they think they’re missing, sometimes from men who don’t care, and it ends in heartbreak, in dropped dreams, and even worse. But if you stay focused, stay in school, and stay true to yourself, your dream can come true just like mine is beginning to.”

We’re grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside brilliant and resilient young girls like Lyton. Their strength inspires everything we do—and we want to keep doing more.

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 girls like Lyton:

• Make a donation — You can give in honor 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 Lyton’s journey or even Flavia‘s to reach others, pass it on. Tag someone who should read it, or send it directly to a friend.

Together, we can make sure every girl knows that her voice matters.

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