{"id":2383,"date":"2026-03-04T07:38:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T07:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amref.org\/uganda\/?p=2383"},"modified":"2026-03-04T07:57:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T07:57:20","slug":"from-despair-to-dignity-kalangala-girls-stitch-a-safer-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/amref.org\/uganda\/success-stories\/from-despair-to-dignity-kalangala-girls-stitch-a-safer-future\/","title":{"rendered":"From Despair to Dignity: Kalangala Girls Stitch a Safer Future."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><em>Photo: Sheena, having received counseling after&nbsp;a life threatening&nbsp;event is now able to smile&nbsp;and looks forward to a better&nbsp;and healthier future as she takes on tailoring as her income generation skill. Credit: E-Pictures Media <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a small tailoring classroom in Kalangala District, the steady rhythm of sewing machines signals skill-building and a glimmer of freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For many girls in this island district, poverty, early pregnancy, and gender-based violence once defined their futures. Through the <strong>Heroes for Gender Transformative Action Program<\/strong>, supported by Amref Health Africa in Uganda, MIFUMI and Cordaid, survivors and at-risk young women are now gaining vocational skills alongside life-saving Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>\u201cI used to feel trapped,\u201d shares Sheena. \u201cNow I earn my own income and I know where to seek help if I face violence. I promise to put the skills I&nbsp;am learning to good use&nbsp;for betterment of my life and more so my health.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;She added.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The tailoring initiative integrates economic empowerment with SGBV referral pathways. Participants receive training in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and SRHR awareness ,including information on contraception, safe motherhood, and reporting violence. Each cohort is linked to local protection committees and the toll-free SGBV helpline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>Ms. Immaculate Akello, staff at Mifumi shared that \u201cEconomic vulnerability keeps many girls in abusive situations. By investing in skills and SRHR knowledge, we are investing in social justice and long-term safety.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>The chairperson LC1 for Kasekulo adds: \u201cThese girls are no longer seen as victims. They are business owners and role models.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2026, as the world marks International Women\u2019s Day under the theme <strong>&#8220;Give to Gain<\/strong>,&#8221; these sewing machines represent structural change. Ending violence requires more than awareness it requires economic power, access to services, and community accountability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Kalangala, dignity is being stitched back one girl at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><em>Photo credits: E-Pictures Media<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><em>By Communications at Amref Uganda <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Photo: Sheena, having received counseling after&nbsp;a life threatening&nbsp;event is now able to smile&nbsp;and looks forward to a better&nbsp;and healthier future as she takes on tailoring as her income generation skill. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2326,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[168,135],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[98,298,891],"class_list":["post-2383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-success-stories"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/amref.org\/uganda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/02\/DSC03544-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1708&ssl=1","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v14.6.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In a small tailoring classroom in Kalangala District, the steady rhythm of sewing machines signals skill-building and a glimmer of freedom.For many girls in this island district, poverty, early pregnancy, and gender-based violence once defined their futures. Through the Heroes for Gender Transformative Action Program, supported by Amref Health Africa in Uganda, MIFUMI and Cordaid, survivors and at-risk young women are now gaining vocational skills alongside life-saving Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) education.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow\" \/>\n<meta name=\"googlebot\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"bingbot\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/amref.org\/uganda\/success-stories\/from-despair-to-dignity-kalangala-girls-stitch-a-safer-future\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"From Despair to Dignity: Kalangala Girls Stitch a Safer Future. - Amref Health Africa in Uganda\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In a small tailoring classroom in Kalangala District, the steady rhythm of sewing machines signals skill-building and a glimmer of freedom.For many girls in this island district, poverty, early pregnancy, and gender-based violence once defined their futures. 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