Ladies of Uganda

Every Monday afternoon something in going on in Kikooba village…Ladies in colourful traditional Ugandan outfit called “gomez” are urging to the school holding big sacks. The ladies are arriving from different parts of the village and gather together in the court of the primary school. When they arrive they sit on the ground and the hidden treasures of the sacks are coming to light.

Kikooba village can be proud of their work in respect of keeping cultural heritage. The ladies are meeting in order to produce gorgeous crafts from local natural materials. The baskets, mats and jewels are made from banana leaves and palm fibres. The techniques are thought by mother to daughter since generations. Besides the old patterns the ladies are eager to learn new weaving techniques and expand the variety of products by inventing new patterns and shades.

                 

The aim of the group is to find an income generating activity for the women. In rural Uganda most of the women are working at home with the household, taking care of the gardens and the family which means that they are not formally employed and lack of any income. Early marriages are very common and women are often give birth to their first child at the age of 14-15. Due to these reasons women are highly dependent on their husbands or later on their children/grandchildren. By weaving they can have a minimum income on their own that they can invest on ameliorating the nutrition of their family or paying the school fees of their children.

Besides the financial side of the weekly meeting the group is giving the opportunity to the ladies to participate to their own activity. During the weaving sessions the new information are shared, the new gossips are talked through. The members of the group hold together and support each other in every aspects of life.

                

The group recently joined to a local organisation which connects already twelve ladies groups all around Uganda. Every group has volunteer trainers who time to time travel to different regions to meet each other and teach various techniques. According to many Ugandans interviewed the root of the problems of the country is the tribal conflict which tears apart the society. Besides the aim to maintain the traditions the organisation’s goal is to connect people from different parts of the country and promote cooperation. By the help of the volunteering program the chosen members of the group can travel, meet women from different tribes and clans and work hand in hand.

Based on the recitation of the director of the above organization the women who participate to the group activities became more independent, proud and self-confident. The communities also experienced a change. Women are more valued and esteemed. The director also emphasized that in some of the communities men asked the ladies to let them join the groups and willing to learn the crafting techniques.

By supporting the groups we can witness the positive process of transformation of Ugandan society.