Meet Amal, a single mother rebuilding her life in Palabek refugee settlement
“I fled war and violence in my home country – South Sudan. I sought refuge in Uganda after witnessing the death of my friends by violence.” Says Beatrice Amal who fled Lagii Village, Pajok county in South Sudan to Uganda in April, 2017.
Amal is one of the 3,3000 refugees who fled their South Sudan to Palabek settlement in Lamwo district. 26-year-old Amal arrived in Uganda a single mother of one with six more dependents.
In Palabek, she was received by the Office of the Prime Minister who also gave her a 30 metre plot of land to construct a house and start life anew. Being a woman with a big number of dependents, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) with funds from the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) constructed a modest complete shelter and latrine to offer her and the children decent shelter, protection and improve their sanitation and hygiene.
“We are now safe from rains, strong winds and bugs.” Says Amal who stayed under a tarpaulin with her family prior to getting a decent shelter from LWF. She continues to explain that life in the tarpaulin wasn’t the best as her family got regular break-ins from thieves and that privacy remained a dream as all the eight family members in different age groups shared a single room falling house.
To facilitate self-sustainability in Amal’s household, LWF with funds from PRM offered the single mother training in Tailoring and also offered a cash grant worth UGX 1,500,000 to establish an income generating activity. Amal also received a food crop garden startup kit including; assorted seedlings, a hand hoe, spade, rake among others.
“I have established a food crop garden to supplement our monthly food ratio.” “I invested the money in a tailoring business. I bought two sewing machines and cloth pieces to make school uniforms for sale.” Adds Amal who earns an average of UGX 150,000 per month from her tailoring business.
With her food crop garden and income, Amal can now afford her family’s basic needs like enough food for a balanced diet, her children’s education in private schools, health care, and clothes. “My family now gets all the household needs like soap, salt, sugar and also enjoys more than a single meal a day.” Adds Amal who earns enough to supplement her monthly food ratio.
A grateful Amal extends her gratitude to LWF and PRM for the support “Apwoyo Matek – Thank you so much.” Amal appealed to LWF to support other single mothers in Palabek with the same support she received to offer them self- sustainability like her.
Amal is one of 660 South Sudanese refugees who have been directly supported with under the IMPLAW project by LWF with funds from PRM. The support is aimed at increasing access to Protection services, Safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene services as well as creating Sustainable Livelihoods among refugees and host community residents in and around Palabek Settlement
LWF appreciates PRM’s supports towards its humanitarian activities in Palabek settlement aimed at improving the target populaces’ livelihoods and standards of living.
