Support 225 adolescent mothers to thrive in Uganda

Growing up in poverty in rural Mayuge, many girls face barriers that dim their future. Harmful gender and social norms such as, “There is no need to educate a girl because she will be married off anyway,” continue to limit their chances of getting an education and securing a brighter tomorrow. Out of desperation, some girls end up pregnant in their teenage years, hoping marriage will provide the support they never received at home. Sadly, many are abandoned, left to struggle with shame, hopelessness, and uncertainty.

At Act4Africa, our heart beats for these young girls and women. We are committed to helping them reclaim their dignity and build a fresh start—by caring for their mental wellbeing, equipping them with practical skills, and providing start-up kits that enable them to live productive, meaningful lives.

In the past eight months alone, ten girls have found renewed hope through our psychosocial support. Beyond that, we have trained young women to earn a living, empowering them to lead themselves and provide for their families. The most recent group of three received sewing machines and fabric—an opportunity they describe as life-changing, especially after having dropped out of school so early.

Doreen, one of the beneficiaries, shared her story:
“I had been in the village for years, hopeless, doing manual labor—digging in people’s gardens to survive—since I dropped out in Primary Four and couldn’t get a formal job. Act4Africa has completely changed my life by giving me a skill and a sewing machine. For the first time, I feel my future is bright. Thank you so much, Act4Africa.”

Zakia echoed the same gratitude:
“Surely, you have saved us from poverty. Who else would have remembered us? Thank you, Act4Africa, for lifting us out of the ditch.”

We deeply value your continued support in helping us realize the vision of transforming the lives of young women.Thank you our dear partners for making this incredible work possible.

Next steps:
We plan to enroll 10 more young women onto the program for the next six months, continuing this journey of restoration and empowerment.

Imagine starting a life of struggle at just 10 years old. What kind of future would that child have? At Act4Africa, we always believe that change is possible.

Martha, a 23-year-old mother of one, is one of the young women whose story has turned the tables. This beautiful young woman dropped out of school at the age of 10 to start working and supporting her siblings. Life was incredibly tough. Her confidence was completely shattered by the adults she worked for, who believed that a child had no right to speak.

She faced harassment from different men, forcing her to move from one job to another. Over time, she lost hope and a sense of self-worth. But guess what? Because of kind-hearted people like you, Martha got a chance to redefine the life she dreamed of.

When she walked through the gates of Act4Africa, Martha had no idea that this was exactly the turning point she needed. She joined our mentorship sessions, which included leadership and life-skills workshops on topics such as negotiation, decision-making, assertiveness, and self-management. She also attended sessions on women’s physical and mental health, sexual and reproductive health, stress management, and overall wellbeing.

Martha then received training in making basic snacks like chapati, samosas, mandazi, and daddies. This was followed by a session on financial literacy and management—which turned out to be the game changer. Act4Africa also provided her with a business start-up kit to help her diversify her income.

Through this journey, Martha began to brighten up. She immediately started envisioning a new version of herself—one with bigger dreams than she had ever imagined. She laid out strategies to grow her snack business and boldly started moving from shop to shop, looking for customers. This action, combined with her newfound confidence, transformed her into a driven businesswoman with ambition and vision.

She went from selling a few nuts and earning just 10,000 shillings a week to supplying multiple shops in her neighborhood and making 30,000 shillings weekly. Now, she’s dreaming even bigger, hoping to expand her snack business to serve a much wider market. In her words:
“My only problem now is that the demand is high, but my capital is still limiting.”

The organization pledges to support Martha and other young women to see their dreams become a reality.

Act4Africa deeply appreciates your continued support—because without it, young women like Martha would have no hope to hold onto.