Here is another inspiring story of one of our beneficiaries on the Road to Hope Program, A lady from the Hoima Region, Uganda where most reently oil deposits were discuovered by the Uganda govenment. The young woman who has overcome life’s challenges with determination and courage. She remaines committed to completing her course in Hairdressing and Salon Practice and has recently set up her own salon in Hoima City subub. Teh dream is to expand it and to use the proceeds to support other vulnerable girls in addition to supporting the ailing grandmother.
Orphaned at a young age, she faced not only the pain of losing her parents but also the stigma and discrimination that orphans often endure in her community. As a child left to care for herself, she struggled with a lack of basic necessities. Her mother, who was diagnosed with a life-limiting illness, received support from Little Hospice Hoima before her passing. The girl was forced to drop out of school due to financial hardships. She spent a year at home under the care of her maternal grandmother, whose small income from selling roasted cassava on a roadside. The income from this trade was barely enough to support the family of two very yound girls and their grandmother. "Life was tough" she says.
Eventually the grandmother fell so sick and was enroled into a hospice program. Thats how the young girl was located as a child caregiver. That is way back in 2016. The child was enrolled on teh program supported by the Center for Hispoce Care in USA and the Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU).
It was through PCAU’s involvement that the girl was able to enroll in Primary school again, giving her a chance to continue her education. This moment marked the beginning of a transformative journey that changed her life forever.
The program covered her school fees, provided scholastic materials, and ensured the family received basic needs. With the help of the program, Mary progressed in primary and secondary school. After finishing secondary school, the program facilitated her enrollment in a vocational institution where she pursued a course in hairdressing and gained skills in operating a ladies’ salon business. She knew that this skill would help transform her family’s struggles into opportunities. Determined to uplift her family, she was committed to completing her training.
Graduation day.
Upon completing her course, PCAU continued its support of her entrepreneurship endeavors. She established a hair dressing kiosk with a startup support from PCAU in 2024. Today, the business operates daily, and although it’s still growing, Mary is able to save little money weekly through a savings group. Her savings are reinvested in her salon, which supports her working capital and provides towards a liter of milk and other feeding requirement for her ailing grandmother back home.
With the support of PCAU, she recently acquired a pedicure foot spa, allowing her to expand the services she offers and attract more customers to the area. Although Mary has made significant progress, she still faces some financial issues espacially due to the several financial needs by her grandmother. She remains grateful for the program’s guidance and support as she continues to grow her business and support her grandmother back home.
The program continues to support the young girl and the other girls on the program. Without the support, it would have been extreamly difficut for the young girl to grow into a caring role to her grandmother. They now have a better shelter and she looks to the future with hope.
There is so much transformation that comes along the support PCAU recieves from the generous donors.
