Success Stories..Looking Ahead

Sarah Ndagire's story

-Kagamba Sub- County, Kimuli Parish, Mweluka Village

When Sarah’s husband died in 2003 of stomach complications, he left her with eight children. All family assets had been sold to meet medical expenses. Sarah’s land was partitioned, half of it given to a woman that her husband had secretly wed, leaving Sarah with one acre of infertile land. Without the income Sarah’s husband had earned in Kampala as a fisherman and laborer, even the bare necessities such as clothing, food, and bedding were lacking. The community did not come to Sarah’s family’s aid. A neighbor only offered help on one occasion, in the form of soap and salt. In Sarah’s own words, "it was a pathetic situation."

Sarah and three of her children
in her new home

A Lutheran World Federation (LWF) community counselor named Ephraim identified Sarah’s family in 2004. Ephraim found the children suffering from malnutrition, worms, and malaria, their home falling apart, and Sarah despondent. The family’s only source of income came from occasional work Sarah found at neighboring farms and the funds her eldest son earned in Kampala where he recharged batteries in a garage. LWF responded to Sarah’s family’s plight with food, bedding, cassava cuttings, and two goats from the Goat Project (besides ICA funding). These goats have since reproduced and the revenue from their sale has made it possible for all but three of Sarah’s children to attend school.

Sarah’s son with a goat
from the Goat Project

Sarah, now 42 years old, is looking forward to the coming month when LWF will complete the house they are building for her. Sarah’s new house comes with a complete ‘house package,’ which consists of a latrine, a water tank, bedding, kitchen utensils, and jerry cans. Her former home was so dilapidated that Sarah and her children have chosen to move into their new home even before its completion. In explanation, Sarah points out that although the new home does not yet have doors, cement flooring, or plaster walls, its structure far surpasses that of her former home. Sarah’s new home has already brought her new friends in addition to physical comfort. As of late, community members who formerly rejected her company have become frequent visitors.

Sarah fetching water
from her new water tank

While LWF’s work has improved Sarah’s family’s quality of life, they still face significant challenges. With nine children, clothing and bedding are scarce, school fees are a continuous source of worry, and even Sarah’s saucepans leak. While flu, malaria, and worms plague her children, the closest government hospital is often low on the necessary medications. Her children range in age from two weeks to seventeen years, and the eldest has already left school after completing primary seven, because of a lack of funds.

Sarah (right) and family
members in front of
their new home.

In addition, with the birth of her ninth child only two weeks ago, as the result of a relationship with a visiting agricultural business man, Sarah has reason to feel anxious about her growing family’s future. Yet through the fog of such worries, Sarah has found the strength to see solutions. She plans on raising poultry and goats and cultivating beans and corn, all with the aim of educating her children in preparation for a better future. With LWF’s continued support, Sarah feels confident in her ability to accomplish these goals.