Introduction To Aware-Uganda, By The Founder

by Grace Loumo - Founder & Coordinator

AWARE-Uganda (Action for Women and Awakening in Rural Environment) was founded year back in 1989 by a group of 5 devoted women of Kaabong in Karamoja. It was all initiated by me when I was married and taken by my husband to visit this area, which was his home region.

I initiated the NGO because the grassroots women here had a very low status, as well as contending with a harsh climate, mass poverty, high rate of illiteracy, domestic violence and other human and women's rights abuses. These promoted me to initiate AWARE.

I organised 10 women; later we were 500, where all thought there was a saviour who has come to this disadvantaged region, but we proceeded to organise ourselves into self-help groups in order to empower the women themselves.

We planted trees and fruit trees. Later on we promoted home vegetable growing and a bio-sand water-filter for clean drinking water.

AWARE-Uganda works in the north east part of Uganda and is proud of having successfully empowered the grassroots women in Karamoja TO KNOW THEIR RIGHTS and utilise them.

We have trained 60 community paralegals in three districts of Kaabong, Kotido and Abim to act as watch dogs within the grassroots community, and especially to help women to access justice and popularise human rights.

We have constructed a women's resource centre where most of our activities take place - eg tailoring, arts and crafts, functional adult literacy,community nursery school, HIV/AIDs care,support and prevention among others.

I have very limited time for the internet, but our aim is for the group to be permanently online.

Grace Loumo,

Founder