afrol News, 12 August - A US$50,000 grant to The Hunger Project (THP) has been made available to expand community mobilisation and leadership programmes in Uganda. Awarded by the Oprah's Angel Network, the programmes enable rural communities to overcome their own hunger and poverty on a sustainable basis.

THP's strategies support people in building self-reliant futures free from hunger and poverty.

In Africa, THP works in more than 2,000 villages in eight countries to empower rural women and men to end their own hunger and poverty. In Uganda, more than 180,000 people have participated in THP's workshops.

According to the statement issued by the programme directors, through THP's unique methodology, communities become food secure; achieve access to healthcare, clean water and safe sanitation; halt the spread of diseases like HIV/AIDS; become literate and educate their children; access microfinance services; foster community cooperation; include women as full and equal community members; and transform mindsets of resignation and dependency into a "can-do" spirit.

“With this grant, THP's mobilisation and leadership development programmes will reach even more women and men. Women like Mukama Hajira of Iganga will be empowered to build better futures for themselves and their children. Mukama realised that becoming literate would be an important stepping stone to achieving self-reliance. Therefore, with THP's support, she mobilised a group of women to participate in a literacy class,” stated the statement.

It further said that once they became literate and numerate, she encouraged the group to take out a small loan through THP's Microfinance Programme. “That was six years ago. Since then, Mukama has expanded her farm and started other income-generating businesses. Her growing income now allows her to send her children to school, feed her family and save for their future,” it stated.

Irene Wasike Muwanguzi, Country Director of THP-Uganda remarked, "The grant from Oprah's Angel Network will support THP's mobilisation and leadership programmes, through which rural people are being lifted out of resignation and the belief that conditions of hunger and poverty are a normal part of life. They then begin working with their local governments to bring about progressive development."

Jill Lester, President & CEO of THP said, "Sometimes circumstances ask greatness of us. The current economic crisis is one such opportunity. I hope that many more individuals and institutions recognize that this is indeed a time to invest in long-term solutions to hunger and poverty, just as Oprah's Angel Network has."

In Sub-Saharan Africa, THP works in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal and Uganda.

The Angel Network is a public charity that awards grants to organisations that are improving access to education, protecting basic rights, creating communities of support and developing the leaders of tomorrow.

By staff writer

© afrol News

Related pages and feature

Current afrol News Top Stories