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“I didn’t want Esther to get married because she was too young,” says Louisa, a mat-weaver and mother of six living in Uganda’s Za’atri refugee settlement. “I hoped for a better life for her—one where she could achieve more than I ever could.”
Louisa once dreamed of becoming a nurse, but poverty and displacement forced her to give up that vision. For the past 17 years, she has done everything she can to ensure her children have a different future—especially her daughter, Esther. Weaving mats by hand, Louisa has stretched every shilling to keep her in school.
At 16, Esther nearly gave up on that dream. “I saw other girls in the community getting married young, and I thought maybe that’s what I should do,” she recalls. Like many girls in the refugee settlement, she faced pressure from her environment and lack of economic options. But her path shifted when she joined Youth Fraternity for Change (YFC), a local, women-led organization supported by VOW for Girls.
Through YFC’s life skills training, leadership sessions, and Theater for Change program, Esther discovered her voice. “Before YFC, I didn’t know how to handle myself or my future,” she explains. “Now, I understand my worth and how important it is to stay in school.”
Today, Esther is thriving in Primary 6. She dreams of becoming a teacher—just like the refugee women she admires in her community. “They’ve gone to school and now they are well off. They are riding vehicles and enjoying other good things,” she says with a smile. Her favorite subjects are English and Social Studies, and she is determined to help other girls avoid early marriage by “transferring the same knowledge gained through CCU activities.”
Louisa sees the transformation firsthand. “Esther comes home and tells me what she’s learned in the sessions,” she says. “I see her growing stronger and more confident every day.”
Youth Fraternity for Change is one of over 200 grassroots organizations supported by VOW for Girls. Together, we invest in local solutions that empower girls and transform communities from within.
“Being in school makes me strong,” Esther says. “It’s where I find hope.”And Louisa adds, “When she stays in school, it gives all of us hope.”
