My name is Aryemo Jackline I am 42 years old I come from Alim village. I am a single mother of 4 girls. Like any other person who passed through captivity at the hands of the LRA I also have a painful story to tell. The worst being abducted and forced into marriage with an LRA commander, which had me produce 2 children. I thanked God because I was rescued alive with them both.

When I returned home, life was fairly ok until I got married. It did not work because the community I got married in begun to call my children names and things worsened when my husband started maltreating my children born from captivity. This prompted me to get to my village with 4 children to feed, educate and look after single handedly. I use to struggle a lot to provide the basics, it was hard.

My luck came one day when at a community meeting I found that CCF were identifying wartime sexual violence survivors to assist. I was lucky that I was nominated and got the chance to join the vocational and business skills training.

CCF’s intervention has really helped me a lot because although I had started my business already I was struggling. The skills I got like calculating profit, minimizing cost, importance of having alternative source of money coupled with support has improved my business because now I can save each week and my business has become stable. I am happy because the money I will continue to save will support my children’s’ education because two are already in secondary school, this has lessened my worries, and I am encouraged to continue working hard.

I thank CCF for their sacrifice because I can now fend for my family easily, I encourage them to continue the good work of supporting mothers like us who are alone.

My name is Adokorach Nancy, I am 19 years old, I am a tailor in Kitgum. I gained this profession from Pader Girls’ Academy after undergoing a one year training in tailoring and garment cutting.

Before I joined PGA I had dropped out of school because my mother who is a widow could not afford to pay for fees in secondary education. I felt very frustrated because I had dreamt of becoming a nurse. It was difficult for me.

After staying home for one year, I was seeing no future of enrolling back to school so I joined my mothers’ friend who had a tailoring shop in town so that I could train on the job, it was not easy. Thankfully I was recruited by CCF for a tailoring course. I was taken through theory and practical lessons for a period of 10 months where I was able to acquire skills which are really helping me now. The skills coupled with the start up kit given to me by CCF is what has brought this change in my life. I was a total dependant and have now become a source of support for my siblings and my mother because in the shop I can make enough money to meet other needs.

I wish to appreciate everyone who has supported me through the course and I encourage others that when you determine you can always succeed.