My name is Anek Alice. I am a 38-year-old widow and a mother to three beautiful children. Life took a devastating turn when I lost my husband. With no formal education and having spent my life as a homemaker, I was left alone to care for our young children.

After my husband’s passing, I faced rejection and cruelty from my in-laws. They evicted us from our home and denied me the right to harvest or work on the land we had cultivated together. With nowhere to go, I knocked on the doors of relatives, pleading for temporary shelter—but most turned me away. Many nights, my children and I slept outside in the cold and endured hunger.

Determined to provide for my family, I took on all sorts of casual Labor in people’s gardens and farms. With the little I earned; I managed to rent a small hut to give my children a roof over their heads. Later, I was blessed with a job in the production department at 31 Bits. That opportunity brought hope, and for a while, life improved. But when the organization phased out, I was left with no stable income.

Using my small savings, I started selling vegetables, hoping to rebuild. However, the burden of responsibilities was too great, and the business eventually collapsed. One by one, my children had to drop out of school—I simply couldn’t afford to meet even our most basic needs.

Everything changed when I joined the Haven for Humanity Uganda (HHU) Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) group. Through the training and counselling I received; I began to rebuild my life. With a loan from the group’s seed fund, I started a small business selling bags, curtains, and second-hand bed sheets. That small step marked the beginning of a new chapter.

Today, I am proud to say that I can provide for my family. All my children are back in school. My eldest daughter has completed a course in procurement and is now seeking employment. I have cleared my first loan and am preparing to borrow again to expand my business.

I am deeply grateful to Haven for Humanity Uganda for the support, compassion, and opportunity they have given me. May God continue to bless you and expand your reach so that more women like me can find a path to healing, dignity, and hope.