Promoting a global culture of solidarity with the poor - in Haiti, Africa, and beyond. - for a more just and sustainable world . . .
The Mirembe Project assists women who are at risk for human trafficking in Kampala, the capital of Uganda (East Africa).
Gender roles of women in Uganda (East Africa) – including housekeeping, child rearing, fetching water, and cooking – are subordinate to those of men. Female employment outside the home is stigmatized. Domestic violence against women is common. Often the only hope of poor women for survival in Uganda is prostitution.
MIREMBE is a Swahili word meaning PEACE. The MirembeProject is about hope, collaboration, and transformation – women working together to break the cycle of extreme poverty which grips them and freeing themselves from being victims of sex-trafficking, so that they might live in peace.
Initiated by the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd the program currently reaches 37 women from Katanga, a Kampala slum marked by hunger, disease, violence, and despair. Women organize into “solidarity groups” and each of them is committed to realizing the hope of a dignified life for all the members of their group and their children.
A hand UP, NOT a hand out!
Please consider supporting MIREMBE with a monthly gift of $30 = a "dollar a day"!
Click on DONATE NOW and select MIREMBE FUND as your designation.
The Rich in Mercy Institute provides fiscal sponsorship for an expanding micro loan program. Participating women receive an initial loan of $20 to launch a “micro-business” of their choice. Most women buy and sell in the informal economy. Some grow fresh vegetables in small container gardens. Sr. Bibian, meets with the women weekly to provide encouragement and occasional assistance with medical or other emergencies and operates a small bank to provide security for the financial resources of the group. Women who return a profit on their businesses are eligible for additional loans for capital expansion. The modest profits pay for food, medical care, and school fees.