Women’s Groups

Especially in the rural areas of Uganda, historical attitudes towards women still prevail. The results are often early and forced marriages, curtailed education, domestic violence, and poverty.  

Through community women’s groups, JENGA provides education and training to help women reach their full potential in the context of caring community. Topics  for these interactive trainings include nutrition, understanding and preventing disease, child rearing and child safeguarding, crop management, fuel efficiency,  and avoiding domestic violence. 

Through these groups, we seek to build the confidence and self-esteem of every woman we meet. 

Harriet has five children and lives in one of the slum communities in Mbale district. She decided to join the JENGA women’s group in her community in 2007 and since becoming a member, she has now been made one of the leaders. Sadly, three of Harriet’s children were caught up in a drugs lifestyle which involved risky life choices. This was causing problems in their relationship as Harriet was being shamed for their behaviour within the community.

One day JENGA ran a session with Harriet’s group about different parenting styles. This opened her mind and she began thinking about the way that she was parenting and speaking to her children. Harriet went home from the training and asked her children to forgive her for the way that she treated them and she also forgave them for hurting her. Since then, her boys have stopped taking drugs and have made new friends who are more positive role models. They are now seen as responsible men in the community.