Our Story
For 20 years, the people of Northern Uganda faced the atrocities of warlord Joseph Kony and his guerilla army, the LRA. The LRA was infamous for kidnapping children and forcing them to commit atrocities, even amongst their own people. They were responsible for the abduction of over 20,000 children, the murder of over 100,000 civilians, and displacement of 1.5 million people within their 20-year reign of terror.
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Pader is a town in a district by the same name in Northern Uganda and was a camp for displaced people during and after the war. Our founder, Holly Williamson, first visited Pader in 2013, seven years after the LRA had been run out of the area. She saw the devastation that still permeated the community. There was isolation, distrust, and immense poverty. The women, who were often left widowed or abandoned, carried the heaviest of the burden as they attempted to care for their families and community. Holly felt a call to do something and founded The Women of Pader Uganda initially with The Bead Project, to bring forth opportunity, community, and employment. She continued to visit Pader three times per year, for trips as long as a month at times. As she continued to come back, the relationships she made got deeper and richer.
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​The program grew and brought women together. Many women were finally able to pay school fees for their children and not worry about being able to afford their next meal. The massive impact was unexpected but encouraging and a new hope emerged in Pader. From there, The Women of Pader Uganda (TWOPU) has gone on to offer more programs and project with goals of bringing hope, healing, and empowerment to the women and community with a foundation in Christ and intentional relationships.
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UGANDA HAS HAD A TUMULTUOUS MODERN HISTORY...
During Kony’s 20-year reign of terror over Northern Uganda, he and his army were responsible for an estimated:
- 100k civilian murders
- 30-100k child abudctions
- 1.8million+ people displaced
UGANDA STATISTICS
Uganda could fit inside Texas nearly 2.8x,
however, the population is 1.7x larger than Texas'
The population is about 49 million people
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Uganda is amongst the top 10 fastest growing countries
in the world
52% of youth have, at most, an incomplete primary school education
Uganda has the world's highest malaria incidence rate and it is the #1 killer in Uganda
Healthcare access and integrity is the #1 issue civilians report wanting their government to address
HOPE
The first goal is to offer hope to the women of Pader. Hope provides an opportunity to dream. We offer hope through our Women's Ministry, Alcohol Addiction Support Groups, and The Bead Project. The Bead Project employs women making paper bead jewelry that we sell in the U.S. in our online shop, jewelry parties, and select retailers.
HEALING
We have a focus on health physically, spiritually, and mentally. We strive for a healthy community through our Women's Ministry, Mercy Program, and Malaria Testing/Treatments. Our focus on health is not only on the women, but on the entire family unit and community. When health is present, growth can happen.
EMPOWERMENT
We have a goal to see women feel empowered and pursue their own dreams, which then adds a level of sustainability to Pader. We offer Business Trainings & Micro Loans and have seen over 50 businesses open as a result of these programs. Our Impact Center, Pig Project, and additional programs focus on financial sustainability and independence for the people of Pader. Our education scholarships provide a vision and investment in the next generation. Sustainability supports a bright future.
