NewsletterNews from a Mud Hut
Gloria
by Lowna Gie : March 12, 2010
Gloria is 19 years old and is one of the fastest bead rollers. She can make more than 230 beads in a day. Gloria is also the employee that smiles and laughs the most – when she smiles the whole room lights up. But life has not always been trouble-free or joyous for her…
In 2000, when Gloria was 10 years old the notorious rebel group called the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) abducted her one night from her family’s hut in Lukodi. They forced her to become a child soldier. Gloria describes life with the rebels as “being hard”. Gloria was forced to carry heavy loads of goods as well as help the commander’s wives care for their children. Like many other child soldiers she was ordered to commit horrific acts. Fellow beader Patricia, who was abducted for one year when she was 11 years old, elaborates on this by saying “They [the LRA rebels] force you to kill. You have to beat people with heavy sticks until they die. When you kill someone, they force you to sit on top of him. They force you to burn people. They force you to sleep with men”. Gloria had to wash the blood-stained clothes of rebels or government soldiers who had been killed during battle. One day she was force to kill another child soldier, who tried to escape, by setting him alight. When she recalls this event, Gloria says “This still troubles and disturbs me. It gives me nightmares. I used to think about it all the time. It is not good.”
Gloria managed to escape with a friend after she had been abducted for one year. But when she returned to her home in Lukodi, her troubles were far from over. Typically a child soldier is ostracized from their community and sometimes even their own family because of the atrocities they committed. Gloria also discovered that her brother was killed by the rebels. At night she used to lie awake fearful that the rebels would return.
In 2004, Gloria’s worst fear came true when the rebels abducted her again. She was forced to become a porter and walk great distances with heavy loads on her back. During this time, a commander also threatened to kill her if she did not become his “wife”. The thought of having to become a sex slave gave her enough courage and strength to escape a week later, while she was crossing a river. She returned home and again found life to be very challenging. For security reasons, her family was forced to live in the most ghastly conditions in Coo-pe Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp for one year. She tried to return to school but found that this was very difficult. Gloria says “Before I was abducted, I was at school and was learning very many things. But after I returned it was difficult to concentrate. My head was very heavy and full of many bad things. So my education did not go well.” Not only did the rebels take away Gloria’s education but they also robbed her of any hopes and dreams she might have had. For Gloria, life had become hopeless and desperate. “I used to just sit at home and do nothing” she remembers.
In July 2009, when Gloria started making beads for ChildVoice International life changed. Gloria says “I like working for ChildVoice very much because it has brought something into my life. Life is easy now.” With the money she earns she is able to support herself and contribute towards the monthly expenses of her family of 13 people. She spends her wage on buying food, agricultural supplies, clothes, medicines and other household essentials as well as helping to pay for her brothers’ school fees. She has used some of her wage to buy two chickens. She has also made many friends with the ladies she works with. This is echoed by fellow beader Kellementina who says “I love working at ChildVoice because I have made many friends with the other women living in the community. We now all live as one family”. Gloria has also learnt many fundamental things, ranging from the importance of saving money to good hygiene practices. Most importantly, working for ChildVoice has changed Gloria’s life because in the morning bible studies she has learnt how to: forgive others; love people like Jesus did; and share the gospel with others. As a result of these bible studies, Gloria has put her trust in God and now lives for Him.
God has restored Gloria to glory. She has hope and can dream of the future. She plans to work very hard so that she can earn enough money to send her brothers to school and give them the education she never had.
She also dreams of going to tailoring school one day and becoming a tailoring instructor, so that she can help other young girls obtain valuable skills. Finally, Gloria says “ChildVoice has given me skills and knowledge that will help me in the future. I can use these to help others. The prayers [bible studies] have also helped me a lot. It has given me peace in my heart and hope in my life. I thank ChildVoice very much for that.”
Gloria’s story shows that The Bead Project is about more than just earning a salary. It is about empowering women; promoting sustainability; and transforming lives through job creation, Christian discipleship, skills training and savings schemes. It is about equipping women with the ability and courage to restore their lives. It is about providing women with the strength and power to change themselves, their families, their community and ultimately Northern Uganda. The Bead project aims to renew Uganda’s hope for a bright future by restoring a community broken by war and helping to lead Northern Uganda towards peace and economic stability.