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Empower Survivors of Forced Marriage in Uganda

Women in Action for Women (WAW) enables women in Northern Uganda to enhance their income, support their children, and empower their communities through the development of vocational skills, sustainable small-scale enterprises, and access to credit.

Project Overview

Vision & Stakeholders

WAW was founded in 2018 by Victoria Nyanjura, a survivor of abduction by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Nyanjura was abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army when she was 14 years old. After eight years in captivity, she returned with two children from her forced marriage to a rebel commander. Since returning, she has emerged as a prominent women’s activist in Uganda’s transitional justice deliberations, receiving international recognition and numerous awards, including the 2019 Ginetta Sagan Prize, for her work coordinating efforts of 500+ war-affected women to provide input into the Ugandan government’s post-conflict policy and program. Her work has resulted in the Parliament of Uganda unanimously passing a resolution to address the plight of women survivors of northern Uganda’s conflicts, and the adoption of a National Transitional Justice Policy that considers the unique gender justice needs of war-affected women and their children born out of conflict sexual violence. She received her Master’s in Global Affairs with a concentration in International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame in May 2020. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Kyambogo University and a Post Graduate Diploma from Uganda Management Institute.

Background

The majority of the women who comprise WAW are survivors of numerous human rights violations, including rape and sexual slavery. From 1987-2006, a rebel group known as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) fought to establish an independent Acholi government ruling according to the Ten Commandments under the leadership of the self-declared prophet Joseph Kony. The LRA abducted women and girls from their homes and schools, and forced girls as young as twelve years old to serve as sexual and domestic servants. When they finally returned home, these women and girls faced additional barriers that continue to this day: stigmatization as violent fighters; social discrimination; and lack of economic opportunity.

Response

The ten women who comprise WAW produced squares depicting their experiences as abductees of the Lord’s Resistance Army. Through story-telling in this format, the women experienced catharsis, bonded as a group, and improved their embroidery skills. WAW provides not only vocational training that the women can use to improve their financial capital, but also a strong psycho-social support network. The women so enjoyed their experience making the squares that they have also completed squares for a bread quilt and COVID-19 quilt. They hope to expand their embroidery further and become part of the AP online embroidery store.

Impact / Social Change

The ultimate goal of WAW is to establish the Center for Women and Girls Empowerment in Gulu, Uganda. There, the women will learn vocational skills that they will transform into livelihood opportunities that will not only improve their economic, social, and political lives, but also those of their children, future generations, and communities.

Partner Info

Project Partner

Victoria Nyanjura, herself a survivor of the Lord’s Resistance Army, founded Women in Action for Women in 2018.  She spent 8 years in captivity and returned with 2 children from a forced marriage. Since returning from abduction, Victoria has emerged as a prominent women’s activist in Uganda’s transitional justice deliberations, receiving international recognition and numerous awards. As founder and leader of WAW, she has helped many other survivors of violence in Uganda to tell their stories and seek relief.

A Word From the Partner

WAW aims to break the silence around sexual violence through collective strength. We thank you all for your support in helping to tell our stories.

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Featured AP Fellow

Anna Braverman was the 2021 Peace Fellow in Uganda. In this position, she had the privilege of working directly with WAW’s accomplished founder, Victoria Nyanjura, on projects that advance the economic potential of WAW’s members, and their communities. Anna helped to collect the profiles and stories of the women and move the embroidery projects along.

See all of this project's fellows →

Profiles

Trigger Warning: Sexual Violence

To read more about the ladies and their stories, please click here to view the Ugandan War Survivors Quilt.

Aceng Nighty

Nighty is 38 years old. In 1995, she was abducted by the LRA. As a result, she was forced to drop out of school in primary level six (fourth grade). She returned home in 2000 with one child. 

“I was forced to be with a man at the age of 14 years old. He raped me and this has left wounds in my heart that can never heal.”

Lalam Concy

Concy is 39 years old. She was abducted by the LRA in February 1995 at Koch Goma in Northern Uganda while in senior two (8th grade).

“I remember rejecting my child because the father was old, and the child would make it difficult for me to escape and return to Uganda. The commanders threatened to beat me if I refused to breastfeed the child.”

Ajok Concy

Ajok is 28 years old. She was abducted in 1998 when she was 12 years old, and at primary level three (second grade). She returned home in 2003, but never went back to school. 

“I was forced to become a wife to a commander at an early age and the pain of that has never gone out of my mind. The commander’s older wives beat me and mistreated me even though I was still young.”

Awor Stella Grace

Stella is 34 years old and was abducted in 1995 at the age of 12 while in senior one (8th grade). Stella returned home in 1997. 

“When the man heard of my past experience of abduction, he left me with all my children. Life was so hard; I did not know what to do.”

Adong Judith

Judith is 36 years old and was abducted in 1996 at the age of 11 years old while in primary four (third grade) and she returned in 2002.

“All the pain and struggle inspired me to escape, but the rebels caught me and beat me extremely harshly. They said that it was to discourage me from escaping again and from living a civilian life.”

Atim Mary

Mary is 34 years old and was abducted at the age of 9 years old in 1996 while in primary three (second grade).

“I was given to a man in 1998; he raped me and beat me for refusing him. This incident hurts me a lot and it has affected me up to today. He would beat all the women in his home anytime one person made a mistake. Life was so hard in captivity.”

Akumu Christine

Christine is 37 years old and was abducted in 1994 at the age of 12 years. Christine was in primary seven (seventh grade) at the time of abduction.  She returned in 2004 with 3 children. 

“I went through hardships like being beaten, forced to be with a man against my will, and to hold a gun. Both my parents died during the war. He raped me and we had 3 children over the years. This has left wounds in my heart.”

Layet Nancy

Nancy is 40 years old. She was abducted in 1991 at the age of 13 while in primary four (third grade). She returned in 2004.

“My parents left behind 5 children and when I returned home, I struggled to provide for them. My siblings and I missed parental love. I tried to offer them love, but it is still very hard.”

Akello Margaret

Margaret is 37 years old and was abducted in 1994 at the age of 10 years old while in primary three (second grade).  She returned home with 2 children in 2004.

“I was forcefully given to a man to live with as his wife at an early age. I was beaten and we walked long distances carrying heavy luggage.”

Lamunu Irene

Irene is now 30 years old. She was abducted in 1998 at the age of 11 years old while in primary level four (third grade). She returned in 2000. 

“People stigmatized me when I returned home. Many did not want me to disagree with them or say no to them on anything; if I did, they said it was the evil spirits making me act that way. I cried in pain.”

Fellows

Anna Braverman

Anna (she/her) was the peace fellow during the summer of 2021. She is a Master’s Candidate at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University studying public international law and human security. Her research centers around the international human rights regime. Prior to Fletcher, Anna did a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Puebla, Mexico. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Colby College with a double major in History and Classical Civilization. In her free time, Anna enjoys playing Fletcher Fútbol and creative writing.

News

Outreach in the US

  • https://www.advocacynet.org/ugandan-war-survivors/ |

    Women in Action for Women (WAW) has used funding from AP to train ten members in embroidery story-telling. They described their ordeal through powerful blocks, which have been assembled into an advocacy quilt in the US.

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    Podcast with Victoria