...let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. ( 1John 3:18)  and provide New Possibilities for a Dignified life for all Rural Women and Children

RURAL WOMEN EMPOWERMENT:
New possibilities for a dignified life for all women! 

Although Ugandan women are very resourceful, the man’s domination over them puts them behind every kind of development.    

In rural areas in Uganda, women are subjected to specific constraints due to gender inequalities, and these constraints shape the results they obtain. The constraints most frequently identified are: lack of access to credit and land, poverty, marginalisation, discriminatory and inadequate laws, lack of access to decision-making power, unjust and unfair cultural practices, women's heavy workload, lack of education and training and also the way in which women's activities are structured.  

Due to the increase in unemployment, there has been a steady increase in crime rates, prostitution, and abandonment of children by mothers who cannot afford to look after them. In Uganda women produce up to 80 percent of the basic food commodities. In addition, their activities directly affect the environment, given that women have traditionally been responsible for bringing water and wood to the household. Women have sole responsibility for the health and nutrition of their families. 

In Uganda, women have multiple roles, and have to respond to family, economic and social expectations at the same time. They show imagination in doing so and are innovative and capable of developing a wide range of activities within the framework of the social economy (commercial and non-commercial). They respond to a number of constraints, which must he taken as a whole. 

The segregation of roles according to gender creates barriers that are difficult to overcome, which explains why poverty, which is already more widespread amongst women, is still growing. The discrimination of women will only be abolished when gender ceases to define the distribution of work, responsibility and power. Women are the major victims of environmental deterioration and poverty. Women's empowerment and gender equality is both a matter of justice and a prerequisite for the development of harmonic and sustainable societies. 

The struggle for women’s empowerment, therefore, has been and is still a long journey, which calls for a lot of energy from women activists and partners who have a similar vision – thus ALFA Ministries initiation of Rural Women’s Empowerment Programme.
 

To advocate for the rightful place for women in the society and fight exploitation and violence against women – especially in rural areas.    

To support rural women and adolescent girls/young single mothers who are trapped in difficult marital and family situations both social and economic.
 

Providing advice, counselling and support to rural women who are experiencing domestic violence - both morally and practically and by campaigning against that violence and giving them viable options.    

Assisting and supporting measures aimed at improving women's health and reproductive rights  

Campaigning to put an end to rural adolescent girls and young single women trafficking — a very   insidious trade which leads to becoming vulnerable to abuse and violence.   

Providing economic opportunity and independence for rural women and adolescent girls through micro-loans to start income generating projects as a means for their self-sufficiency.