Back in the Acholi Quarter facing some challenges which I had no clue about when I started 22stars. I studied international law/humanrights and wrote my thesis about girl child soldiers within the LRA. That’s how one day I met beautiful women in the AcholiQuarter of Kampala who fled during times of war from the LRA. They were making already beautiful jewellery and needed a market.

A few years ago i decided to use my own creativity, money, time, photoshoot skills, etc to help them find this larger market. Initially I wanted to buy their products and help them with education and therapy, but now I see that the last year I have been more busy in sorting out how the women work together and divide money. I had no idea what it actually meant to work with women that had survived war. They had no to little education, most of them are hit positive, got kids at a young age, speak little/no english and have no phone/ email which makes communication difficult. I had good people who moved away, so started with new ones which has been challenging by times.

But its beautiful to see how I still was able to help some of those ladies. On the other hand it also makes me cry when I see that a few women are jealous and start fighting with each other and talk behind each others back, because they think someone else gets more. I did one by one conversations with them, but one person says A the other B. I also brought them together to clarify things and bring the truth on the table. I do keep a book where is signed in who did which work for how much. But it is still difficult since I can only communicate with them in person when i am here. Then a few women gave me their designs and told me it was their idea, but later it turns out they are inspired by ideas from someone else.

Anyway I still have hope and try to see the positive things. ? Tomorrow going to meet up with the women in a new office and hope they all can speak from their heart what they want and work as a group.? Also besides the women in the Acholi Quarter I decided to start working with a second group of women in Jinja. Stay tuned! ❤️