• Our Work
    • Ufulu?
    • Vision & Core Values
    • Team Ufulu
  • Meet our Groups
  • Get Involved
    • Eden & Emeralds
  • Updates
    • Blog
  • Stewardship
    • End of Year Review 2018
    • End of Year Review 2019
  • Contact
  • Donate

Ufulu Groups

Mary

May 15, 2020 · Leave a Comment

We met Mary in 2018 in her village just outside Lilongwe. At the time, Mary was working hard trying to make ends meet. As the main bread winner in her family, the pressure was on her to provide for her two children. She did whatever work was available; washing clothes, working in the field and collecting water for builders who were constructing homes in her area. She worked hard and was willing to do whatever work came her way, but she was struggling to provide for her family’s needs. 

Mary joined our tailoring group and trained for six months. At first, she didn’t know how to use the peddle sewing machine, but quickly figured it out. Learning how to sew from scratch was difficult, but she persevered and kept at it! She also participated in weekly Business classes and Biblical Based Trauma Healing sessions. She learned how to make a business plan, save, and find a market for her items. 

After six months, Mary moved on to the practical part of her training. She began taking orders and learning what it was like to have good customer service and find clients. After a year of hard work, Mary graduated from the tailoring program and launched her own business. Our team continues to check on Mary and give her business advice and trouble shoot any issues that pop up. 

Mary’s business launched three months ago and she is encouraged by the success she is seeing. She has many customers in her community. She has been able to invest in multiple savings plans and continues to be focused and dedicated to her business. Through her tailoring business, she has been able to keep sending her children to school and provide for their needs at home. It has also helped her not have to rely on sporadic part time work, but has a better stable source of income and also gives her the choice of multiple sources of income. She is currently building a small shop for her tailoring business to have room to grow and flourish!

 

{Mary left, mother, daughter, and Ufulu Group’s Manager-Olipa}

Posted by cwilson / Filed In: Uncategorized

2020 Groups

April 10, 2020 · Leave a Comment

Last year Ufulu Groups partnered with Grace Foundation to train several women in hair and makeup. We saw so much transformation in the ladies that stuck with the program to the end and of course progress on how those are doing will be coming your way soon! The month of March, however, has seen the birth of TWO new groups under this wonderful partnership with Grace Foundation. 

These two groups are running concurrently, taking business classes and participating in our group counseling sessions. When the trainings are complete, the women will have the tools necessary to create a business plan and the skills to pitch their plan in a group setting. Those that graduate, will be given supplies to grow their businesses and will be monitored and mentored as they practically implement the gift they have been given to boost their businesses for growth and profitability. 

The women in the two groups were asked to choose a name for their group. We could not agree more with these names because they embody all our sentiments here are Ufulu Groups. The first group chose the name Tiyamike which means “let’s be thankful”. Truly this group has left us thankful for their enthusiasm towards the learning process and their eagerness to improve their lives. 

 

 

The second group that began the last week of March chose the name Takondwa which means “We are happy/glad”. Again our levels of happiness when these women show up every Wednesday and Thursday to learn, is something that cannot be measured. We are truly glad to share our skills and lives with these women and are excited to see what will come forth from them through this program. 

 

 

Posted by Theo Chapeta / Filed In: Uncategorized

Grace Group Update

January 27, 2020 · Leave a Comment

On December 11th, 2019,  ladies from the Grace Foundation/Ufulu Groups program in area 38 finished their last day of training in the art of Hair and Makeup. It’s been quite the journey, with the hardships of sickness going around, and a baby born halfway through the program; these ladies did not let anything stop them! 

Chatting with them about their time before Ufulu Groups program, they all shared of how they did various businesses that all seemed to fail. Having been through the Ufulu business class, the women shared how they now have insight on what went wrong in the past and are grateful that they have knowledge now on how to do business more effectively in the future. 

Speaking of the future, big plans were shared on the last day of class. One of the ladies, Philipina, has plans to start a salon in her home area. “There are no salon’s in my home area. The nearest salon is many kilometers away, therefore, me starting a salon would help the women in my area not to travel long distances just to get their hair or makeup done.” she shared. While Julietta and Salome, the other women in the group also shared their plans; which are not just to have a salon operating in their home areas, but to also boost the small businesses they currently have running with the skills they have gained from the business class. 

The future doesn’t seem as bleak anymore because, not only have they been able to dream and envision a better life for themselves and their families, the ladies mentioned how the counseling program has helped them see issues they had normalized when they actually needed to deal with them. They learnt things like grief, learning to take their pain to Jesus, sharing their burdens with trusted friends and best of all they have learnt to appreciate who they are and accept that they are valuable. 

The day was certainly filled with all kinds of gratitude, from the students to their teachers who tirelessly, three days a week for five months went in to teach hair, makeup, business and counselling. The instructors were grateful  to their students for persevering, willingness to learn, taking up the challenge of change and bettering themselves. Ufulu administration has been more than proud of these women and can’t wait to see what else God has in store for them as they continue learning by interning at various Salons close to them. 

Posted by Theo Chapeta / Filed In: Uncategorized

2019 Impact Report

January 1, 2020 · Leave a Comment

Posted by cwilson / Filed In: Uncategorized

GOGO Group {Phase 1}

November 1, 2019 · Leave a Comment

It’s currently Summer in Malawi and the shade and slight breeze wafting through the tailoring room at GOGO (Grace of God Children’s Home) brings some welcome relief from the heat. The women in our GOGO Group take a break from sewing and gather their chairs around in a circle to start recollecting about Phase 1 of the program that they just finished. Phase 1 took a lot of commitment; time, energy, perseverance and mental concentration. Not every woman made it through and our circle is smaller than it was when we started off on this journey in February. 

The mamas admit that Phase 1 was difficult. They had no experience in sewing. Even learning the rhythm of how to operate the machines seemed daunting in the first few weeks. The formulas for creating patterns seemed like a foreign language. But now, here they are, 7 months later and they stuck with it and finished Phase 1. Mary shares that she feels happy to have stuck with the program and is proud of what she has accomplished. Malita adds that it’s a real boost and she feels a sense of pride for what she’s learned. 

Alice has a beautiful smile and shares about her dreams as she gazes out the window. She explains how she wants to provide for herself and not have to depend on her parents. She hopes to stand on her own and be able to send her children to school. The women explain that they had this idea before starting the training with Ufulu Groups but now, after the training, they really believe it can happen. The training helped them see the “how” of what they hoped to accomplish and that their dreams are now growing because it’s actually a possibility. 

We chatted about the Business Training portion of their training. The women explain that they now know how to market themselves. They feel confident moving into an area and being able to assess the environment to see if their businesses can be successful. They have learned how to save and are all now investing in a Group’s Savings Plan in their local communities. They admit how the business classes have given them the confidence that they can actually start a business with their skill they have learned. 

Next, we shifted the conversation over to the Christian Trauma/Healing Counseling sessions. Most of the women shared that they had never heard of the concept of counseling before they entered into those classes. Malita admitted that the class helped her think through her life and sort through her burdens. She feels lighter now. Mary shared that the class has helped her curb old habits of dealing with hurt and unforgiveness. It has opened her mind and helped her realise that behaviours can be changed and she is now reacting to things differently. Mary’s young son runs into class during this conversation with a half eaten mango. He lays his head on his mom’s chitenje skirted lap as he munches on the juicy fruit. His mom gently strokes his head, I can’t help but wonder the changes going on with parent/child relationships as these women have bravely faced their past traumas and are emotionally healthier for it.

Alice speaks up next and all the women break into laughter and nod their heads. She shares that the counseling has had an impact, but even just the daily routine of coming to training every day has added some structure to her life. They all agree that the program has helped them stay out of trouble and given them something to look forward to each day. 

Now, these mamas move into Phase 2 which is focused on building their businesses with their skills. The pre-school and lunch program have phased out as the women are now earning money and able to start paying for these items themselves. They are working on gaining customers, holding a high standard for their goods, and saving money. 

 

Posted by cwilson / Filed In: Uncategorized

Previous Entries
Welcome to Ufulu Groups! We exist to empower vulnerable and under-resourced single parents through skills training and dignified work, resulting in family reunification and family preservation.

Search

Topics

  • Uncategorized

Popular Posts

Mary

Mary

2020 Groups

2020 Groups

Grace Group Update

Grace Group Update

2019 Impact Report

2019 Impact Report

Archives

Join the List

Theme by 17th Avenue · Powered by WordPress & Genesis