Wendy’s Visit to Uganda

Isaac gave me a lift after Saturday morning training session

Wendy is visiting the DOL offices and CRESS projects in Arua, Mijale and Imvepi Refugee Settlement in Uganda. This is CRESS’s first trip to Uganda since the beginning of the COVID pandemic.

Wendy is a Chartered Accountant and CMS mission associate and is working with the local teams supporting them with the accounts software and training them in good financial management as well as visiting some of our projects.

Wendy has written a little about her travels and Issac who, as you can see has been helping Wendy get around in Uganda.

Isaac is the same age as my first born, 29. He was born in Palorinya refugee camp, Northern Uganda during the civil war in Sudan between the Arab government and SPLA. He started his primary school education there, before he was repatriated back to Kajo Keji (South) Sudan with his parents in 2006. He started high school in 2011. CRESS began sponsoring his education in 2014 when he was in Senior 3 in Comboni comprehensive college, Lomin in Kajo Keji County in South Sudan completing in 2015. In 2017 his parents fled South Sudan (again) back to Palorinya, though a different location starting again from scratch. In March 2017 Isaac started a course in Arua for a diploma in Business Administration, funded by CRESS. He graduated with a first in 2019 and went back to his parents in Palorinya, where he felt hopeless and helpless as there was no work nor use of his qualifications in a refugee camp. So he went to Juba to seek work. He found a local job, but then Covid hit and the job stopped. No work left him destitute and in his desperation he wrote to Bishop Joseph in Arua, who responded that there was a voluntary role available. He moved to Arua and worked as a volunteer until a post became available as a cashier, which he applied for and got! Next month Isaac starts a Bachelor of Business Finance and Accounting. Isaac and his wife Fiona have a 4 month old child.

Isaac Kwaje in his office in 2021

Wendy with one of the microfinance savings groups in Imvepi Refugee Settlement

Wendy has also visited one of the microfinance savings groups in Imvepi Refugee Settlement. In 2022 CRESS hopes to increase the number of savings groups from 41 to 65. Here she is with some of the group members, she also took a photo for us of one of the Community Business Facilitators in his very smart face mask.

We wish Wendy well with the rest of her trip and look forward to hearing more about her experiences!