We had each of our participants write about a personal success story or a success in development that they have witnessed. Each person had very inspiring things to share. Here are a few stories to give you a taste...


A Success Story
by Sarah Angwech

Being one of the members of Girl's Kick It! (GKI) in Gulu, I found it nice and interesting working with girls, women and children in this group. It was great to meet with them and discuss development and health issues both in town and in the IDP (internally displaced persons) camps. These girls and women with Girl's Kick It were educated about HIV/AIDS, early pregnancy, and team building so that they can easily protect and maintain themselves in their communities.
And both the girls and women play football while at Girls Kick It to help them socialize and try to overcome some problems that they encounter in day to day living and this has changed their lives and they have also learned to be brave and think of better ideas to improve their lives in their communities. And the success is that the program is still continuing and more girls and women are coming up and joining the team.


The Breakdance Project
by Emily Burkhart

An extremely inspiring project, created by a Ugandan who many participants look up to. What is great about this project is that it allows an interchange between being a teacher and a participant, so that there is really no level of superiority -- and everyone contributes to the program. What Abramz (the founder) is getting out of the project is NOT money, but altruistic benefits and sights for a future, bigger collaboration.


Another success

I find it amazing and a great leap that Ugandan participants here in Gulu are working in development. There are many challenges a returnee faces when returning to the community (a returnee is someone who had been abducted by the LRA and is now back in society living in his community). It is very noble and a huge success that these women who have been abducted by the LRA are working with the community in development work. I think they are a living example of what is possible and are making a very positive impact in the community and are beginning to create sustainability.
I also feel that all of the Ugandans and Americans being here working together is the start of success. It shows great initiative on each participants part and shows the eagerness and wilingess each participant has in wanting to learn about development.


Judith Peace's Achievement
by Judith Peace

When I was a Gender minister, I dreamt of changing the lives of women through development and helping them access their rights, especially in Northern Uganda but my dream didn't come true because of financial constraints but neither did I fail completely in my dreams. I tried as much as possible and organized gender awareness meetings and drew many participants from all institutions and secondary schools in Gulu district with support from Human Rights Focus's Mother-Daughter project and Gulu University and managed to lobby for 1.255 million ugandan shillings to support this. It was a successful achievement of my dream.