The Grieving and Counselling Association was established in 2013 with the aim to help and support the people who have lost their husbands/wives. The group consists of 42 members, who meet every Sunday.

During their meetings they do not only preach the word of God, which brings them hope, they also gain and give knowledge about HIV/AIDs, health matters and learn how to sustain themselves and their families, after their beloved ones have died. Music, Dance and Drama helps them to cope with their problems and give them strong social cohesion.

These are the main objectives of the group:

  • Counselling those who have lost their dear ones
  • Advising sick people to go to hospitals to get treatment and advice from medical workers
  • Encouraging HIV patients to use ARVs and condoms
  • Advising HIV patients to involve themselves in productive activities to boost their incomes
  • Encouraging the members to lead a responsible life, abstinence sex and taking drugs
  • Preaching the word of God
  • Sensitizing the members about general hygiene 

After the partner has died, in most cases it is difficult for the widow/widower to sustain the family. This opened the eyes of the victimized persons who agreed to start up this initiative group. The group has gradually progressed and through various donations, different projects have been established to support the members, so that they can manage their day-to-day needs, domestic utilities and school fees for their children.

Below are the projects that the group has established from the donations they have acquired:

–       Beekeeping project: 

  •  The members have been trained in Beekeeping. By now 12 beehives belong to the group. The members can generate an additional income by selling the honey.

–      Goats project

  •  Nine goats have been given out to the members. After one goat gives birth, the mother goat will be given to the next family. The young goat remains with the first family. The family can generate an additional income by selling the newborn goats or can rare them.

–       Cow project

  •   One Cow has been given out to a member. After the cow gives birth the mother cow will be given to the next family. The calf stays with the first family. Through this project, the family can drink and sell their own milk. The family can generate an income by selling the milk or the next calf.

Credit and saving project

  • Starting in 2015 members of the grieving and counselling group have met and saved money every week, so that other members, in need of a loan, are able to access those community funds in turn for a small interest. This helps the women in paying for their children’s school fees and other income-generating practices like farming.

Rainwater harvesting project

  • The money collected has also been used to buy rainwater-collection tanks as loans for all members. They pay back this money in small instalments. Once all is paid back, the plan is to invest the money in other progressive activities that benefit all members.

Crafts

  • In addition to our other women group, some specially gifted members of the grieving and counselling also participate in creating traditionally Ugandan crafts.

 

®   The Goat and Cow projects will continue, until all members have gotten their own goat and cow.