Author: Lian Choong
1 minute read
The opportunity to create a vision for a different future ignited Maggie’s leadership, and she set out to achieve what she dreamed of with determination and focus. Along the way, she realised her true passion.
Years back, when Maggie first heard about The Hunger Project building a community hub in partnership with her village, she wanted to contribute. She didn’t have any money, but she knew she was strong and could carry water to help make mud bricks.
So she committed to carrying 7 large jerry cans of water a day, about 180 litres a week, with an 8 month old baby strapped to her back. In return, she would receive a small wage.
She was so excited to have money for the first time and be able to contribute to the construction in a meaningful way.
Once the building was complete, she set her mind to learning to write her name at The Hunger Project’s adult literacy class.
I started telling the other women all the things I was learning, and they came to class too. Eventually I mobilised all of them. Previously only 70% of women in my village were literate, now 98% can write their names!
Maggie, Mpigi community, Uganda
Next, her vision was to send her child to school. She achieved this, and in doing so discovered her real talent was educating others, which is why she became a teacher. She now runs the primary school in the Mpigi community in Uganda, and teaches 79 children.
Through Maggie’s clear vision, she is shaping a different future for herself, her family and her community.
Provide other women like Maggie with the opportunity to imagine a different future for themselves and enable them to create pathways to get there.
