I am Kwaagala Peninah a widow with two children. I hope to acquire more customers to purchase my charcoal so that I am able to save more money for school fees since my son will soon attend school and my daughter attend school now. Then think of buying the girl exercise books and the boy his geometry set.

I only hope that this month I can acquire more charcoal sacks on loan and sell them to profit to pay my household rent and clear the school fees balance.

On a monthly basis I have to save money for transport to the health center for medical check up since my daughter and I were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. I want to train my daughter the realities of womanhood since soon she will start showing signs of adolescence. I want to counsel her over the months so that she can recover from the experienced frustrations about her life situations of living with HIV/AIDS.

I hope that in a year I will have improved my charcoal business expanded my client be able to purchase a plot of land to construct a two room house. I also dreams of my children joining vocational institutions to acquire skills for self-reliance.

My son wants to become a carpenter and my daughter wants to set up a big restaurant and also offer outside catering services. They are very protective of me and have sworn allegiance through competition that no man will ever take me away from them.

The uncertainty surrounding the future of my children bothers me so badly that it drives me to work harder by the day. The thought of them growing up without a normal childhood gives me strength to work harder for their future. Her dream of becoming a chef and him becoming a carpenter, gives me the courage to not think of the past but concentrate on the future.

My father has provided them with fatherly love; my mother has supported us morally through the years as desired which is an encouragement. Our community and my relatives have supported my charcoal business which is our everything for survival. This has improved our household income although its hand to mouth. In times of difficulty I remember my departed husband but remember that am the master of the house which gives me the courage to overcome the difficulty.