Book
The Widows’ Club: Inspirational stories of hope, heartbreak & humanity from widows of Uganda
Buy the Book TODAY!
The book is a vivid and captivating collection of personal stories from the women of “The Widows’ Club” – the unofficial name of the social/networking group that AYWD facilitates for the widows. The stories unveil to the world the true experience and the extent of the plight of isolated, widowed mothers and their children in rural Uganda. Funds raised through the sale of this book will improve the lives of countless widows and children.
“I recieved the book and read it today, it was very real, compelling and worthy of a read. The families in the book deal with so very much, but they get up and carry on; they are determined to change thier lives and that of thier families. A must read for all. I will certainly be sitting with my kids and sharing these families with them and thier fight for a better life.”
Widows are major players in ensuring a household’s wellbeing in most rural areas of developing countries, including Uganda. The capacity to improve the livelihoods of their households is hampered because they are disempowered economically and socially in agriculture and in civic arenas.
Widows need a sense of agency and more access and control of resources, which together constitute the empowerment capabilities, to improve their livelihoods. The probability of a household becoming vulnerable to food insecurity in Uganda decreases with increasing levels of a widow’s economic agency, physical capital empowerment and socio-cultural empowerment.
Since income is the most significant determinant of food security in Uganda, improving income opportunities for widows and their families improves their household food security.
Action for Youth and Women in Development (AYWD) wants to empower widows in the rural areas of Uganda by providing suitable support for these women with their employment or businesses, which will reduce their dependence on relief aid as well as relieve their worries, idleness and depression. It will also give them and their children a sense of dignity so that the community will be in a better position to participate in other development projects.
Some of Our Widows
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Fambe Maria & Family
Kwaagala Peninah & Family
Nakato Teddy & Family
Nakayiwa Morine & Family
Nalugwa Teddy & Family
Nansasi Cathy & Family
The Author
Muwayire Henry was born on March 1st, 1989, in Wakiso sub-county Wakiso District in Uganda to Mr. Ssebagala Kizito and Mrs Nsimbi Margaret, in a family of 1 boy and 2 girls. He developed a passion for helping marginalized and vulnerable families as a child.
Years later, after marrying his wife Sarah Nakato, and being blessed with two children, Henry went on to start a community-based organization called “Action for Youth and Women in Development” (AYWD).
Fondly referred to by members as “The Widows’ Club”, the organization has been instrumental in initiating ways to improve on the social, economic and political standards of living for widows and their children in rural communities of Uganda.
Henry is currently the Executive Director, coordinating the design of programs that align with the organization’s mission, vision and goals. He establishes fundraising objectives, identifies potential donors or sources of funding, plans outreach strategies, and schedules and forecasts planning for special events and avenues that publicize the organization and its programs to the world.
In 2018, Henry was honoured to be appointed as a Global Goodwill Ambassador by the GlobalGoodwillAmbassasors.org. He feels that God brought a miracle to appreciate his work and spread the word about the difference that AYWD is making in the lives of Ugandan widows and their children. Clearly, Henry is a man with a humanitarian heart.
Muwayire Henry, his wife Sarah and their children Joshua (L) & Hilary (R)