Evelyne's mother raised 8 children but prioritized education for all her children. Eve was reluctant return 🏠 - As the youngest of 8, Evelyne was living in Kampala and didn't want to leave city life, but her mother insisted she come home. Breaking Traditions 💑 - Her husband broke village rules by moving to her village instead of her moving to his family. 🚴♀️ How it all started: 🚲 - Initially started with secondhand bicycles for tourism, serving 300 registered women (widows, HIV-positive women, domestic abuse survivors, single mothers) The Pivot 🧵 - Met Patricia from Australia who introduced quilting, which became the main focus Training Model 👥 - Started with 16 women and 5 sewing machines; those 16 have now trained 70+ women 🎵 - Every morning 9-10am, dancing session to "shake off" problems and worries; "leave your problems at the door!" 🌈 Programs & Impact: Education 📚 - 300 children currently sponsored; planning to build a 6-acre hands-on school Microfinance 💵 - Small loans helping women build businesses; 2 single mothers have built their own homes Goat Program 🐐 - 160 families received goats as emergency funds (goats reproduce twice yearly) Solar Power ☀️ - 60 homes equipped with solar for children to study Agriculture 🌱 - 130 families receive seeds, tools, boots for farming Housing 🏡 - Built 3 homes for homeless families Clean Water 💧 - Free purified drinking water for the community Christmas Giving 🎄 - 100 homes receive food packages annually (corn, beans, sugar, oil, salt, soap) 🎯 Philosophy: "Teach to Fish" 🎣 - Focus on teaching skills rather than just giving handouts Hard Work Pays 💪 - Emphasizing that nothing is free, but hard work brings rewards Conservation Education 🦍 - Teaching children to respect environment, animals, and trees before the school even opens 🌍 Looking forward: School Vision 🏫 - Building a practical, hands-on school where children rotate through different programs (kitchen, music, sports, farming, conservation) every 3 months Sustainability ♻️ - Ensuring the project continues beyond Evelyn's lifetime Community Impact ❤️ - Focus on making the entire village happy and thriving 💝 What drives her: Energy Source ✨ - Support from people who believe in the mission, seeing people smile, and making her community happy
Ride 4 a Woman is a charitable organization set up to empower women socially and economically in the local community of Bwindi, Uganda. The organization supports women who are struggling with poverty, HIV and domestic violence, and single mothers, widows and women who never went to school, carrying out many projects with a huge impact into their lives.
Evelyne is the founder of Ride 4 a Woman and originally from Buhoma where the organization is based today. Eve is fulfilling her mother’s dream and delivering on her vision for a better future for women. Evelyne has a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism from Makerere University, Kampala and all the passion and determination required to drive Ride 4 a Woman forward.
Follow their story and video: https://www.ride4awoman.org/our-story