The past 18 months have been difficult throughout the world. Uganda was no exception. Pandemic management has included months of strict lockdown. Tragically the closure of schools resulted in an increase of sexual assaults, teen pregnancy and forced marriages. At the same that the need for the Angatunyo intervention was increasing, the program was severely restricted to comply with social distancing and program closures. In addition to these challenges, Carol, the program director, suffered a serious accident. As she was recovering the owners of the property gave short notice that the Angatunyo project would need to vacate.

Remarkably, through the dedicated leadership of Carol and her team, the Angatunyo program has negotiated all these challenges and continues to be a strong and effective intervention for girls facing forced marriage and sexual violence.

Fulcrum Aid is excited to announce that Carol Akello will be visiting supporters and our team in Australia. Carol will arrive in time to be the guest keynote speaker at our 2019 Annual General Meeting on October 20th and will spend a month here with meetings in Victoria and South Australia.

Carol is the founder and Director of the Angatunyo Lioness Girls Project, that provides protection and empowerment for Ugandan girls facing forced marriage, abduction and abuse. Since its beginnings in 2015 over 60 girls have entered the program. The program commenced as a shared vision between Carol and Fulcrum Aid.

Angatunyo, which means lioness in the Teso language, empowers girls through vocational training and development of business skills. By the time of their graduation the girls have developed skills to be financially self-sufficient, which decreases their susceptibility to forced child marriage. The course also provides counselling and a supportive group environment where human rights, self-confidence and human dignity are imparted.

So far, the program has been 100% successful in preventing forced marriages.

While in Australia Carol will be sharing her vision for the expansion of the program, which will include purchasing land and constructing purpose built facilities. Supporters have opportunities to help fund the creation of a safe place for Ugandan girls who are at high risk, and to provide them a place to thrive.

There are still opportunities for groups to arrange a meeting with Carol. Please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you are interested.

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Carol Akello is the founder and leader of the Angatunyo Girls Project in Uganda. The project provides vulnerable girls with vocational training that leads to financial independence, providing protection from forced marriages and other forms of abuse. Angatunyo is the local word for lioness and symbolises the strength and independence being developed in the participants.

I recently had the following conversation with Carol about the program.

Early this year Carol Akello used a modest grant from Fulcrum Aid to establish a micro-enterprise project designed to empower teenage girls with alternatives to forced marriage. She called the project “Angatanyo” which is the local word for lioness. Four teenage girls commenced training in business skills that would enable them to become financially self-sufficient – which is all it takes to avoid being forced into an early marriage.

Within a few months community leaders from Amuria approached Carol asking if she would accept other girls who were at risk of forced marriages, and even some who had already been forced into marriages. Despite her resources being stretched to the limit Carol has accepted an additional eight girls.