Making A Difference for Girls in the Bombo Community: Elohim Development Association, Uganda
In Bombo, about 23 miles (37 km) north of Kampala, Uganda's capital, two siblings embarked on a transformative journey with a shared goal of uplifting their community through their knowledge and passion. This is how Elohim Development Association was born. With no prior experience in community development, Duncan and Joan -- the co-founders of Elohim Development Association (EDA), set out to make a difference and give back to the community. Duncan is passionate about event management and Joan is a professional drama and dance specialist. The two came together to use their skills to improve the lives of children and youth, with a special commitment to young women and girls, by providing them with opportunities to succeed and thrive in their community through education and vocational training.
Elohim Development Association is based in the Bombo community in Uganda, a community predominantly occupied by the Nubian ethnic group which is also classified as a minority group and hosts the biggest military barracks in the country. Bombo is where the community believes that girls’ education is unimportant and girls are looked at as a source of wealth - as dowry. The community is also grappling with a high number of teenage pregnancies and school dropouts which escalated during COVID-19 – says Duncan.
To mitigate this, EDA began a vocational training program that now runs in their community outreach center to train the girls in world-of-work skills such as hairdressing, fashion and design mechanics, and carpentry. EDA was also able to counsel girls to accept vocational education to improve their lives. Apart from vocational education, EDA supports girls in their community to return to school through scholarships, and scholastic material support.
To keep the girls in school and run their programs, Duncan and Joan came up with innovative ways to generate funds for the organization. Duncan says they partnered with schools within the community to exchange their skills for school fees. With his knowledge in leadership, development, and team building, Duncan trains the school heads and their teachers, while Joan who is a music professional, trains students ahead of music and drama festivals. They then direct the money to two to three vulnerable and school-going girls.
EDA runs holistic programs that have enabled them to gain buy-in within the community. These initiatives come full circle in sensitizing the community to the importance of girls' education and agency. Apart from vocational training and scholarships, EDA runs a community library, an elderly outreach program called Beautiful Wrinkles, a performing arts program, and a children’s home. While working with the schools and running these programs might have offered an opportunity to create a difference for girls and the community; the unfortunate reality became apparent during the Covid-19 pandemic, when EDA had to suspend most of its programs due to insufficient and inconsistent funding and resources.
Girl beneficiary of Elohim Development’s vocational training holding a sewing machine
Post-Covid, with support from local government officials and funding opportunities such as the AMPLIFY Girls Education and Innovation Fund, Elohim Development Association has been able to identify and take more girls back to education pathways. In 2022, EDA with support from AMPLIFY Girls, extended its vocational training program to six divisions within Bombo where a total of 30 young women and girls were trained in tailoring and crafts.
One of the girls that EDA has been able to support post-COVID-19 school dropouts is Shakira (not her name). Shakira's life took a difficult turn when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her education, causing her to drop out of school. As a young girl living on the outskirts of Lomula Parish, situated next to a military barracks, she faced challenging circumstances. With no hope of going back to school, Shakira encountered a man with whom she developed a relationship, seeking companionship and support. Her situation worsened when the man abandoned her after she revealed her pregnancy. Through the help of a local council chairman, EDA learned about Shakira’s predicament just four days after she had given birth to her baby.
Shakira’s encounter with EDA brought a sense of relief and renewed hope. She almost lost all hope with the stigmatization she endured during her pregnancy. The counseling sessions with EDA became a safe space for her to share her struggles and aspirations. Shakira was asked what she wanted to do with her newfound hope.
‘I would love to enroll in Elohim’s tailoring and crafts program. After I graduate, I hope to use my tailoring skills to sell my designs and open my own workshop where I can sell better clothing to my customers.’ she said.
Shakira enrolled in the program and was able to sell and earn from the products she created during her training. Thanks to EDA’s innovative community market that aims to empower young women and girls within the program economically.
Duncan says he is proud of what they've been able to do in the community for the past eight years and that there is still a lot that needs to be done to get girls back to school and change the retrogressive norms within the Bombo community.
Learn more and be part of the Elohim Development Association’s impact on young women and girls in Bombo, Uganda.