Sanyuka

In 2017, a group of women who learned tailoring and crafts at Okoa launched their own shop - Sanyuka. This beautiful store is a place for them to create and sell their beautiful textiles. The shop is overseen by Okoa's community development officer, but is otherwise run and operated by the women. "Sanyuka" means Be Joyful - and these women truly are. They are so proud to now be able to support their children, pay school fees, buy food and cover their own medical bills. Okoa truly has changed the trajectory of their lives.

The Community Empowerment Program (CEP)

The CEP program is two-fold: keeping children in families, and keeping children in school. The bottom line is that it is all about the child! There are millions of orphans and vulnerable children in Uganda. In order to determine which children Okoa would enroll, a baseline survey was performed within the village where Okoa is located. Families are screened based upon household income, the ability to support the children in the home and overall provision of daily needs. 

How does it work?
(it's really easy!)

1. Okoa plants a church in a community
2. The neediest families from the community are enrolled in the program for sponsorship
3. The entire village has the opportunity to join Community Development programs hosted by the newly planted church
4. YOU sign up to sponsor the village!

This program allows us to support and empower entire families and communities.

The One Stop Business Center

Okoa works to empower people to solve problems that they identify with solutions that they suggest

The One Stop Business Center is a location for people with disabilities in Masaka District to come and learn a trade, sell their goods and build relationships with other disabled people. In 2013, Okoa hosted a meeting with the disabled community and asked them to identify their challenges and propose solutions. They unanimously proposed a business center where they could gather, learn and help each other. The community is so close-knit, but struggled to find a place of their own.

The local government generously donated the land for the project and Okoa constructed a massive indoor market and learning place. The center has become a hub for the physically handicap to earn an income and gain a sense of dignity - understanding that they can give back to their communities and support their families!