Breaking Barriers: Refugee Girls in Nakivale Forge a New Path through Welding

“We wanted to challenge the stereotype that welding is only for men.”

In Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Isingiro District, host to over 170,000 refugees from diverse national backgrounds, a remarkable transformation is taking place. A group of 14 determined young refugee women and girls are redefining gender roles and building a new future.

In January 2025 the women were selected via the Refugee Welfare Committee to participate in a skilling opportunity in welding and metal fabrication offered by AFHI under the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), with technical support from UN Women.

“We’ve seen many girls trained in tailoring and hairdressing, but they often struggle to find work because they are so many in the market. We chose welding because it’s hands-on, in demand, and it gives us real opportunities,” said one of the young participants.

With the help of a professional fabrication company, the group embarked on an intensive 6-month training program. Despite initial fears, especially about working near electrical sparks, the girls found encouragement in each other.

"At first I thought I could never do it,” said another woman. "I used to pass the welding shop and imagine getting burnt. But a friend kept pushing me to stay and just last week I earned 200,000 UGX fixing doors and windows within the settlement."

Beyond technical skills, the training ignited a profound sense of confidence and independence. One trainee reflected, "My husband couldn’t believe I was learning welding. But now, there’s peace in our home. No more fights or harsh words. He respects me more because I can also bring income to the family."

Their vision doesn't stop at individual success. The group dreams of renting a workshop space after graduation to start their own welding business. “We want to be role models to other young women and mothers,” one of them explained. “If we can do it, so can they.”

This story is more than just about skills training, it's about dignity, resilience, and economic empowerment in a challenging environment. These women are not only reshaping metal but also reshaping mindsets in Nakivale and beyond.

Rising from Silence to Strength in Post-Conflict Northern Uganda

“I feel my skin. My beauty is back.” -Hope Obalim

For over 15 years, Hope Obalim lived in quiet despair in Patongo Town Council, located in Agago District, a part of northern Uganda still healing from the scars of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) conflict. Though the region remains in post-conflict recovery, many residents like Hope are working hard to rebuild their lives—socially, economically, and emotionally.

To the outside world, Hope appeared to be a married woman. But inside her home, she lived as if she were alone. Her husband, who never formally married her, brought several other women into the household. Over time they left, but the emotional distance between Hope and her husband remained. Hope was left to care for their three children with little support. “Sometimes there was food, sometimes not. Sometimes school fees were paid, sometimes not. I felt forgotten, voiceless”, Hope recalls.

Her life began to shift on International Women’s Day 2024 when a community celebration was held at a playground near her home. Out of curiosity, she joined the gathering and heard from the Northern Uganda Widows and Orphans Organization (NUWOSO) about their new initiative, Megomakwiny-a phrase meaning “resilient woman” in the local dialect. The message, “Lift yourself and lift others,” struck a deep and unexpected chord. Supported by the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), and with technical backing from UN Women, NUWOSO leads local efforts to advocate for women’s rights and create safe spaces for healing and empowerment in Agago District.

“That day, I saw myself in a new way for the first time in years. Something inside me woke up,” she says.

Inspired and determined, Hope joined NUWOSO’s bi-weekly women’s meetings, where she and others received training in self-advocacy, mediation, public speaking, and leadership. These sessions ignited a transformation she hadn’t imagined possible. “Megomakwiny changed the way I see myself. I became a champion that I never expected to become soon.”

Her leadership journey took off. As part of the Megomakwiny group, Hope led efforts to acquire communal farmland through group savings. As a group, they cultivated six hectares of maize and sunflower. Realizing that many women remain vulnerable due to economic dependence, Hope became determined to change that pattern.

“I used to be scared to speak in public, but now I advocate at community forums. I no longer hide from my pain or leaders. I speak for women,” she says proudly.Today, Hope not only pays her children’s school fees but also mentors other women and speaks confidently at public dialogues on gender-based violence. Her journey from isolation to empowerment is an embodiment of what Megomakwiny stands for. “I feel my skin. My beauty is back.”

Threads of Change: A Mother’s Rise Through Hairdressing

Arua, located in the West Nile sub-region of Uganda, is a rapidly growing urban centre shaped by both local dynamics and its proximity to major refugee settlements such as Rhino Camp and Imvepi. Socially, the district is ethnically diverse and home to both host communities and refugees. For many girls left behind, dreams often seem out of reach. However, one woman has found a way to braid her future, strand by strand.

Anna, a 22-year-old mother of two, once spent her days idle at home, weighed down by the struggle to make ends meet. Her husband, like many others in the Imvepi refugee settlement, relied on a modest monthly allowance of UGX 12,000, barely enough to cover basic needs for a family of four.

“We had no options,” Anna says. “I wanted to do something, but I didn’t have the skills or the tools.”

That changed when Anna was selected to join a hairdressing training program led by Community Empowerment Rehabilitation Initiative (CERID), funded by Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) and with technical support from UN Women. The girls received hands-on training from Koboko Vocational Institute, a CERID partner, equipping over 100 young women with certified skills under the Directorate of Industrial Training in Uganda.

Anna learned not just how to braid, style, and plait but how to see herself as a provider and entrepreneur.

“I am happy that I acquired hairdressing skills. I’m able to use them to earn a living and support my family on the basic needs,” she says with pride.

Today, Anna operates from her home, serving neighbors and walk-in clients. In a week, she receives up to 10 customers, each paying between UGX 5,000 and 10,000. Her earnings of nearly UGX 100,000 per week have transformed her household, allowing her to buy food, start saving, and even invest in purchasing a few essential tools to launch her own salon.

 “When I see the smiles of my children after a meal I’ve provided, I know these hands are no longer idle, they are working for their future,” she says.

Anna’s next goal is to expand her business and formalize her salon. She remains hopeful that, with continued support from CERID, especially through a startup kit, her journey will accelerate.

“If I receive startup equipment, I’ll boost my already started business and increase my monthly earnings to support my family better,” she adds with optimism.

From dependency to dignity, Anna's story is a testament to what can happen when women are given not just resources, but trust and training. Her braids carry more than beauty; they carry resilience, independence, and the threads of a better tomorrow.