VIVI Naturals' mission is "to illuminate one’s natural beauty and bravery from the inside out." That involves empowering women and children around the globe and working with charity partners to ensure these goals and hopes are satisfied.

We're excited to announce our newest charity partner, Lwaki Ye! Based in Uganda, Lwaki Ye is dedicated to women’s social-economic, leadership and health interests in East Africa.

This program is part of a larger project that is on track to benefit 10,000 people by 2023. It's expected that around 500 of them will build their own successful businesses in the process. Considering the unemployment rate in Uganda is over 60%, initiatives like Lwaki Ye are essential to lifting communities out of poverty.

Read on for an interview with Lwaki Ye's Founder to learn more about their story and how you can get involved.

How was Lwaki Ye born?

With the aim to help the grassroots women of Uganda, Mr. Godfrey Lukanga, Ms. Beatrice, and Ms. Paola Calliari worked together and started a women's empowerment group. In Uganda, grassroots women are still viewed as a liability or a pride price and are required to be submissive to their husbands.

This suppression and the suffering of these women under the hands of their male partners made women “objects” of male manipulations to fit their desires. We believe that education, awareness and knowledge are important keys to empower them and help them become independent, escape repression and fulfill their hopes and value their skills.

What does "lwaki ye" mean?

Lwaki ye is a native Luganda word meaning “WHY HER.” This was the question that Godfrey first asked himself witnessing the repression of all the marginalized and vulnerable women living in the slums of Kampala.

Luganda is the second spoken language in Uganda. It originates from the Buganda tribe which covers the biggest percentage of the population.

Lwaki Ye is a grassroots community-based organization that targets poor, marginalized and vulnerable girls and women. We have helped those from 8 to 66 years old.

The organization supports women interests and their human rights, encouraging them to become leaders in their community. It aims to improve their health social-economic status and basic freedoms. We hope to guarantee the privileges that should always be applied to every person.

What is your main vision & goal? 

Our vision is to create a conscious, poverty-free community by making women the primary leaders for this change. We will accomplish this through specialized trainings, mobilizing other women in leadership, entrepreneurship, financial and market linkages.

Lwaki Ye is more than simply a charity. We're working to BUILD poverty-free communities by providing real jobs and education, not just donating resources.

How does the program benefit the community & women?

The program has directly increased the participation of the marginalized and vulnerable women, empowering them with:

• decision making
• education
• learning new skills
• new, well-paying jobs
• improved living standards
• income for their households

As a result, women are able to pay school fees for their children and provide them at least one meal a day which wouldn’t be possible otherwise.

In addition, we teach students how to do hair dressing, decoration and hand crafting so they can start their own business and improve the overall community economy.

How can people help?

Donations are widely accepted to fund women entrepreneurship and helping pay teachers. Donating items that would help their businesses are also greatly appreciated. Items like tailoring machines, computers, or educational tools that teach specialized skills or information technology help. Skills you can help these women learn are soap making, tailoring, candle making, shampoo making, cooking and baking.

Corporate fundraising is another great way to get involved and support the cause. Individuals or organizations can sponsor and support a specific program of your choice. We also accept volunteers and program adoption where people can chip in their time, skills, advice and ability. You can help teach a skill or knowledge

 

To learn more about Liwaki Ye and to get involved, visit their website here. Now, VIVI is start selling some of the goods, like hair scrunchies and hair accessories, produced by Liwaki Ye women! Your purchase would help support the organization. 

Meet our other two charity partners: Feeding America & World Vision