By Hellen Nyamweru: Nagawa is a young single mother ,a frail woman whose beauty hides behind her somewhat tired eyes.She calls herself a 'veteran' of one of the biggest slum of Kampala,having practically lived here all her life.She was born and raised here in Kisenyi III.Born in a polygamous family,Nagawa had to drop out of school at age 15 after the untimely demise of her father,the sole bread-winner of the large family.There were no finances for the family leave alone continue paying for her school fees.Soon after Nagawa was whisked into marriage,herself barely an adult at the age of 15.Marital bliss was short-lived as Nagawa's husband passed away 4 years into the marriage making her a widow at the age of 19 with two children in tow,a boy and a girl.
Life became unbearable because she had no job having not completed school yet had to take care of two children.She started doing manual jobs at Owino market,the biggest market in Kampala city.She would wait on tables and serve food but the money could not sustain her and her children.Technically things went from bad to worse because she had to pay rent,provide food,settle medical bills,clothe herself and children all on her own.
She was always late in paying rent.Many are the times she would get threat evictions,different padlocks on her door and even actual evictions late in the night at a time she had no clue on where to go or to turn to.She moved from one rent holding to another in the slum, most being in very bad condition.The discomfort and inadequacy of their temporary accommodation notwithstanding,the stormy life was not only scarring to the children both emotionally but also physically because of the loss of their father and the constant moving from one house to the next.Nagawa decided to relocate to the village.Life was not any easier and she decided to come back to Kampala in 2005 leaving her two children with her mother.
She started by doing manual jobs yet again,got some income to start a second hand clothing business.In 2009,Nagawa joined the Uganda Slum Dwellers Federation because of the good stories she would hear about the federation as well as witness.The Kisenyi sanitation unit now towering over Kisenyi slum is a clear evidence of joint slum dwellers efforts.The sanitation unit provides clean water at a reduced cost to the slum residents.It also provides toilet and bathroom facilities that are well maintained by federation members.The unit provides shelter to a number of beneficiaries.
On further interaction,Nagawa learnt the members save about UGX 100 every day which they let accumulate and can withdraw on convinience,having accumulated to meaningful sum.
At the moment,Nagawa stays in a rent holding which she can afford.She has since been able to bring her children back to Kampala and they have been tremendous company for the young widow.She takes them to school which she solely pay from her savings with the federation.She saves for three months or so and then withdraws to pay the schoolfees.She also saves with 'Suubi'',the Urban Poor Fund which is a permanent kind of saving.Funds remitted are not withdrawn,rather they earn interest for bigger developmental projects such as the construction of houses,looking forward to a secure new home for herself someday.
Since she joined the federation,her saving culture has greatly improved and she has been able to accomplish a lot aside from educating her children.Her second hand clothing business is running successfully.
Nagawa is slowly forming new attachments;getting to know many federation members,she has been given responsiblity as a collector for the daily savings.She is also very much involved in the current project on enumeration of Kampala slums as well as mapping.She was a team leader in the recent completed enumerations in Kisenyi and is very informed on how that information will help the federation lobby and negotiate for better lives for the slum dwellers.
Single motherhood is accompanied with vigorous strife for survival and prosperity but Nagawa hopes to beat the odds and provide a life for her two children.She has deftly adapted to the circumstances that surround her and a positive attitude toward life is what she carries with her nowadays.In her own words Nagawa says ''Life has tested me many times before but I will work with the slum dwellers to achieve many of my dream''.With a woman who has been short-changed by life on so many occassions,one cannot help but admire Nagawa.There is a position for Nagawa to start rebuilding her universe and that of her two little children with the aegies of Uganda Slum Dwellers Federation.Beyond the litany of social problems that blight the Kisenyi neighbourhood,there is a woman with hope and dreams to achieve.
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