Apio Paskalina (real name used by permission)
D.O.B. 1964
Education: Primary 1(only one year in school)
Marital status: Widow

Paskalina's husband died of AIDS in 2002. She is HIV-positive. After her husband's death, she was left with nine children. Anything she and her husband had was taken by her husband's relatives, a common tribal practice in Uganda. She built a mud hut on a swamp and started making local waragi (alcohol) in an attempt to support her family. There were 13 people living in her small mud hut with a roof of leaking papyrus.

Evalyn and Molly, her two daughters, are also HIV-positive. Evalyn's husband died of AIDS and she is now looking after her four children alone. Molly's husband left her and her two little children. Daily challenges for Paskalina and her children and grandchildren included lack of food, housing, school fees and clothing, and illness of several family members.

The income now enjoyed from making paper beads has given Paskalina and her family new hope. In March, 2007 Paskalina moved to a new, one room cement house. Her daughter, Evalyn, has also moved to her own one room house with her children. There is a positive change in the appearance of the entire family that expresses hope in place of despair.

Asio Christine (real name used by permission)

Christine came to 'Caring Hands' right after Christmas, 2006. Her children had been sick with measles and she lacked food and medicine. Her husband had died in May, 2006 and now she is looking after her seven children on her own. She has never been to school. Her youngest children, twin boys, were only one month old when her husband died. Now that she is creating beadwork she can work at home, look after her children, buy food and pay her rent. She is so grateful that she can now save money, with the hope of putting all of her children through school.

Lalela Rose & Bosco Banya (real names used by permission)
D.O.B. February 2, 1960 (Lalela)
Education: Primary 3
Marital status: Widow. Her husband was a soldier and was killed 1985.
Children: seven (7)

In 2006 Rose was tested HIV-positive. She used to break rocks to make gravel. She earned less than a dollar for an entire day of this back-breaking labor. Her son, Bosco, has a deformed left hand as a result of polio. Both Rose and Bosco have been trained by Caring Hands Network to make paper necklaces. At the beginning of this year Bosco earned his own school fees and is back in school (Secondary 5). "Education is my bread!" his t-shirt states. Making beads has given him hope for the future.

Mugarura Juliet (real name used by permission)
D.O.B. December 1967
Education: Secondary 4
Marital status: Widow, 1993 husband died of AIDS
Children: Four boys and a girl

Juliet is HIV-positive. She worries about many things. Juliet says: " As a widow and even without any relatives I am challenged of where my children would be left if it happens that I die. I have been struggling with paying rent, buying food, clothes and medicine. Luckily my kids are being sponsored up to secondary four. But I do worry about their further education - how they can continue and finish their education. After I started making necklaces I could go and visit my children at their boarding school."

Nakate Erina (real name used by permission)
D.O.B. December 14, 1969
Education: Primary 2
Marital status: 1990 became a widow, husband drowned.

Erina remarried, but was separated in 2004, because her new husband was violent. He had a problem with alcohol abuse and was not able to look after his family. Erina has five children and two grandchildren, plus she is looking after four stepchildren. Just before Christmas 2006, Erina's mud hut room collapsed after a tropical downpour. Erina's daughters are helping their mother to make paper necklaces and, as a result of this opportunity, they moved to a one-room house. Proudly she showed 'Caring Hands' her new and improved kitchen and living quarters. Erina is a very hard-working and content lady.

Nakirijja Milly (real name used by permission)
D.O.B. 1968
Education: Primary 3
Marital status: Widow. Husband died 2001 of AIDS.
Children: Six of her own and cares for one orphaned nephew.

Milly is HIV-positive.

"I am so sorry, but I have not been able to make necklaces. I have been so weak." After a few questions she told us," We haven't had enough food at home. I can cook only one meal for the kids when they come home from school. The children have been so hungry that I have been giving my portion to them."

As an HIV-positive person, it is very important to have a balanced diet, to take your medicine (ARV's) on time and to have enough rest in order to extend life expectancy and maintain a productive life. Many children unnecessarily become orphaned at an early age due to lack of food and medication for the parents.

On this day Milly's family received food assistance from Caring Hands Network, and the next time they saw Milly, she was happier and stronger. Now she can provide for her family by making paper necklaces.