Spes for community was founded by Masika Meresi in 2022 years after Masika becoming a single mother of two boys.
Masika lost her job immediately after becoming a single mother. She didn’t give up on her dreams of empowering, advocating from women and adolescent’s formal education because she believed despite of all the challenges solutions to our problems lies within us so she turned to GOD for strength and help.
Living in her community for over 30 years, Masika witness the extreme poverty, gender inequality, unemployment among illiterate women, high rates of student school drop outs, high rates of teenage pregnancy, Masika thought it was time to re-write the narrative, turning her pain into something positive for her community when her life hit rock bottom.
Realizing the pain, hurt she was going through, her heart went out to other women who might be going through the same that’s the reason she began inviting the teenage mothers and single mothers from her community into her home. Five teenage mothers and five single mothers turned up. She shared words of hope and prayed with them. They used to meet once a week. These women began opening up about their challenges, fears, struggles, they needed a source of income so that they can make ends meet as mothers & as women.
Masika had begun weaving baskets as a source of income for her family after losing her job, this was possible because Masika’s mother had taught her most of the hand crafts work at an early age. The women began admiring her hand whenever they could come for weekly prayer meetings. They asked if they could be taught how to weave. Masika agreed but she didn’t have the funds to procure the weaving materials to train these women.
She asked help from friends, well-wishers and some family members who raised $ 280 after a couple of months. The circle of 10 women grew to 50 and the numbers have been increasing since then. Masika choose to register her group as a community based organisation with the municipal council authorities in Kasese, Uganda- Africa in the names of “SPES FOR COMMUNITY”
The word SPES means HOPE in Latin, Masika choose this word because she believes it’s only HOPE that keeps us moving amidst life hardships & challenges.
Masika goes to her community schools sharing the word of GOD, sensitizing about menstrual hygiene, promoting adolescent’s talent, giving life lesions about self-esteem because these young people need to be empowered if we are to make this world a better place to live in. she has established health clubs in four schools having 200 students altogether which aims of elevating their faith and their personal dreams.
Be the hope of the vulnerables. Every donation count.
0757551591 / 0774571620
spesforcommunity@gmail.com
Nyakabingo II parish, kasese municipality