Grace Arach

Country: Uganda

Current Organization: Foundation for Women Affected by Conflicts (FOWAC)

Organization at the time you received Katie Fleming Award from Coady: Foundation for Women Affected by Conflicts (FOWAC)

What does your organization do, how does it help develop your community?

Foundation for Women Affected by Conflict (FOWAC) strives to see a just society in Northern Uganda where self-reliance, hope, and dignity prevails among women and girls in secure and enabling environment. FOWAC is among the few indigenous women-founded non-profit organizations operating and based in Northern Uganda. A group of young and vibrant war affected female youth in Northern Uganda founded the organization. The main purpose was to address the challenges of formerly abducted female individuals, child-mothers, and the marginalized women with the aim to contribute to their meaningful reintegration into the post-conflict communities. FOWAC uses strategies that include offering psychosocial support, livelihoods, economic empowerment, skills trainings, addressing health needs, fighting gender-based violence, and facilitating community peace building through dialogues and mediation.

How did your studies at Coady improve your ability to be a change leader?

Reflecting on the life and vision of Coady and how it is supporting people in discovering their strengths to overcome challenges they are faced with was a turning point to me. When designing programs and dealing with community development issues, the affected should be given the power to make choice of what they feel is best for them.

How did receiving the Katie Fleming award inspire you?

The partial study award and the recognition by Coady and those associated with Katherine Fleming remains an inspiration to me and the organization I serve. It is encouraging to see people who do not directly feel the impact of my work take the initiative in giving the honour. This award is a motivation to young people who are doing wonderful things yet not recognized in most cases. The life and the work of Katherine Fleming is a reflection of my effort for the disadvantaged and the marginalized in society.