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child soldier, Child Soldiers, Former Child Soldier, joseph kony, Kony, LIving Hope, LRA, Northern Uganda, Restore Northern Uganda, Restore Tour, Restore Tour 2010, Restore Tour Stories, Stories From Northern Uganda, sustainable projects, Tailoring, Watoto, Watoto Gulu, Watoto Living Hope in Gulu, Watoto Restore Tour, Watoto Work in Northern Uganda
Janet Auma was abducted by LRA rebels when she was 7 years old and lived in captivity for one year. She was abducted with her brother and a cousin who later died during the war.
One day in the bush, Janet and the chaperone who was assigned to her went to fetch water and while at the water well, the chaperone disappeared. Janet’s brother was a brilliant boy who followed his sister wherever she went since they were in the same group. Upon realising that they were alone, the siblings started running to escape the rebels.
Not knowing where they were going, the children found themselves in Lira, a neighbouring district where they found a rehabilitation centre. A radio announcement was made and their mother picked them up.
When they returned home, Janet was enrolled at Laroo School of War Affected Children (SOWAC) in Gulu where she studied tailoring. Later on, she joined Watoto to pursue further studies in tailoring for two years and graduated in December 2011. With the start-up capital she received from Watoto, Janet rented a shop in Gulu town to run her tailoring business.
“I am hopeful. I can now easily forgive when angered, unlike before. During my time with Watoto, I recommitted my life to Jesus Christ. I’m empowered and can now help support my family. I pay my siblings’ school fees,” she says.
Janet is also able to send some money home to her mother for basic supplies. Her dream is to rear goats and chicken for commercial gain.
Janet is grateful to God for what he has done and to Watoto for giving her a hand up.
For more about Watoto’s work in northern Uganda, watch Restore Gulu here.
Restore Northern Uganda 