Maia Doreen Buni and Ababiku Jackeline are residents of Pakele Sub County in Arua district in Northern Uganda. They looked for jobs for over two years without success simply because they did not have any skills and they are also incapable of doing some jobs due to their physical disabilities. Their search for jobs went as far as South Sudan in a desperate attempt to improve their lives.

Their determination paid off at a later stage when they heard about enrollment for skills training in Northern Uganda by Cheshire Uganda supported by Enabel. They both applied and enrolled for Computer Application Training for six months at Amelo Technical Institute in Pakele.

They successfully completed the course and were given start up kits of laptops, Jackeline was also given walking clutches to ease her movements while studying and working. Doreen was aided to get treatment for her disability.
They were both retained at Geo arts studio where they run a computer business in printing, designing, photocopying, binding, producing passport photos among others on their own with little or no supervision from the owner of the business.

Both Doreen and Jackeline defied the norms of society and excelled in a male dominated environment and course despite their physical degeneration. They also acquired  basics of business management. They adopted a saving culture from their training thus  able to save some money off their weekly earnings of 15000shs and help with their own families to provide basic needs like soap, sugar, books for their siblings to mention but a few.

‘Iam grateful to Cheshire Uganda and Enabel for giving me a chance to have a better life,’ said Jackeline. ‘I didn’t think I was ever going to be employed by anyone because of my disability but now I have skills and I got employed,’ said Doreen.