Take the VOW
What best describes you?
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
What best describes you?
At just 16 years old, Namukasa Babra has already faced challenges that could have silenced her dreams—but instead, they’ve strengthened her resilience, ambition, and determination to build a brighter future. The kind of strength every girl deserves the chance to discover within herself.
Babra lives with her mother and three siblings in a modest home in rural Uganda. After completing Primary Seven in 2023, her dream of continuing to secondary school began to slip away when her family could no longer afford the fees. What followed were months spent helping her mother with household chores and garden work, until an unexpected opportunity changed everything.
“Before the coming of YFC-UG (Youth Fraternity for Change Uganda), I used to stay home, help my mother, and try to keep myself busy,” Babra says. “When I heard that Youth Fraternity for Change was looking for young girls to support in vocational skills, I took the chance. That’s how I became this confident and ambitious girl I am today.”
Through YFC’s vocational and life skills training, Babra discovered a passion for tailoring and fashion design. She especially loves creating women’s clothing and dreams of one day opening her own fashion house. What began as a new skill has become both a source of confidence and a source of income, allowing her to buy personal essentials and help support her younger siblings.
“I am proud of the confidence my new skills have given me. I am no longer looked down on as a school dropout, she says. “I am looking forward to completing my National Certificate at the Directorate of Industrial Training, too.”
Beyond the sewing machine, Babra’s transformation has been deeply personal. Through YFC’s life skills sessions, she has developed resilience, confidence, and a stronger sense of self-worth. She now understands that her challenges are not the end of her story, but the beginning of a brighter future she is building one step at a time. Most importantly, she knows her value cannot be measured by bride price, dowry, or social expectations.
“I’ve learned that I don’t have to be pressured into marriage at 16. I know I am worth more than cows. I have dreams, and I know I can decide for myself when I’m ready,” she says.
What makes Babra’s story even more inspiring is her strong sense of community. After participating in additional life skills and business training, she began going door to door in her neighborhood, collecting torn clothes to repair while also selling the garments she creates herself—a resourceful way to build both income and confidence.
“My pride was knowing I was solving a problem in my neighborhood,” she says.
Babra stands as a powerful example of what can happen when a girl is given opportunity, support, and the freedom to dream bigger.
Please donate or spread the word to help young mothers and girls build the futures they deserve. Thanks to generous donors who support VOW’s operational costs, 100% of funds raised through public donations directly support community-based efforts to end child marriage around the world.
