In the communities where we work women often bear the burden of house care, raising the children, and working in the gardens. There is a significant problem with alcohol abuse and the women often experience domestic violence.

While globally children are considered a blessing, this is interpreted in a patriarchal manner in Uganda where men consider it their obligation to plant their seed and bear fruit, often with as many women as possible. When the child is born the woman is told she has been blessed but is often not offered the means to care for the child. This results not only in absent fathers but in high cases of sexually transmitted diseases as the men cannot plant their seed with a condom on. For the Batwa women, there is an even more disturbing cultural belief that results in higher incidences of rape, HIV, and STDs.

These problems are deeply ingrained in the culture and will take generations to overcome. Hence, we Fight For Her with the tools we have: health, education, confidence, and independence.