Ride 4 a Woman, Uganda - Evelyne Habasa - Founder, Ep. 518

What this episode covers

Evelyne's mother raised 8 children but prioritized education for all her children. Eve was reluctant return 🏠 - As the youngest of 8, Evelyne was living in Kampala and didn't want to leave city life, but her mother insisted she come home. Breaking Traditions 💑 - Her husband broke village rules by moving to her village instead of her moving to his family. 🚴‍♀️ How it all started: 🚲 - Initially started with secondhand bicycles for tourism, serving 300 registered women (widows, HIV-positive women, domestic abuse survivors, single mothers) The Pivot 🧵 - Met Patricia from Australia who introduced quilting, which became the main focus Training Model 👥 - Started with 16 women and 5 sewing machines; those 16 have now trained 70+ women 🎵 - Every morning 9-10am, dancing session to "shake off" problems and worries; "leave your problems at the door!" 🌈 Programs & Impact: Education 📚 - 300 children currently sponsored; planning to build a 6-acre hands-on school Microfinance 💵 - Small loans helping women build businesses; 2 single mothers have built their own homes Goat Program 🐐 - 160 families received goats as emergency funds (goats reproduce twice yearly) Solar Power ☀️ - 60 homes equipped with solar for children to study Agriculture 🌱 - 130 families receive seeds, tools, boots for farming Housing 🏡 - Built 3 homes for homeless families Clean Water 💧 - Free purified drinking water for the community Christmas Giving 🎄 - 100 homes receive food packages annually (corn, beans, sugar, oil, salt, soap) 🎯 Philosophy: "Teach to Fish" 🎣 - Focus on teaching skills rather than just giving handouts Hard Work Pays 💪 - Emphasizing that nothing is free, but hard work brings rewards Conservation Education 🦍 - Teaching children to respect environment, animals, and trees before the school even opens 🌍 Looking forward: School Vision 🏫 - Building a practical, hands-on school where children rotate through different programs (kitchen, music, sports, farming, conservation) every 3 months Sustainability ♻️ - Ensuring the project continues beyond Evelyn's lifetime Community Impact ❤️ - Focus on making the entire village happy and thriving 💝 What drives her: Energy Source ✨ - Support from people who believe in the mission, seeing people smile, and making her community happy