By Edward Muguluma via Tom Herriman*

Here's a Beautiful story from Edward Muguluma, School Director at Kisa Primary School in Nansana, Uganda:

In Nansana village, is where you find a resilient struggling mother named Sanyu nakasenge aged 53 years old who has been a resident for more than 18 years now. With three little ones Charles Luvumu (7), Divine Naluyombya (13) and Malcom Luzinda (10) all relying on her tender care, life's burdens have often weighed heavy upon her shoulders with no one to help her out as they divorced with the husband due to family mistreatment after the birth of their last born charles. So when hardship knocked relentlessly on her door, she turned to the beacon of hope in her community—Kisa Foundation Uganda.

Embraced by the warmth of the support by Richmond rotary club,Sanyu embarked on a journey of empowerment. Through the unwavering guidance at Kisa Foundation Uganda, she honed her skills in tailoring where she could stitch her dreams into reality with every thread she wove. Four months flew by and Sanyu had emerged not only a skilled seamstress but also a beacon of determination.

With a sewing machine gifted to her, Sanyu has transformed the humble veranda of her rented home into a sanctuary of craftsmanship where she has been living a quite long now.

Amidst the good and bad times with her beautiful children, she had stitched together a future brimming with promise.

Though the weight of school fees for her kids is very heavy on her, Sanyu can at least cater for her children's feeding on a daily through working on her veranda with her sewing machine.

With tearful gratitude, she has on and on whispered her thanks to Richmond rotary club through kisa foundation Uganda, for they had not only dressed her in skills but also adorned her life with a new found hope.
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* Edward Muguluma is school director at Kisa Primary School in Nansana, Uganda, a part of the Kampala metropolitan area. Tom Herriman is the former publisher of the Seattle Press and a community organizer.

The Dinka people, a resilient Nilotic ethnic group, have called South Sudan home for centuries. With settlements stretching along the Nile River from Mangalla-Bor to Renk, they inhabit regions of Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile, and the Abyei Area, where the Ngok Dinka reside. According to the 2008 Sudan census, the Dinka population stands at approximately 4.5 million, accounting for 40% of the country's population, making them the largest ethnic tribe in South Sudan.

Known to themselves as Muonyjang (singular) and Jieng (plural), the Dinka trace their origins to the Gezira region, now part of Sudan. During medieval times, this area was governed by the Christian, multi-ethnic kingdom of Alodia, where the Dinka interacted with Nubians, adopting elements of their language. However, the collapse of Alodia in the 13th century forced the Dinka to migrate due to slave raids, conflicts, and droughts.

Historical conflicts with the Nuer over grazing lands and cattle raiding have led to ongoing disputes. Additionally, the Dinka have clashed with the Islamic Arab government in Khartoum due to differences in religion, beliefs, and lifestyle. Notably, Dr. John Garang De Mabior, a prominent Dinka leader, spearheaded the Sudan People's Liberation Army against the government from 1983, resulting in a 21-year civil war.

Following South Sudan's independence, Salva Kiir Mayardit has led the Dinka in a civil war against the Nuer and other groups, who accuse the Dinka of monopolizing power.

The Dinka are renowned for their exceptional height, with an average of 182 centimeters among men, making them one of the tallest populations globally and the leading across Africa. Their rich cultural heritage and deep-rooted pastoral traditions, where livestock play a vital role, are also celebrated. The Dinka's remarkable physical stature and cultural significance make them a notable and fascinating ethnic group!

This is a placeholder regarding a regional prototype edition for Uganda.