Help Me Empower Refugee Women in Uganda—One Cycle, One Family, One Future at a Time

Hello friends, family, and supporters,

After 10 years of midwifery practice I returned to school for a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. My DNP project reflects my deep commitment to global women’s health—and now, I need your help to bring it to life. As part of my DNP program, I will be traveling to Northern Uganda in January of 2026 for 14 days to implement a community-based reproductive health initiative titled:

“Empowering Women Through Natural Family Planning: Fertility Awareness to Improve Reproductive Health Among South Sudanese Refugees in Uganda.”

The goal of this project is to equip South Sudanese refugee women with culturally respectful, life-saving knowledge about their reproductive health. Using simple tools like Fertility Beads and a train-the-trainer model, we aim to help women:

Understand their fertility cycles

Space pregnancies safely

Reduce adolescent pregnancy

Reduce maternal and infant mortality

Engage their partners in family planning conversations

This project is grounded in empowerment, sustainability, and cultural respect. It builds on local strengths by training Village Health Teams and community health workers who will continue to educate other women long after we leave.

How Your Donation Helps

Your support will directly fund essential components of this life-changing initiative, including:

✈️ Round-trip travel to Uganda

Safe, basic accommodations in or near the refugee settlement

Daily meals during the two-week implementation period

Educational supplies such as fertility beads, printed teaching tools, and menstrual cycle charts

Transportation of materials to rural refugee sites

‍‍Community training sessions and outreach events for refugee women

Medical and hygiene supplies to support local hospitals, clinics, and camps

Daily ground transportation between the hotel and the refugee camps

❤️ Why This Matters

For many women in refugee settings, access to family planning is limited. Yet, knowing when you are fertile can save lives, strengthen families, and give women greater control over their futures. This project is more than a requirement—it's a calling. Together, we can create ripples of change that go far beyond one village.

Every dollar you give directly supports refugee women and the local health teams working to improve lives through reproductive autonomy, education, and empowerment. Your generosity—no matter the amount—is deeply appreciated. In full transparency, all donations will be used first to cover essential supplies and educational materials for the women participating in the program. Any remaining funds, if available, will then be applied toward the cost of my travel and accommodations necessary for implementing the project on-site.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for standing with me—and with these incredible women—as we build healthier families and stronger communities. Pending permission from the women in the refugee camps, I would be honored to share photos of the individuals and communities you have helped support

With gratitude,

Renee Sokolowski, MSN, CNM, DNP Student