“No one will ever solve the domestic violence problem in Uganda. It’s deeply embedded in the culture and law enforcement won’t enforce the law. The best you can do,” we were told, “is get women away from violent men. You have to put them in a shelter, help them heal, then hope that when they go home they won’t get beat up again.”
Ourganda piloted something new. We hired Esther Burungi, a registered nurse. She met with government officials, discussed the problem, and listened. Then she made an appeal: “The laws in Uganda don’t allow men to beat their wives, yet no one enforces the law. If we do our part in the villages, will you do your part and enforce the laws?”
Their response was hopeful: “Let’s try it and see what happens.”
Esther went to work.
In every one of our villages, she recruited five men and five women who were sick and tired of violence. She called the men the Mankind Clubs; the women are Soul Sisters. When harm occurs, the Soul Sisters surround the victim and provide whatever she needs. Meanwhile, the Mankind guys visit the abuser’s house and confront him with a version of this: “Listen, Neighbor. The rules have changed. No one in this village is allowed to beat his wife. You have done this for the very last time. If you are willing to sign this form—a legal document—stating that you will never use violence in your home again, we will pretend it didn't happen. But if you don’t sign it, or if it happens again, the police will arrest you tomorrow.”
Someone had to be first.
In the early days, a few men were arrested. Tomas was first. He sneered at the Mankind men and announced he would do whatever he wanted with his wife. He ended up on the wrong side of the bars, went through the court system, and was sentenced to six months in prison.
Vincent, our Ministry Coordinator, visited him there. “We don’t hate you, we love you,” Vincent assured him. “But you can’t do this anymore. No one can do this anymore. If you make a better choice when you are released in a few months, we’ll go out of our way to help you and your family.”
When Tomas got out, he made a better choice. He hasn’t harmed his wife even once. In fact, he started helping her. With his permission, we filmed this video of Tomas carrying water for his wife. Click here.
It didn’t take long for word to spread. Overwhelmingly, men signed the reconciliation form and traded violence for kindness.
Three years down the road.
In the first three years, the Mankind men confronted 1,015 offenders in Ourganda’s villages; zero of them are beating their wives today. Esther reports that for every man who had to be confronted, there is at least one other man who didn’t have to be—because he knew full well what would happen if he did.
Ourganda has built exactly zero shelters for abused women, yet over 2,000 families are now free from violence. Many former abusers are Mankind Club members. Many are attending church for the first time. Our courageous volunteers prompt law enforcement, legal experts, and village leaders to act, creating shared responsibility rather than isolated intervention. They have accomplished what everyone said was impossible.
The Ourganda way of solving problems
All the ingredients are already present. Ourganda simply organizes the volunteers into protection teams, builds strong relationships with government authorities, then connects everyone in a powerful system that deters anyone who values his freedom.
Because of Ourganda, hundreds of village and government leaders across Bundibugyo District have achieved collective efficacy, the conviction that systemic change can happen. Communities everywhere are being equipped to protect their own.
This isn’t charity. This is transformation.
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