Have you ever turned a nightmarish situation into motivation? Atimango Mercy Faith is a living example of this phenomenon. At 17, she faced hardship after her mother’s passing, seeking love and identity in a fractured family. With an abusive stepmother and a misunderstanding father, Mercy’s childhood was far from idyllic. At the tender age of 10, she made a life-altering decision to leave her father’s home in Coo-Rom and seek independence in Gulu City. “I had planned so much for this that I even had some money saved for my transport,” said Mercy. Instead of heading to her maternal grandmother’s home in Katikati, she went straight to Gulu town, hoping to find peace and live an independent life.

Independence came with a high price for Mercy. Roaming the streets for days, struggling to find food and shelter, she eventually found solace with friends in a one-room hut in Holy Rosary, a city suburb. Reality hit hard as she realized the responsibilities of independence. Washing clothes for a living with her roommates, they faced constant challenges, often going hungry. “Sometimes we failed to get clothes to wash. On such days, we slept hungry. Our rent was always overdue, and the landlady could only be so understanding and patient with us,” Mercy recalled.

In 2021, Mercy discovered Hashtag Gulu, finding support and community. Despite her hardships, she faced a terrifying pregnancy in early 2023. Unsure of her future, she chose to enrol in a tailoring course offered by Hashtag Gulu, seeing it as a path to stability for herself and her unborn child. “Initially, I was not interested in the skill training until I discovered I was pregnant. I had to think fast to find a more stable source of income after my baby daddy moved to South Sudan. I therefore enrolled in the course,” Mercy confessed.

Despite the pregnancy-related challenges, Mercy completed the course and was given a tailoring machine and other materials in September 2023. With the help of Hashtag Gulu, she returned to her grandmother’s home, ready to embark on motherhood. However, her caesarean section birth slowed down her progress as she needed time to recover. Now, six months into her motherhood journey, Mercy feels ready to resume tailoring, supported by her family and community. Her grandmother expressed her gratitude, saying, “Mercy and her child brought new joy to my life for which I give appreciation to Hashtag Gulu for bringing my child back to me.”

Mercy’s story is one of resilience and determination, and we wish her the very best as she embraces the future with courage.