Thank you to the mothers, daughters and sisters of the Women’s Opportunity Network (WON) Insight Trip to Uganda. Your enthusiasm, energy and commitment was inspiring and made the trip a significant event full of education and enrichment to all involved. What a blessing to be able to meet the wonderful women of Uganda and to see how they live and with what spirit and energy they are working to improve their lives.

Meredith Hefner (the 24-year-old daughter of fellow traveler Linda Hefner) articulated the impact of the trip perfectly in a beautiful letter she wrote to the women of the Peace Trust Group in Kampala. She has given us special permission to publish this letter, which encapsulates the feeling of meeting these extraordinary Ugandan women:

To the Women of the Peace Trust Group,

Thank you so much for inviting us to your meeting this week. You are the bravest and strongest women I have ever met. I admire the immense amount of time and work you put into your businesses, families, homes and fellow group members. I hope that when I become a wife, a mother, and a businesswoman I can be as strong and as dedicated as you.

I wish all good things for you, your group, your families, the city of Kampala, and the country of Uganda.

Sincerely,
Meredith Hefner
Chicago, Ill., USA

As Meredith and her fellow travelers return home, we hope that the week they spent in Uganda will remain with them for a long time. We at Opportunity are eager to hear what stories and experiences they will share with their friends, family, colleagues and neighbors. What a wonderful way to encourage loved ones to support the hard-working, inspiring women of Uganda!

As we conclude our blog coverage of the Insight Trip, we would also like to give a special thank you to WON member Julie Hindmarsh for her fascinating series of posts that offered us a unique insight into the the people she met and the places she visited in Uganda. Her writings provided us with a deeper understanding of this vibrant country. If you haven’t yet read these entries, take a moment to immerse yourself in her travel experience and that of her traveling companions. We hope these pieces move and inspire you as they do us:

1. “Mothers, Daughters, Sisters” Insight Trip to Uganda: A first glimpse of this country and already a sense of family (6/21/10)
2. Dreams for the Future: The Women of Uganda’s Peace Trust Group (6/22/10)
3. Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: Education as a Solution (6/23/10)
4. The Impact of Education: Visiting Uganda’s Kazo Summit School (6/24/10)
5. Harvesting Hope for Tomorrow: Women’s Role in Transforming Uganda (6/25/10)
6. Walking with the Entrepreneurs in Jinja Market (6/28/10)

Take action to support the women of Uganda. Visit the WON Walk for Uganda page to learn what you can do to help.