Hello friends,My name is Azaki Angali, and I am the founder of Blooming Hands Organisation in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Uganda.

Today, together with a small team of dedicated volunteers, I lead our Tunaweza ("We Can") Program, where we create opportunities for children to learn, build confidence, and discover that they have the ability to shape their own future.

We are also working toward programs that will help women develop practical livelihood skills while promoting environmental conservation, tree planting, and sustainable agriculture.

Although this work brings me great joy, my journey here was one I never expected.I was born in North Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where I grew up in a farming family. My parents taught me the importance of hard work, kindness, and caring for the land. They believed education could open doors to a better future, and they encouraged me to keep learning despite the challenges our community often faced.As a child, I loved learning and spending time with my friends. Looking back now, I treasure those simple moments because they remind me of the peaceful childhood I was blessed to experience before everything changed.Like many young people in my community, daily life included helping my family by fetching water and working alongside them. These experiences taught me responsibility and the importance of serving others.

In 2024, everything changed.

Violence reached our community, and during a single attack I lost both of my parents. My uncle was seriously injured, my aunt was killed, and the surviving members of our family fled our home with almost nothing. After a long and difficult journey, we arrived at Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda on 18 February 2024, carrying both grief and uncertainty about what our future might hold.As I slowly adjusted to life in the settlement, I began noticing something that deeply affected me. Everywhere I looked, I saw children who wanted to learn but could not attend school because their families could not afford even the most basic supplies. I met mothers struggling to care for their children after losing everything. I saw young people whose dreams had been replaced by the daily challenge of survival.

Instead of asking only how I could rebuild my own life, I found myself asking a different question:

If I cannot change everything, can I at least make a difference in the lives of a few people?

That question became the beginning of Blooming Hands Organisation.We started with very little—only a shared belief that hope can grow even in the most difficult circumstances. Today, our volunteers work together to create a place where children feel welcomed, encouraged, and inspired to keep learning.Through the Tunaweza ("We Can") Program, children come together several times each week to learn, ask questions, build confidence, and encourage one another. We don't have classrooms filled with equipment, but we believe learning can happen anywhere when children are surrounded by people who believe in them.Every time I see a child become more confident, ask a thoughtful question, or discover something new, I am reminded why this work matters. Even small opportunities can help restore hope and inspire young people to believe in a brighter future.Although Blooming Hands Organisation is still a young organization, our vision continues to grow. We dream of establishing our own community learning centre where children and families can learn, grow, and participate in our programs in a safe and welcoming environment.We also hope to establish tree nurseries, introduce sustainable agriculture, promote environmental stewardship, and create livelihood programs that help women earn income while caring for the environment.

These dreams will take time, but I have learned that lasting change rarely happens all at once. It grows one relationship, one lesson, one tree, and one act of kindness at a time.Living as a refugee brings many challenges, and our organization continues to work with very limited resources. We do not yet have a permanent place to meet, and every activity requires creativity, perseverance, and the commitment of our volunteers.

Still, we continue because we believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn, every family deserves hope, and every community deserves the chance to build a brighter future.If my story speaks to you, I warmly invite you to become part of this journey.

Your support will help us continue creating opportunities for children to learn today while building programs that strengthen families and help our community become more self-reliant in the years ahead.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for believing that even small acts of kindness can change lives.

With gratitude,

Azaki Angali

Founder, Blooming Hands OrganisationTogether, we can grow healthier communities, restore ecosystems, and create lasting opportunities—one relationship, one project, and one act of kindness at a time.

🌱 Africa Permaculture Support Network (APSN)

🌱 Help Azaki Angali Bring Hope and Learning to Children and Families

From refugee to community leader, helping children and families rebuild through education, environmental stewardship, and hope in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Uganda.