She came with nothing. She left with a future.

From Plantations to Purpose

Namugele Reste

How your donations transformed a life destined for despair

Watch Namugele’s story

When Namugele Reste arrived at the Geaux Foundation in 2024, she carried more than trauma. She carried the weight of survival.

Abandoned by her mother, orphaned by circumstance, and left to care for three younger sisters, Namugele had already been forced into adulthood far too young. Her days were spent working long hours in the plantations, trying to earn just enough for food, all while waiting to be given away for marriage. She believed it was inevitable.

She had only reached the second grade before dropping out of school. She couldn’t read. She couldn’t write. And by the time her grandmother brought her to the Geaux Foundation, she was sick, suffering from severe ulcers, malnourished, and emotionally shut down.

But that’s not where her story ends.

A place of healing

At Geaux, Namugele received immediate medical care, daily nourishment, and a safe place to rest and recover. More than that, she encountered the love of Jesus through prayer, teaching, and community.

Though her ulcers still require care, they are now manageable. And today, she’s thriving.

A skill she can hold onto

Namugele didn’t need a traditional classroom to learn value. Through the Foundation’s training program, she learned to sew, craft shoes, and work with her hands in ways that bring both income and pride.

Even though she can’t yet read or write, her fingers tell a different story, one of strength, skill, and survival.

“She didn’t want to graduate. She begged to stay. She felt safe here, for the first time in her life.”Peace Daniel, Founder

A life transformed

Today, Namugele works alongside her aunt in a tailoring shop, creating school uniforms and graduation gowns for the local community. She dreams of moving to the city to grow her business and, even more, of helping other girls like her. Her vision is clear: to lay hands on the next girl the way someone once laid hands on her.

She now owns her own sewing machine, a small fridge to sell drinks, and has plans to expand.

“I would be married off by now. But because of the Geaux Foundation and the donors who gave, I have a skill. I have a future. And I know how to pray.”Namugele Reste, Graduate