Wedding Dresses for Uganda
Hey ladies,
As you probably already know I recently spent some time in Ibanda, Uganda. The needs of the town are many, but one of the things I spent a lot of time discussing with Father Joseph was the lack of respect for women, relationships and marriage in Uganda.
One of the things that stood out was the lack of fresh marriages (a couple that hasn't married yet due to a lack of a dowry but has been living together with children-we'll come back to this) or marriages at all. The reason is 2 fold:
1.It's rare that a man can afford the dowry the father of the girls asks for, forcing the girl to run away with their guy thus not getting married (most of the people I met did this-it's insane)
2.Often the couple returns to her family, years later and with children, the father can't ask for a dowry from the father of his grandchildren so now the couple is allowed to get married. Even if a couple makes it to this point, some still don't get married because they don't have the financial means for a "wedding"
Some people look past not having the money and get married anyway- can you imagine your husband working up to an hour before your wedding, then wearing the same patched up outfit you wear everyday, exchanging vows over the tarnished, cheap rings Father Joseph provides for the couples, then riding off, not to a party or a dinner, but on a bike to your clay hut?
This is a big problem, because people aren't getting married, causing a lack of commitment, which is part of the problem with the spreading of diseases, like AIDS.
So here's where we come in-I'm collecting money to buy a few wedding dresses-I know it's not solving world hunger, but if it means one girl feels special on her wedding day or that Father can offer it to a girl that says she can't get married because she has nothing to wear (they say that to him) – isn't it worth it?
I'm not asking for much – whatever you can spare by May 1st. My hope is to buy 3 dresses – not Vera Wang's – but something pretty in 3 sizes. Father will keep the dresses at the church so that many girls can use them.
And here's the fun part – once we get some money, you're all invited to do the shopping – I can't wait!
Thank you so much for reading my story. Feel free to pass it on.
Love always,
Ashleigh
(If you are interested in contributing you can send or hand me checks or cash – checks made out to me: Ashleigh Ormsby and I promise to give you a full report of the beautiful dresses we will be sending to Uganda)
24 Rachel Rd.
Richboro Pa, 18954
As you probably already know I recently spent some time in Ibanda, Uganda. The needs of the town are many, but one of the things I spent a lot of time discussing with Father Joseph was the lack of respect for women, relationships and marriage in Uganda.
One of the things that stood out was the lack of fresh marriages (a couple that hasn't married yet due to a lack of a dowry but has been living together with children-we'll come back to this) or marriages at all. The reason is 2 fold:
1.It's rare that a man can afford the dowry the father of the girls asks for, forcing the girl to run away with their guy thus not getting married (most of the people I met did this-it's insane)
2.Often the couple returns to her family, years later and with children, the father can't ask for a dowry from the father of his grandchildren so now the couple is allowed to get married. Even if a couple makes it to this point, some still don't get married because they don't have the financial means for a "wedding"
Some people look past not having the money and get married anyway- can you imagine your husband working up to an hour before your wedding, then wearing the same patched up outfit you wear everyday, exchanging vows over the tarnished, cheap rings Father Joseph provides for the couples, then riding off, not to a party or a dinner, but on a bike to your clay hut?
This is a big problem, because people aren't getting married, causing a lack of commitment, which is part of the problem with the spreading of diseases, like AIDS.
So here's where we come in-I'm collecting money to buy a few wedding dresses-I know it's not solving world hunger, but if it means one girl feels special on her wedding day or that Father can offer it to a girl that says she can't get married because she has nothing to wear (they say that to him) – isn't it worth it?
I'm not asking for much – whatever you can spare by May 1st. My hope is to buy 3 dresses – not Vera Wang's – but something pretty in 3 sizes. Father will keep the dresses at the church so that many girls can use them.
And here's the fun part – once we get some money, you're all invited to do the shopping – I can't wait!
Thank you so much for reading my story. Feel free to pass it on.
Love always,
Ashleigh
(If you are interested in contributing you can send or hand me checks or cash – checks made out to me: Ashleigh Ormsby and I promise to give you a full report of the beautiful dresses we will be sending to Uganda)
24 Rachel Rd.
Richboro Pa, 18954