What Agnes Abab suffered in South Sudan is more than any person should survive. A refugee for 20 years, life started again when Agnes was welcomed into a Tailoring Group at Kakuma Refugee camp in Kenya, supported by the Lutheran family in Australia. Here you see how love comes to life for refugees like Agnes …

“There were four children in my family, but all the other children passed away.

I could not go to school because of the war.

I was married when I was 16 years of age. I did not want this - I was taken by force by a soldier from the north. I gave birth to three children by that man.

Because my husband was a soldier, the rebels came and bombed our place. My husband ran away with the other soldiers and I escaped with the children to the border. I fled to Nadapal (a tiny town on the Kenyan border with South Sudan – through ALWS, our Lutheran family supports a Transit Centre there).

I came to Kakuma in 1999.

When I came to the camp, I had no communication with my husband. I did not know if he was alive or dead, so I developed a relationship with another man. He was an HIV infected man, but I was not educated to know what this really meant and was too shy to say no.

He has now died, but I had four children with him, although one of them died. I have now found out that I am HIV positive.

Life became very hard for me after he died. I had no money for fruit or vegetables, so I was very sick from the HIV drugs.

I heard about the LWF tailoring course and so I enrolled. (Lutheran World Federation – our ALWS partner at Kakuma)

This training has helped me so much. I have learnt how to make the bags. Sewing the bags gives me some income to buy clothes for my children. My only source of income is from making the bags.

Now I can eat well and buy fruit and vegetables. This makes much better health for me.

It has helped me to get a sewing machine for my home. The money from the sewing has helped me to purchase a TV set and hire electricity from a generator. This helps keep my children from roaming the streets. It pays for my children’s school fees and even for the motorcycle ride for them to and from school while I am working at sewing!

I am so grateful. Because I never went to school, my only income before was from brewing beer. Learning to sew is a much more honourable way to earn an income.

I have also been going to a support group for people with HIV.

Before this group I thought I would die, so I did not celebrate at Christmas – I gave no presents for my children – I just gave up on life.

Before this group I thought I would die, so I did not celebrate at Christmas – I gave no presents for my children – I just gave up on life.

Now, being part of this support group, and interacting with others with HIV, has helped me not be afraid.

We meet once a month and encourage each other. Each month we contribute 200KHS ($2.80 AUS) that goes into a kitty which can support another member if they can’t work or pay for medicine. There is a doctor at these meetings who gives us information about nutrition and that it’s important to breastfeed our children.

Now I counsel other young people and teach them not to engage in sex, and to go and get tested at a hospital.

I am so happy to be a part of the sewing group because there is no discrimination here. I feel free and am treated like anyone else.

I am also being trained by LWF how to save money by being part of the Savings & Loans Group. Now I can take a loan for uniforms and fabric. This will help my business to grow.

I am very, very, very, very thankful for the people who provided money for this sewing program. I would not be where I am today without it. Thank you.”

Agnes is 42 years old. She was interviewed by Julie Krause at Kakuma Refugee Camp in July 2019, translated by Hilda Thuo from LWF.

You can also help with funding by earmarking your donations toward the Kakuma Tailoring Program (for trainers, sewing tools, materials and sewing machines) or by purchasing a Gift of Grace kit for $31. The kit includes scissors, and five metres of material.

Sew much good!

Our Lutheran family’s support to refugees through sewing does not stop at Kakuma Refugee Camp. Each Friday, the Lutheran Community Sewing Group meets at Albert Park in Adelaide, teaching former refugees to learn to sew, helping them learn English, and laughing as they make new friends. You can watch a beautiful three-minute video below – have tissues handy! The Sewing Group is always looking for more volunteers and donations of material. Simply contact the volunteer coordinator, Helen Semmler: (08) 8370 2499 khsemmler@optusnet.com.au