LIVES TRANSFORMED THROUGH CRS
Stories of Hope, Resilience and Change
At Children Relief Service (CRS), we believe every programme is made up of a person, a family, and a story.
Our work is not only about the activities we carry out. It is about the people we serve, the opportunities we help create, and the hope that grows when people receive support and the opportunity to move forward.
Through our work with children, young people, girls, women, families, refugees, and host communities, we have seen people overcome difficult circumstances, develop new skills, regain confidence, access opportunities, and take important steps toward greater self-reliance.
This page shares some of these experiences through the voices and experiences of the people and communities we serve.
Where stories, photographs, or personal information are shared, CRS takes steps to protect people’s dignity, privacy, safety, and rights, in accordance with our safeguarding, privacy, data protection, confidentiality, and communications standards.
REAL STORIES. REAL PEOPLE. REAL CHANGE.
A GIRL’S JOURNEY FROM TRAINING TO MENTORSHIP
Save Jonamu
Save Jonamu participated in a CRS vocational training programme, where she gained practical skills that helped change the direction of her future.
Her journey continued beyond completing her training. Today, Save serves as a vocational training mentor, helping other girls develop useful practical skills, build confidence, explore entrepreneurship, and pursue independent and sustainable livelihoods within their community.
Her experience demonstrates how vocational training can create opportunities not only for an individual, but also for that person to become a source of encouragement and support for others.
Save’s journey is a powerful example of a young woman moving from being a beneficiary of skills development to becoming someone who helps other girls discover their own potential.
From vocational training → to practical skills → to mentorship → to inspiring other girls
VANESSA’S JOURNEY TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Vanessa
Through the CRS English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Bridging Programme, Vanessa received learning support that helped her overcome language barriers that had limited her educational opportunities.
The programme helped her improve her English language skills and develop greater confidence in learning. With this support, Vanessa was able to continue progressing through her education.
She is now studying in Form 4 and continuing to build a brighter future through education.
Her journey demonstrates how language support can help children overcome barriers that might otherwise affect their ability to learn, remain engaged in education, and pursue their goals.
From language barriers → to improved English → to greater confidence → to Form 4
FROM LEARNING BARRIERS TO EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS
Shukrani Denise
Through the CRS English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Bridging Programme, Shukrani Denise overcame language barriers that once limited her educational opportunities.
The EFL programme helped her improve her English language skills and develop renewed confidence in her education.
With improved English skills and renewed confidence, she completed secondary school and is preparing to begin her university studies in September 2026.
Her journey demonstrates how educational support can help young people overcome barriers, complete their education, and prepare for the next stage of their lives.
Shukrani’s experience is a reminder that when young people are allowed to learn, grow, and receive the support they need, their educational journey can continue far beyond the barriers they once faced.
From EFL Bridging → to improved English → to secondary school completion → to university
FROM EFL STUDENT TO SCHOOL TEACHER
Benito Angisha
Benito Angisha enrolled in CRS as an English as a Foreign Language student and spent 24 months learning and developing his English language skills.
Before and during his educational journey, English language barriers could limit access to educational and professional opportunities. Through his participation in the CRS EFL programme, Benito strengthened his ability to communicate and work confidently in English.
Today, Benito can work as a school teacher without the English language barrier that once limited his opportunities.
His journey demonstrates the importance of language education in helping young people access opportunities, strengthen their confidence, and contribute to their communities.
From EFL student → to 24 months of English learning → to overcoming language barriers → to teaching opportunity
FROM HAIRDRESSING TRAINING TO HER OWN SALON
Dorcas Elizabeth
Dorcas enrolled in CRS hairdressing and cosmetology vocational training, where she developed practical skills that could be used to create a livelihood.
After completing her vocational training, Dorcas put her skills into practice by opening her own salon.
Today, she is able to use the skills she gained through training to run her business and sustain her livelihood.
Her journey demonstrates how practical vocational training can provide young women with skills that can be transformed into entrepreneurship, income generation, and greater self-reliance.
From vocational training → to hairdressing and cosmetology skills → to her own salon → to self-reliance
FROM SOAP MAKING TRAINING TO A GROWING BUSINESS
Susan Maziya
Susan Maziya participated in CRS home-based industry production training in Dzaleka in 2025.
After learning soap making, she put her training into practice by starting to produce soap locally at home and selling her products to people in her community.
Rather than stopping after the training, Susan continued learning through experience. She listened to feedback from her customers and used that feedback to improve her products and meet the needs of the people buying them.
Today, she is able to produce high-quality detergent and related products, including shampoo, shower gel, toilet cleaner, and pine gel.
Susan’s journey has not been without challenges. As she explains, growing her business is not easy because some people are not yet familiar with her products. Nevertheless, she continues to develop her business and improve the quality of what she produces.
Susan’s Testimony
“My soap-making business started when I learnt home-based industry production in Dzaleka at Children Relief Services in 2025. I put into practice what I learnt by making soap locally at home and sell to the people in my community.
Throughout my journey in soap making, I used the feedback from my customers to produce the best product that reached their satisfaction. Now I am able to produce a high-quality detergent, and its related products like shampoo, shower gel, toilet cleaner, and pine gel.
Growing my business is not easy because some people are not familiar with my products.”
By Susan Maziya
Today, Susan’s business is not only providing her with an income opportunity. It is also helping her continue with her university study fees and living expenses.
Her story shows how practical vocational training can become a foundation for entrepreneurship and income generation, while also helping a young person continue pursuing higher education.
Susan’s journey demonstrates the connection between skills development, entrepreneurship, education, and self-reliance.
From training → to home-based production → to customer feedback → to product development → to business → to supporting university education and living expenses
FROM SUPPORT TO SELF-RELIANCE AND LIVELIHOOD
A Mother’s Path to Self-Reliance
What began as a helping hand became a journey toward greater independence.
Through the CRS Feed the Hungry and Food Security for Sustainable Livelihoods Programme, this mother received support that helped her develop opportunities to improve food production, nutrition, and household livelihood.
She gained the ability to cultivate healthy food, start an enterprise, and generate earnings while providing for her family.
Through these opportunities, she is working toward greater food security and a more sustainable livelihood.
Today, she is building a healthier future for herself and her family, showing how appropriate support and opportunities can help families move beyond immediate needs and strengthen their resilience.
Her journey reflects the CRS approach of connecting food security with sustainable livelihoods and self-reliance.
From support → to food production → to livelihood → to income generation → to greater self-reliance
YOUNG WOMEN BUILDING BRIGHTER FUTURES
Skills, Confidence and Opportunity
Through CRS vocational skills training and girls’ empowerment programmes, young women are gaining practical skills, confidence, and opportunities to create better futures for themselves and their families.
Through vocational training, participants develop skills that can be used to pursue entrepreneurship, start small businesses, generate income, and strengthen their ability to support themselves and their households.
The journeys of young women like Save Jonamu and Dorcas demonstrate how training can become a pathway from learning to practical application, entrepreneurship, mentorship, and self-reliance.
These experiences show that investing in girls and young women’s skills and empowerment can create benefits that extend beyond the individual to families and communities.
Skills → confidence → entrepreneurship → income → self reliance → stronger communities
COMMUNITIES TAKING ACTION
Some of the most meaningful changes happen when communities themselves take action.
CRS works alongside community members to identify challenges, protect vulnerable people, support one another, and develop solutions that respond to local needs.
These community-led efforts demonstrate the strength, knowledge, resilience, and commitment that already exist within Dzaleka and surrounding communities.
EVERY STORY MATTERS
Every story shared here represents more than a programme outcome. It represents courage, determination, resilience, and the belief that difficult circumstances do not have to define a person’s future.
These are the stories of people we have had the privilege to walk alongside. Their experiences remind us why we continue to serve and why investing in children, young people, girls, women, families, and communities can contribute to lasting change.
At CRS, we do not believe that people should be defined by the challenges they face. We believe they should be seen for their strength, potential, dignity, and ability to shape their own future.
Every life matters. Every story matters. Every step forward matters.
SAFEGUARDING, PRIVACY AND CONSENT
CRS respects the dignity, privacy, safety, and rights of every person whose story is shared.
Where photographs, personal information, quotations, or stories are published, CRS takes appropriate steps to obtain consent and protect the people featured, particularly children and vulnerable adults.
Stories are shared to highlight resilience, opportunity, and positive change, never to exploit people’s experiences or portray people solely through the challenges they have faced.