Meet Dorcus, one of our favorite smiles you'll find at Sanyu Rising. She started as one of our students in the Creative Workshop and now heads up our market and online shop, supervising custom orders and managing our artisans and inventory. Read her story below, shared in her own words, on how being part of our team has impacted her in many great ways.
"My name is Dorcus, I come from a family of 5 siblings, 3 girls and 2 boys. I am a mother to my 5 year old son, named Jirus. My life has had some big personal challenges. Emotionally, and financially I was really struggling. I choose to distant myself from my mom and child's father to protect myself from unhealthy situations. I had a hard time making friends, and I was rude and bossy to others. I realized it was my own doing. I reached a point where I isolated myself and I was hurting many people around me.
I had the opportunity through Sanyu Rising Ministries to learn how to sew, so I was willing to participate. This was during the Covid times, so classes would break on and off during that year. When classes were off, I had got a different job as a waitress, but then Sanyu Rising added different skills training like baking bread and cakes, so I decided to continued with them. Each morning they would teach us a mandatory Bible lesson and slowly I got more interested.
Aunty Molly started sitting with me after classes and discussing life with me. She would ask why I would distance myself from others, and why I would have those negative behaviors. One time when I felt safe and trusting, I opened up to her fully and shared my life stresses and pain. She gave me much of her time in counselling and prayed for me. It was during that time I realized there are good people in this world, those who don't want to hurt you, but are brought to encourage you and show you love. Because of her good heart, I tried my best to change my ways and welcomed my classmates as friends. Before graduation that year, she offered me a business opportunity to bake for customers special orders. This helped in supporting me to earn money to care for my family. It turned into a part time role on the staff team, and because of the success in our bakery, we extended to help manage the creative market with fulfilling the product orders and working alongside the team of makers. Aunty Molly saw potential in me and then trusted me to also learn marketing.
I have gown so much spiritually, mentally. and emotionally. I am so thankful for my teachers and the programs at Sanyu Rising for making me more responsible, and to God for changing my heart. I am able to care for my sons needs, his education and I am independently supporting myself thanks to the work I am able to have. I am now able to care for my mom who has recently had an operation.
This ministry doesn't just help us financially move out of poverty, but it is helping develop our character to be more like Christ, and training us to be healthy mentally and emotionally."
~Dorcus