“Sanyu” means “happy” and it has been quite a journey for this lovely woman to grow into her name.   She was married young and had a son, Jimmy. But when her husband discovered she was HIV+ he sent her away from his home, denying that he, too, had HIV. 

Sanyu came to Kampala to stay with her sister where they  lived in a very poor circumstance.  Fortunately, she enrolled herself in an HIV/AIDS treatment center, which is where BeadforLife first met Sanyu.

Sanyu has proven to be a gentle and natural leader.  She worked with BeadforLife representing the beaders on our affordable housing project.    She saved her earnings from selling beads and was one of the first to build a house in Friendship Village.  She is now the vice chairwoman of the village.

Together with her sister, Sanyu has opened a shop selling pots, pans and cooking utensils.  Business is good and so is life for Sanyu and her son, who is now in boarding school.