Concy Aloyo

Founder of Wabedu Kigen Women’s Collective, Uganda 

Concy Aloyo is a community leader from Amuru district in Northern Uganda, working to place women’s
leadership at the centre of peacebuilding and recovery. In a region scarred by decades of war, where
women and girls were abducted and many returned home facing stigma and hardship, she has built a
model of collective strength and renewal. Abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army as a child, Concy
returned home determined not only to rebuild her own life but to support other women to do the same.
She founded Wabedu Kigen (let’s have hope) to bring survivors together for mutual support, economic
opportunity and a shared political voice. Linked into ActionAid’s African Women Voices for Peace coalition,
which connects groups across Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Concy
has built solidarity across borders where women are reshaping what recovery looks like after war.

For women returning from captivity, being part of a collective helps them to heal, share experiences, and rebuild their lives free from stigma. Many returnees came home with children whose paternal lineage was unknown, and these children were often labelled as “children of rebels.” Through the group, women have been able to raise funds, buy land, and create new beginnings for themselves and their children, restoring hope and dignity would have been much harder to achieve alone.

I was inspired to form Wabedu Kigen to bring these women survivors together to provide mutual support and collective strength. When we are organised in a group and registered at the district level of government it becomes easier to access services and support from NGOs, government, and Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (community run financial groups where members pool their money and can borrow at low interest to support livelihoods).

Combining emotional support with livelihood activities strengthens women’s recovery and resilience. Through Wabedu Kigen, women share their experiences and heal together, while accessing skills training and entrepreneurship opportunities. This dual approach helps our members rebuild their confidence while growing their economic independence. It nurtures emotional healing and more tangible support to earn an income, support one another, and create sustainable change for their families and communities.

Wabedu Kigen is connected to other women’s groups across Africa through ActionAid’s African Women Voices for Peace coalition. Through this network, I’ve been able to meet with other frontline women leaders from different countries and communities, an experience I never imagined possible.” “The solidarity built across borders has been powerful. It’s created space for shared learning, mutual encouragement, and exchange of ideas on how women can lead peacebuilding and recovery efforts in their own contexts. Our connection has helped amplify our collective voices and has strengthened the broader movement for women-led peace and security across the Great Lakes region.

Women are natural caregivers both in times of conflict and peace. They nurture children, care for extended families and the elderly, and work tirelessly to provide for their households. Beyond caregiving, women play a crucial role in negotiating and sustaining peace at every level from the family and community to the national stage. Because women are deeply affected by conflict, we must also be at the center of rebuilding efforts. Women’s voices, experiences, and leadership are essential in shaping peaceful, inclusive, and resilient communities after war.

At Wabedu Kigen, our voices carry the strength of women determined to rebuild their lives despite economic hardship, social stigma, and the lingering effects of conflict.

We are creating practical solutions on the frontlines of recovery, showing the power of collective action and how organised, supported women can transform their communities, foster inclusion and create lasting change even in the face of adversity.