Empowering Change in Uganda: The Vision of Grace Julius Ssembatya and GRM

Tasha: So can you please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your nonprofit history?

Grace: Wow. Okay. Thanks for the, for hosting me and thanks for creating such a beautiful platform.

Grace: I’m Grace Julius. I’m a leader. of an organization called GRM.

Grace: GRM stands for grassroots ministry. We are based in Uganda. Uh, our mission is to equip young rural young people with trade skills and also providing nutritious meals to vulnerable children in our community. To give you a little bit of background, the reason why I started with the mission is to make it clear on how we work and how we move forward.

Grace: We started as just a young people trying out to do good in the community, just to help out to see how we can also add something in our community.

Grace: You know, the challenge in living, uh, in rural, or in rural areas or in developed country, in, uh, less developed countries is we don’t have safety nets. Like, as you can say in more of the world countries that if something or the pandemic hits, this is what we have literally, it’s mostly put into books, but it’s not actioned.

Grace: So we had to create a safety net for our community to say that we stand with those who are starving. As young people, we thought that it’s very important for us to, to organize ourselves and talk to a few who have and share with, with a few who don’t have.

Grace: So we organized ourselves under the, uh, uh, organization called Grassroots Ministry. So we started moving door to door on how we can, uh, get food and also give those who don’t have so, and. We managed to put it or to pull it off because we managed to feed some of the older people in our community and also the young, the young kids who were working with back then.

Grace: But after the pandemic, We are like, we have to remain relevant and also to, to, to look at other, to, to, to widen our scope.

Grace: So that’s when we added on equipping rural youth with trade skills

Grace: you know, the problem we are trying to solve in the community is not moving forward and it’s not sustainable because I want this resource to come back to the community. To also help this rural area move from its feet to be start productive, producing something so that we don’t have to outsource everything from town.

Grace: So thinking out loud, uh, like we have to create something sustainable for our, for our community.

Tasha: Lots of, uh, Pivoting, right. You aimed in this direction needing to, uh, sometimes nonprofit work, it has to have some flexibility, right. In order to, to see what happens next.

Tasha: So next question, which I love to ask everyone because it’s always so interesting is what is your favorite part of working in the nonprofit space?

Grace: Uh, the favorite piece of me is, you know, this feeling when you are in the nonprofit, it’s always a selfish feeling because Tasha, I will not feel what I feel when I help someone.

Grace: It’s a selfish feeling. And one person told me that the person who gives is the one who experienced the joy. So every time you transform or you impact someone’s life, I’ll be honest. There’s this example of this gentleman that I managed to, to help put his business together. Surprisingly there are people that will go through our hands and then you put their things together, their business plans and boom, boom.

Grace: We have gone through and we are, we are prominent businessmen because we have a few examples of those. And once in a while they call you and they tell you, Grace, but you are the one giving us ideas. You’re the one helping us move. And you know, sometimes you have different callings in this world. So your calling could be maybe uplifting others to do better in life.

Grace: And they just need you to just put the puzzles together. So when you do that puzzle for them, They can easily succeed. And that’s the favorite part about my work that whenever I pull the puzzles together of this individual or this young person and I see them prosper, I don’t feel bad. I’ll be happy because I was part of his story.

Grace: Every story is going to tell, I’ll always be part of it. And that’s my, that’s what I always say that maybe that’s why I have to leave. And that’s what counts because I imagine I’ll say, I don’t have a car. I don’t have a good house. I don’t have what, but the life you have impacted. This feeling will not be documented anywhere, but it will be inside you.

Grace: You’ll die with you and you’ll never give it to your kids or anyone, but it’s, it’s yours. It’s like when I go to school and learn something, I will not, my kids will not hear, hear that and say, maybe my father was a doctor. I’m also going to inherit his degree, diploma or what. It’s the same thing when you help [00:05:00] someone and see the work, what we are doing.

Grace: We are just creating, making other people’s stories better. We are just making their stories go through and that’s what they all non profit is all about. Basically, some people say it’s about our stories. No, it’s not about our stories. We’re just put in the middle to put, you know, to help put the puzzles together.

Grace: Because today, if I’m feeding a child to have a meals, like through the meals project, these kids, you don’t know who they are going to be tomorrow, but to them, saving them from starvation. And they are, they are, we are acknowledging that. And what I pray is they become better citizens because you are trying to create a better world tomorrow.

Grace: And I’m like, that’s my favorite part. Just impacting someone’s life, changing someone’s story. And we should always live up to that because life is all about stories and the stories that matter because these houses don’t matter.

Grace: But whenever we are sick, those stories come back to us and be like, wow. But I’ve had a good ride because life is all about having a good ride. And that’s right. It involves people around you and the people and beyond.

Tasha: Yeah, absolutely. Well, I very, very similarly, I’ve said to many people, the nonprofit Hive and starting this feels like one of the most selfish things I’ve ever done.

Tasha: Because it gives back something to me all the time, all the time. I’ve met wonderful people like you. I love following along with the journey of people who are changing the world. I love if I can put the. Two of the right people in a room and something comes out of it that didn’t exist before, um, you know, whether it’s a conversation or an opportunity for a grant or a collaboration or whatever, that’s what’s better than that.

Tasha: Right? Like, but it’s, you know, as great as it might be for those two people in conversation. It’s just as good for me, like, I, you know, it’s just, I, I do agree, uh, sometimes it is about the feeling or having even a small moment to impact a story, right? Someone else’s story, even just that little impact is, is very, very cool.

Tasha: So I, I feel very similarly to you on that. Yes. So, uh, next, what kind, like, um, okay, I’m going to start over. So challenges that you’ve seen in this work, you know, what do you find that’s Some of the hardest parts of, of working in nonprofit, particularly as a founder.

Grace: Uh, the most challenge is

Grace: it’s again, uh, it’s more and as an n video challenge because. But it can be different because we live in different societies or communities, especially in Africa. As a non profit leader, you find the challenge that the family, the people around you sometimes will not support you because they will think that you are just wasting time.

Grace: At the end of the day, you don’t have the supporting system as a non profit, a leader in Uganda or founder in Africa, because people will not see your name because there’s a way how people have changed. Uh, uh, the definition of sexist and how someone has to live life because it’s so overwhelming. You know, it’s overwhelming generally because Moving forward, you remember a non profit moves on funds and moves on the people, the, the, the, the social capital you have.

Grace: And as a charity leader in Africa, it’s very hard to get that, that social capital yet in the past it was there, but now it has gone because of, uh, I think the times have changed because now it’s very, very, very. But you find yourself, there are those few, few good individuals that come on board, but it would have been better for a community to, you know, to acknowledge the goodness that you’re trying to do.

Grace: But if it’s known that you find that you’re going to burn out as a, as a founder, you’re going to stress a lot. You’re not going to get someone to give a hand and you find yourself that it’s mostly strangers that come in and acknowledge what you’re trying to do in the community. Surprisingly, uh, as a founder, Yeah, people talk about funding.

Grace: Yes, funding is key as is in the nonprofit. But I believe that in the resource that we ever have as a nonprofit is other people because that’s, that’s where our capital is. So if you have a good network of people around you, that’s what really counts. And because those people, you don’t know what they might bring in.

Grace: They might bring in ideas. They can say dinner. That’s, uh, That’s what I, again, I’m still working on, because if you don’t have that good team around you, at the end of the day, you’ll never get the fans. Because fans come second, right? So it first has to come with people. So it’s very hard to get people to trust you, basically, even when you’re starting, because there will be a spectacle.

Grace: Grace is doing this, so it’s very hard. It’s very hard to convince someone of what you are trying to do. And so it’s also disappointing as someone trying to do good, because no one is paying you to do whatever you are doing. It’s just your passion. And you are just, it’s the same thing that drives you every day because no one will wake you and be like, Grace, wake up, go and do this.

Grace: No. But because you remember there’s this young child who needs to feed, there’s this young boy who needs to be skilled, you wake up and be like, let me just use the gift I have. Maybe getting my degree through whatever I did, it can help me open certain doors that I couldn’t open when I never had that degree.

Grace: So there’s that level that you reach on and be like, let me use the privilege, the little privilege that I have of being a teacher. Speaking a little English and also comprehend to open certain doors because it’s also credit and people under understand it is because we have people in our community that cannot communicate in the little times possible and that’s a barrier already but the world we are in In Uganda, even if it’s an African country, you find that they want you to speak English and they will not recognize the local language.

Grace: That’s why in one of our programs, you are trying to bring back the culture pride. Like people need to, I wouldn’t be ashamed of speaking my local language, but that’s what they have created. And people, it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s a challenge. It’s a challenge. They are complex, but we are trying to maneuver, trying to wave through them and making them, you know, they always say the best piece of art comes from when the pieces are disorganized.

Grace: And then when you put them together, that’s why they call it a nice piece of art. But I like the way the things are moving and I like the way the plane It’s a

Tasha: big job and I think what for many non profits i’m sure it’s uh, you know even more so in In africa because like you’re noting there’s some really big societal shifts, you know, even You know, here in Canada where I am, you know, people, if you were to say I’m starting my own, if I’m doing a startup, right, people will go, well, that’s kind of crazy, but maybe you’ll make a bunch of money.

Tasha: So, okay. But if you said, I’m going to start my own nonprofit. Everybody knows you’re never going to make any money doing that. So that’s just crazy. Right. And like, you know, I think we’re still as a society, very focused on things that make money and that that is the priority. And if your calling and life is different than that, uh, it challenges, it challenges people’s views on the world, right?

Tasha: Because they’re making decisions that are financially fueled. They, they look at things always. Um, so I, you know, lots of differences, but I do think, um, most people in nonprofit, their family and friends are like, why are you doing this? Right?

Grace: Yeah. Just to add on that thing. You know, I always tell people that, you know, sometimes we are driven by what the media says and we forgot about what we want as a people.

Grace: ’cause I always add it on what people, when they ask me why I do what I do, I always tell them, follow the passion. Because the passion will bring a peace of mind and that’s what matters in this world. When you don’t have that peace of mind, then the life you have lived will never matter. And I always read about the American dream, you know, the United Americans, I’m sorry to say, but they always chase the dream, which you don’t achieve.

Grace: Because every time they will, like now, if you read about the latest thing that they produce, like Cars and they always bring a new version and this is the crazy world we are living in. But as human beings, we have to find the middle ground and be like, okay, I think this is me and this is what it brings speaks to me.

Grace: And if you can reach that level of acknowledging the state you are in and be like, it’s worth it. I think it’s a, it’s a, it’s a wonderful right to take and enjoy the life because we have a limited time to stay on. But we have to be profitable and to make better decisions. But if we keep on chasing things that we can get and in the process we forget about our kids, our family and ourselves, it leaves bigger questions.

Grace: But I would love to leave it to our people to decide because it’s always an individual decision as a people to decide whether you want to be happy Or you want to presume that you are happy. Yeah,

Tasha: those are big questions, right? And I think, uh, those of us who, you know, work in social impact are sometimes asking those questions when other people aren’t.

Tasha: So I love that. So my next question is around peer support. So, you know, in your work in non profit, In your work, creating, you know, this charity GRM, like how does peer support factor into your success? Like, um, so to date, how has that factored in?

Grace: Uh, you know, as, as human beings, we’re always, uh, full of, uh, you know, when there’s something when you’re, I would use this example of analogy of a family because When the head of a family loses track, sometimes you find that your family will not go in the right direction.

Grace: So it’s the same thing in the nonprofit. You know, you are the founder. You might think you have it all, but sometimes there are people who have done it better than you. And there are people who have been where you are and they have managed to achieve whatever they have achieved. And because you are not on the same level and that’s, you have to acknowledge it.

Grace: We are never on the same level, but you have to up your game. You as a leader also have to know who can benefit me and who cannot. And we are always connected to different people. So you sit back and be like, okay, I like this skill and I need this skill. So whom do I connect with? So this is where the peer support comes in.

Grace: So, and the connections that we make. So it’s over, it’s always good to this, to, to, to, uh, to discover yourself as a, as a leader, because Our is not all about knowing how to do things. It’s all about knowing to put the pieces together and make it work. I can have a vision, but I’ll need to put together people that can bring that vision because leaders always change.

Grace: I’m not, I’m not going to be that run things forever, but I would love to put the people, the peer support that we get helps us identify people that we can work with and they can help you to push that vision ahead because we are all gifted differently. And we have to acknowledge that I can do what I always say that I speak well, but there are people that can speak better than me in different audiences.

Grace: So, and I will not be taking the show all the time. So as a leader, you have to let other people lead. So, which type of leader are you? Are you a leader with titles or are you a leader who lets other people lead? And you just observe and be like, wow, that’s amazing. So, sometimes we forget, we get drownded and these support connections that we make helps us navigate through that.

Grace: And they always act as a safety net, as a voice of reason sometimes. But I’m not saying that you have to listen to every reason because there are those who come and put you down and be like, you will never make it. I don’t know how you’re going to do that. So, but again, it goes back to you. You have to be a bread, a bread full of as a leader.

Grace: You are those. Opinions you are going to be offensive to you. Yeah. That’s advice is going, which is going to put you down, but how do you react and how do you come back to it and how do you move forward from it? Because not every interaction is going to be, I know someone, but they are, they are those beta.

Grace: Connection that you are going to make and they speak truth to you, however sad it is. And you have to be awakened because the world is, the world is tough. So as a non profit, like we say, we have also to be like tigers because grants, funding and everything, it’s tough.

Tasha: It’s tough getting

Grace: people, getting on board with you, it’s tough.

Grace: So, and the peer support, everything matters. To make you into that person who can move from this level to another level because that’s our goal I wouldn’t be talking about this with tasha with you next year I’ll be like we have not finished the roof. We are still on the roof. I’m here I’m stuck, you know that story it has to end sometimes and you have to get a story That’s why we said in the non profit challenge to challenge challenge to challenge and this challenge helps you to mold you into a better Person to face another bigger challenge.

Tasha: Oh, I love that. That’s a, that’s a great way to look at it too, that, you know. Yeah, it is challenge to challenge, but we gain strengths along the way, right? That make us more prepared for, for the next challenge. Or maybe sometimes the next challenge is smaller than putting a roof on the, a roof on your building.

Tasha: And so you’re like, Oh, I’ve got this, this challenge. This is so big deal, right? So that’s, that can be nice as well. Um, okay. That’s great. And you’ve been a member of the nonprofit hive. I think I looked, I think, think you’ve done like. 12 or 13 calls now or something like that. I have, I have all the numbers somewhere.

Tasha: I have to find a better way to, um, but really appreciated that. I love to see you interacting online with some of our other, uh, members. What have you gotten out of being, uh, a member of the nonprofit Hive to date?

Grace: Uh, to be honest, uh, uh, the nonprofit Hive is more like a family to me because now I have.

Grace: Put in my car and I like on Thursdays have this new person I need to talk to. So, uh, you know, sometimes we hate being programmed, but also programming is good in life because it helps you to look forward for something that whenever you lose that hope is something that you look forward to, you know, it’s like when you’re, um, you wake up and be like, okay, I think.

Grace: That is a little bit organized, disorganized, but there is that one call that maybe I’ll get and maybe talk to this person, to this individual. So the nonprofit Hive so far has been like a family to me because every day you get a chance to talk to new people, new perspective, and you don’t know, like I said earlier.

Grace: It’s all, everything’s different. They’re not going to be the same. Everyone has different skill set. Everyone is raised differently. So it goes back to you again, as a person of this family, because we all come from different families, stubborn, crazy people who are in family. So how do you manage to be with these people?

Grace: So you will find those who are friendly, there are those who are non friendly. So it’s up, it’s up to you as a leader, because we are all to read the room and know, okay, how do I go through?

Tasha: Yeah. Okay.

Grace: This person, this, because yeah, there are those people you meet and you’re like, okay, you read the Roman and be like, okay, now this, so, but finally, finally it’s not perfect.

Grace: Like people want to say. Perfect. Is a moving experience every day because every day the experience differently, it’s like raising kids today. They are peaceful tomorrow, but are you going to throw them away? No, it’s part of the life. So I like it. And yeah, I just pray that we are supposed to keep on supporting, supporting the cause and everything so that we connect because.

Grace: These bridges that we have created, they are better than because I’ll give you a little bit of background back when I was still in high school and my from six back when I just starting out because I was struggling. So I was like, back then, remember, we didn’t have these technologies. It was sometime back, so it was all about writing letters and I used to write letters and you send it to somewhere you don’t know and someone never rep applies and you’re all like, okay, I wish one day I’ll get to go to the US and talk to this person.

Grace: But the nonprofit hive, it’s like as eliminated those I I, I always tell people, uh. I have friends all over the world and that’s what counts because I love being the global community because the more bridges we build, the more solutions and ideas keep on flowing. And that’s what I love about the community.

Grace: It’s full of brilliant people, people who have solutions, people that are eager to listen. And it’s why I’m still answering those calls. I’m like, I need, I need to be pleasant. I need to be around and thank you to the team, to the amazing team, Tasha and your team for organizing such things and for. pushing on pushing on every day.

Tasha: Thank you. Thank you. Well, it’s been it’s been a wonderful experience, like very personal for for me, just all these people that I’ve met and and it also, like you said, the world Can feel very big at times and it also, you know, I, I very much have a list of individuals in Uganda that I know if I ever go. I have very many people to visit.

Tasha: So, uh, thank you very much for doing this chat with me. This was amazing. And I’ll make sure to include some information about your mission so that people can go and check out the amazing work that you’re doing.

Grace: Thank you.