From trauma to triumph: Gulu’s new library offers healing, opportunity

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A modern library and resource centre has been opened in Gulu city to support survivors of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency, child mothers and other trauma-stricken members of the community.

Located in Techo Ward, Bardege–Layibi division, the facility was established by THRIVEGulu, a trauma recovery organisation, with support from donors.

Built for shillings 600 million, it can accommodate up to 120 users at once.

The centre has a reading room stocked with culturally appropriate and locally sourced books, a meeting room for story times and children’s activities, and a media centre with computers and internet access.

It also hosts a resource hub offering information and workshops on parenting, HIV/AIDS, gender-based violence, and reproductive health. In addition, users can access mental health services such as counselling and domestic violence support.

A community’s vision realised

According to Salome Amuge, Country Director of THRIVEGulu, the media centre is expected to allow users to promote their businesses, search for jobs, and conduct academic research online.

Kathleen Sorenson, one of the donors who supported the establishment of the library. (Photo by Claud Omona)

She described the library and resource centre as a cornerstone in the recovery journey for women and girls affected by the two decades of insurgency.

“It’s a place where our women can not only access information but also find a community that understands and supports them,” Amuge said.

“This library is a testament to what is possible when we come together.”

The facility will be open daily, from morning to evening, and will serve the wider trauma-affected community with a collection of inspiring and healing literature.

More than books: A hub for empowerment

The official launch, held on September 11, 2025, was marked with joy by community members, staff, donors, and local leaders.

The women library and resource centre located in Bardege-Layibi Division in Gulu City. (Photo by Claud Omona)

Lucy Aol, who survived four-and-a-half years of LRA captivity and later underwent trauma healing at THRIVEGulu, said they had long advocated for such a centre.

“…we asked for a place where women like me could access trauma healing and literacy support… and that’s why we have THRIVEGulu here today,” she shared.

Another beneficiary, Ketty Amal, a mother of three, was supported by THRIVEGulu after battling mental illness three years ago.

She went on to write a book, ‘No Health Without Mental Health’, which tells her story of recovery. Amal has now donated a copy to the library.

“…those who are depressed are many, and I want my book to help them,” she explained.

The new women’s library is designed as a multi-purpose hub, offering more than just reading space. It will host literacy classes, vocational training, and workshops on financial literacy and entrepreneurship.

Peer support groups will also meet here, providing survivors with opportunities to share experiences and build networks of mutual encouragement.

Its shelves are stocked with a wide range of books, from personal development and health to fiction and children’s literature, making it a valuable resource for all ages and a legacy for future generations.

Rebuilding a reading culture

Speaking at the launch, former Uganda diplomat to the United Nations and former presidential candidate, Dr Olara Otunu, emphasised the importance of lifelong learning.

“The habit of reading has died here,” he said. “People don’t read partly because there are no books and partly because the education system has collapsed.”

He urged women using the library to honour donors’ generosity by emulating their example.

Gulu City Woman Member of Parliament, Betty Aol Ocan, noted the scarcity of libraries in the area and appealed for the new facility to be sustained for years to come.

“In the past, many learners relied on the Human Rights Focus library. But since it was relocated, there has been no library for students,” she said.

Judy Dushku, founder and donor of THRIVEGulu, reflected on her vision for the organisation: a space centred on reading, literacy, and education for women affected by the LRA insurgency.