Real journeys of courage, resilience, and transformation
When Sharifa received her cancer diagnosis, she thought her story was over. But through community support, mental health care, and unwavering hope, she discovered that her diagnosis was not the end—it was the beginning of a new chapter filled with courage and purpose.
Every story is unique, but they all share one thing: the power of hope and the strength of community.
From devastating loss to purposeful living—David's journey of faith, loss, and rebuilding as a single father...
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Stood not just as a child, but as an ambassador carrying her country, her generation, and the quiet stories many do not know how to tell...
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A pastor's wife, a mother not only to the children she gave birth to, but to the many hearts God placed in her...
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People are often speaking of perfectionism as something disturbing as pressure, as restlessness, as...
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And I've learned something simple and stubborn: life is a puzzle. Not every piece comes with instructions. Not every moment makes sense when it arrives...
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How access to basic childbirth accessories could save thousands of women's lives in Africa...
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Mental Health & Healing
She was light in human form. A young woman with a vibrant spirit and a smile that made people feel seen. Her energy filled every room she entered, bringing warmth and joy to those around her.
She studied, she grew, and she dreamed boldly. Surrounded by friends, she found love, built a home, and stepped into marriage with hope. Life was full of promise, and the future looked bright with endless possibilities.
Then one day, life changed. She was told she had breast cancer. The diagnosis came like a sudden storm, threatening to extinguish her light. Fear and uncertainty became her unwelcome companions.
But she did not give in to fear. She fought with courage, faith, and quiet strength through pain, treatment, and uncertainty. Every chemotherapy session, every difficult day, she held onto hope and refused to let cancer steal her spirit.
Sharifa fought bravely for her life, for her husband, and for her two children who were her strength and reason to keep going when the journey felt impossible. Though she has since passed on, her courage did not end with her life. Sharifa's story reminds us that a diagnosis is not just a medical battle, but a deeply human one shaped by love, resilience, and support. Today, her legacy lives on as a beacon of hope for others facing similar struggles. Even in loss, her life teaches us that from ashes, beauty can still rise.
From devastating loss to purposeful living
David's world changed forever when his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. What followed were three years of hospital visits, treatments, and unwavering hope as they fought together. Despite their prayers and efforts, she eventually passed away, leaving David to raise their children alone.
Left to navigate overwhelming grief while protecting his children's future, David faced the challenge of single fatherhood. As a teacher and safety specialist, he had to balance his demanding work with being both mother and father to his kids. The weight of responsibility was immense, but giving up was never an option.
Guided by his faith and the wisdom of Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go" David found strength in his spiritual foundation. He learned that healing has no timeline. Some days were harder than others, but through his faith community and unwavering determination, he began to see a path forward.
Through the Beauty for Ashes Humanitarian Initiative, David is now transforming his pain into purpose. He's building a sustainable future for his children while impacting lives through education, safety training, and environmental care. His work in beekeeping and tree planting provides not just income, but hope for his family's tomorrow.
"From ashes, he chooses hope. Every day is a choice to move forward, to build something beautiful from the brokenness."
Today, David stands as a beacon of resilience. His story reminds us that while we cannot control what happens to us, we can choose how we respond. Through faith, community support, and determination, he's not just surviving—he's creating a legacy of hope for his children and inspiring others facing similar struggles. His journey from devastating loss to purposeful living proves that with faith and perseverance, beauty truly can rise from ashes.
Flag Bearer
At thirteen years old, Kansiime Linda Lesly Praise stood not just as a child, but as an ambassador carrying her country, her generation, and the quiet stories many do not know how to tell.
She did not begin with shouting. She began with stillness. Three… two… one. She spoke of a truth she learned early that the deepest things are often hidden. And in that moment, the room understood. Silence was no longer empty. It was full of people living with depression, anxiety, PTSD, schizophrenia, and struggles without names.
She spoke for those whose pain does not arrive in clear sentences. For the shaking hands. The searching eyes. The bodies that grow quiet when the world becomes too loud. And she reminded them gently: you are not invisible. She spoke to the healers too—the caregivers, psychologists, and medical professionals—thanking them for listening beyond words, for hearing what lives behind "I'm fine." She reminded them that even those who heal are human.
And in that shared space between those healing and those still healing—her message was simple and brave: Being heard is not the cure. But it is the beginning. So she asked the world not to rush past silence, not to ignore it, but to listen and to walk the journey together. And when she finished, the room did not erupt. It listened.
With gained skills makes a difference
A pastor's wife, a mother not only to the children she gave birth to, but to the many hearts God placed in her hands. She lives in Kanyanya but her heart has never stayed in one place.
It walks the villages. It sits with pain. It listens to stories most people walk past. She grew up in Luwero during the war. She saw hunger before she understood its name. She saw fear before she learnt how to pray. She watched people suffer—children, women, families—and something broke inside her, not to destroy her, but to shape her calling. From those ashes, a burden was born. She saw girls whose childhood ended too early, pregnant before they understood life. She saw boys told they were "mature enough," sent out to prove manhood by destroying futures in silence.
She saw women in marriages, bruised in body and spirit, taught to endure torture and call it love. And instead of turning away, she turned towards them. She began TULI NAMWE "Wherever I go, I am with them." With them in the pain. With them in the learning. With them in the rising. She opened her home to children who slept in houses shared with animals, to orphans.
A Committed giver
People are often speaking of perfectionism as something disturbing—as pressure, as restlessness, as a fire that leaves only ashes behind. They are focusing on what it breaks, not on what it can become. They are not seeing him. He is a perfectionist, yes, but he is working with intention. Before he is starting anything, he is seeking clarity. He is creating a mental map, a clear process. Whether he is handling campus work, sitting with a laptop late into the night, or carrying responsibilities placed in his hands, he is not rushing. He is first understanding.
And when it is about IT, something is shifting. Anything involving systems, technology, problem-solving, or structure is becoming his favorite space. He is loving it the most. Logic is calming him. Processes are making sense. Where others are feeling overwhelmed, he is finding focus. The screen is becoming a place of order, not pressure. Once the process is becoming clear, he is building steadily. He is working through tasks without stopping, adjusting and refining until everything is working as it should. He is not doing this out of fear, but out of respect for the work. What many are calling disturbing, he is reshaping. What looks like ashes, he is organizing. What feels like pressure, he is turning into purpose. He is not being burned by his perfectionism. He is being built by it. And from the ashes, beauty is rising quietly, steadily, intentionally.
Champion of Grace
I've stood on international stages—former Miss Politan International, Miss Tourism Cambodia, and the face of Malaysia's airport, welcoming the world with grace.
But titles are only chapters. They're not the whole story. Through fashion and design, I say what words can't always hold. I create meaning—turning creativity into purpose, and beauty into a message that speaks back. I'll say this without hesitation: nothing in life is gained without struggle. Every delay teaches patience. Every fall leaves a lesson. And everything—everything—comes for a reason.
Now, working with Tradicle, I continue to grow—not chasing perfection, but honoring the process, placing each piece where it belongs. Because when the puzzle is finally complete, it won't just show success. It will show strength, purpose, and a life that understood why it had to be hard.
Addressing the critical link between childbirth conditions and women's health
In many African countries, the lack of access to basic childbirth accessories, often referred to as "mama kits," is a significant contributor to health issues, including cervical cancer. During childbirth, women in these regions often face unhygienic conditions, increasing the risk of infections like HPV (Human Papillomavirus), a leading cause of cervical cancer.
Without proper sterilization of tools or clean materials, the risk of infection skyrockets. Many women give birth in facilities without adequate supplies or at home using unclean instruments and materials, exposing them to life threatening infections that can lead to long-term health consequences.
Cervical cancer, often caused by HPV, is a major health issue in Africa due to limited screening and prevention resources. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women in several African countries, claiming thousands of lives each year that could be prevented with proper care and resources.
Access to mama kits, which include items like sterile gloves, gauze, antiseptic solutions, clean razor blades, and other essentials, could significantly reduce infection risks. These simple, affordable kits provide the basic tools needed for clean and safe deliveries, protecting both mothers and newborns from preventable infections and complications.
"When a woman gives birth without clean supplies, she's not just facing immediate danger she's potentially exposing herself to infections that could lead to cervical cancer years later. Prevention starts with the basics: clean tools and safe environments."
At Beauty for Ashes, we're working to address this critical health issue by providing mama kits to women in underserved communities and educating communities about cervical cancer prevention. Through partnerships with local health centers and community health workers, we're making clean childbirth supplies accessible and raising awareness about the importance of regular cervical cancer screenings. Every mama kit distributed represents not just a safer delivery, but potentially a life saved from cervical cancer.