We Grieve the Loss of Key OneMama Action Hero “Mama Dress”
OneMama expresses our sincere condolences for the unexpected death of our beloved Ms. Atenyi, AKA Mama Dress
On behalf of the entire OneMama.org international and OneMama Initiative Uganda organization, we send her family our heartfelt sympathy.
We at OneMama appreciate the honor she brought to our organization by her achievements. She will be remembered not only for the dresses she has been making to allow our organization to become self-sustainable and to bring joy to our OneMama community, but also for her willingness to share her time and expertise with us.
It would be difficult to measure the impact she has had on the many people’s lives she touched, personally and professionally. Her commitment to helping others and to serving OneMama and our community leaves a wonderful legacy.
OneMama has lost a mother, a friend, a committed worker, an honest volunteer, a reliable, passionate, flexible and irreplaceable person.
Please read OneMama.org founder, Siobhan Neilland’s, heartfelt message while remembering Mama Dress…
“Tears come down my eyes as I think of her smile…
Everyone called her Mama Dress. When you walked up to her, you would first notice her big, bright, shiny smile. Everyone felt welcome and taken care of in her presence.
I first met Mama Dress the year I started the OneMama Clinic. We were introduced by one of our directors as a means for finding funding for OneMama. We birthed an immediate, instant connection and began what was to be an amazing relationship, creatively and from the heart.
The OneMama Clothing Collection would never have existed without the design and expertise of this amazing seamstress and designer. Mama Dress was capable of taking any design I had and making it come to life. Since I don’t know how to draw, we would, in broken English, go through each idea of the collection with just words and hand movements. We would laugh and smile and somehow, out of each design, something beautiful came from it. Our collaborations were very intuitive and natural. Each piece seemed to come from such a deep place within both of us, collectively.
Its hard to put into words when you have such a magical and creative relationship with someone across the world. Every trip to Africa, I’d only get to spend about a day with her. But in that short time, she was the one who brought all the designs to life and taught all the women how to make these designs.
I honestly don’t know how or if OneMama can continue its clothing line without her. Without her spirit always smiling and cheering us on. That’s why we call her Mama Dress. She really preferred to be called Mama Dress. Her designs, her work, brought to life a funding source through the clothing sales which quickly became the main means to keep the OneMama Clinic running. Without her, OneMama may have not existed as it does today. OneMama would have never created a clothing line without her creativity, inspiration, expertise, and heart of gold.
There really are no words to explain how gifted and amazing she was. Doing things internationally without internet and phone access, we created unique ways to communicate and build the clothing line while we were apart. This would have seemed comical to anyone outside of the western world, but for us… it worked. I could always count on her to make sure the designs were on par and that she trained the women to have the kind of quality that we had come to expect.”
If you have a OneMama Dress or Handmade Collection Item – we ask that you wear it this week in Mama Dress’s honor.
We kindly ask that you help send healing thoughts of light to her family and to her spirit. Where ever she is… she is smiling and making all the angels dresses.
If you’d like to donate to OneMama.org in Mama Dress’ honor, CLICK HERE (please indicate your donation is in honor of Mama Dress in the “Order Notes” box during checkout).
To read the OneMama official condolence letter to Ms. Atenyi, click here.
We miss you Mama Dress.
Love and Light,
The Entire OneMama Community
