Our Team
Cara Murray, Founder
In late 2015, Cara moved to Mparo, a rural village in southwestern Uganda, 15 kilometers from Kabale. It became apparent that there was an information resource gap in the community and, in 2016, Cara launched Love Empowers. Cara knew she wanted to create a way to bring subject-matter experts to her community to teach and demonstrate ways to farm and raise livestock in an economically beneficial manner. Rather than introduce something new to the community, Cara wanted to support families by building upon their gifts, skills and assets. After initial assessments from a Ugandan subject-matter expert, the first 15-week potato training began in 2017. Since then, Love Empowers has built a framework of agriculture, livestock, financial and healthcare trainings.
Cara studied Business Administration in Human Resources from the University of Illinois. Upon graduation Cara spent the following ten years working with both corporations and non-profits in Chicago, Illinois. Cara is married to Ivan and they live with their two daughters in Mparo.
Sam Niwamanya, Project Manager
Sam joined Love Empowers in 2016 as the Project Manager for the Community Trainings Program. Sam coordinates trainings between Love Empowers’ subject-matter experts and communities. He procures all the necessary supplies for each training.
Sam was born and raised in Kabale, Uganda. He attended Kabale University where he completed his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He currently lives in Kabale with his wife and three children.
Dan Byamukama, Agriculture and Livestock Trainer
Dan joined the Love Empowers team in 2019 as the Agriculture and Livestock Trainer. He leads all Love Empowers’ partner communities through trainings on planting potatoes, beans and plantains, and raising pigs, sheep and goats. All trainings include both in-class lessons as well as demonstration fieldwork.
Dan was born and raised in Kabale, Uganda. He received his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. Dan has over 15 years’ experience as an Agriculture and Livestock trainer. When he is not working with Love Empowers, Dan works for the Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG) church as the Kigezi Ankole Pastorate-Agriculture Extension Facilitator.
Dustan Muhangi, Financial and Small Business Trainer
Dustan joined Love Empowers in 2017 as the Financial and Small Business Trainer. He leads all Love Empowers’ partner communities through trainings in village savings, loans associations and small business operations.
Dustan was born and raised in Kabale, Uganda. He received his bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Social Administration and his Master of Arts in Project Planning and Management from Kabale University. Dustan brings over ten years of financial institution training to the team.
The Board of Directors
Margaret Reedy
Margaret is a lifelong Chicagoan with a passion for exploring the city’s many treasures. She recently graduated with her Masters of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Roosevelt University. She is thrilled to be a part of the Love Empowers team and hopes to aid in the change and transformation taking place in the communities. Margaret enjoys binge watching episodes of The Office with her husband and cat.
Mickey Franson
"I am delighted to be a part of the Love Empowers team because I have followed my niece, Cara’s, journey to Africa and Chicago and have witnessed her consistent love and passion for the underprivileged regardless of where she has lived. Moving to another country has not been my calling in life but God has called believers to care for the widows and orphans, so I’d like to respond to that calling by contributing to Love Empowers through personal involvement from afar and prayer.”
Mickey lives 30 miles North of Chicago in Deerfield, IL but spends a lot of her time visiting her three children in Denver and San Diego. Her faith, kids and husband are her true sources of joy. While she is happily retired, she stays busy playing sports, traveling, cooking, reading, gardening and volunteering at a Hispanic Community Center. Someday she hopes to truly learn Spanish!
Kelly Woodsum
Kelly Woodsum is honored to partner with Love Empowers. Her heart's desire is to see "charity" transformed into partnership in our world. She is a wife, mother and CRM consultant who loves spending time with her family, reading and practicing yoga. She lives on the northwest side of Chicago. Kelly humbly hopes to follow Jesus well.
Megan Adolph
Megan is passionate about the opportunity to connect unique and talented individuals to one another. She knows that Love Empowers grants opportunities for people to share their gifts and acquire new skills, empowering both those who are gifted and those who are in need. Megan believes education and training is never one-sided and that an asset-based approach that recognizes the unique and inherent values and contributions of each individual is always the most successful. Megan works as a user experience strategist and designer in Chicago. She also teaches and gets excited when people learn new things that they can utilize them in their daily lives.
““No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” ”