By Immaculate Tusingwire, MMS
From a young age, Sr. Mary Grace Awori, OSB had a deep desire to create and design. She found joy in imagining what could be made from a piece of cloth and how something ordinary could be transformed into something beautiful and useful.
During the graduation ceremony held at Ulrika Institute of Home Economics on 22 August 2026, Sr. Mary Grace, a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Our Lady of Grace and Compassion (OSB), was recognized as the Best Student in Fashion and Garment Design for the year 2026.
For Sr. Mary Grace, fashion and garment design is much more than a profession. It is a gift, a passion and, increasingly, a way of serving others.
Her achievement, however, did not begin in the classroom or with the award. It began much earlier, in the heart of a young girl who was fascinated by the possibility of turning a simple piece of fabric into something beautiful.
With time, Sr. Mary Grace came to understand that fashion is not simply about clothes and appearance,
“I came to realize that fashion is not just about clothes; it is about dignity, creativity, and serving others with beauty. A well-made garment can restore confidence, provide a livelihood and allow someone to express their creativity. It was this understanding that encouraged me to develop my natural gift through formal training”.
For her, this was more than an interest. Looking back, she sees it as a God-given talent, a seed quietly planted in her heart and nurtured as she grew.
Her journey at Ulrika Institute of Home Economics was not without challenges. During her formal training, one of the greatest challenges was finding a balance between her religious life and her academic responsibilities. As a Benedictine Sister, her life is shaped by prayer, community responsibilities and work. At the same time, her studies demanded concentration, practice and commitment which made it very demanding to be in class and also keep faithful to the monastic hours of prayer.
Yet Sr. Mary Grace found strength in the very vocation she was seeking to balance with her studies. Reflecting on her experience, she says:
“My inner fire for fashion, coupled with my vocation as a Benedictine Sister, Ora et Labora (Prayer and Work) gave me strength. I learnt to see my sewing machine as an altar where I also pray through work.”
For her, the sewing machine became more than a tool. It became an instrument through which prayer and work came together.
The Benedictine principle of Ora et Labora, became a practical reality in her daily life. Her studies were not separate from her vocation; rather, they became another way of living out her calling.
Sr. Mary Grace hopes to use the skills she has acquired to empower others, particularly young people and women who may be looking for practical skills through which they can become self-reliant.
“I want to share the skills I have acquired with the youth, women, and anyone who has the passion to learn, especially within my community. I want to help others to be self-reliant through fashion and garment design. I believe that if God has gifted you, you must use it to uplift others.”
Sr. Mary Grace expresses deep gratitude to her Congregation, the Benedictine Sisters of Our Lady of Grace and Compassion, for believing in her talent and supporting her studies.
She also acknowledges the administration and tutors of Ulrika Institute of Home Economics, whose guidance and formation helped shape her skills and prepare her for the next stage of her journey.
As she looks to the future, Sr. Mary Grace carries with her not only an award, but a mission to create, to teach, to empower and to use the gift God placed in her heart to uplift others.
