| 3 years later, together we have helped over 30 families and 150 children:
·28 students currently enrolled in school. We have helped 32 students in all.
o 17 boys and 15 girls.
o Muslim, Jewish, Catholic and Anglican.
o All are orphans.
o 17 in primary, 12 in secondary, 1 accounting degree, and 2 at university.
· 19 businesses started.
· 2 advanced educational loans awarded.
· 8 craft women groups supported.
· clothes, shoes, books, pencils, and other supplies provided to hundreds of people. |
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Three weeks ago we took 14 of our older children on an educational support outing. Two facilitators talked with them on strategies of learning, motivation, and the gift of their scholarships. |
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More involved within the community
* We have 2 sister-school initiatives. American schools have adopted schools in Uganda. The students have become pen pals, provided scholarships, pens, pencils and school bags.
* We have consulted with various small non-profits about emotional trauma in children, finding funding sources and other administrative issues.
* We have brought together two strikingly different orphanages, one directed only by ex-street boys in the slum, the other directed by nuns on Lake Victoria.
* Many people have brought us proposals for loans. Although they are not within our guidelines, we spend the time to educate them on how to proceed with their projects.
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I leave you with a picture.
When I touch the soil, I am immediately in the rhythm of Africa. This time it was Wednesday January 28, and Charles had rented a van to pick me up. The following Monday the students would be back in school. As we drove home, we decided to take the 21 children to the beach at Lake Victoria the next day. Charles had picked me up at 9am; by midday we were already visiting families and preparing for our trip the following day. Bright and early Thursday morning we had the children packed in. Charles was driving, and I was in the front seat with the littlest one on my lap. With African music blaring, I felt like I was in the many movies we have all watched. The roads were rutted, and the van was bouncing up and down, but everyone had SMILES. This is my life in Uganda. |
