Catholic – eChange Endeavors

Christmas Dinners & Bundles 2024

Happy Advent Season!

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing. – Isaiah 9:1-2a

Where are the places in your heart and in your life that you need hope? Where do you need peace? Where do you need joy? Jesus is standing out side knocking on the door of your heart. You just have to let him in! He will cast out the despair, the distress, and the disappointment. If you let Him in, He will transform your heart and life. One way to let Jesus in is to make a good confession before Christmas. Another, is to go to Eucharistic Adoration or daily Mass. May your Advent be blessed by prayer, generosity, and reconciliation so that your heart may be prepared for the fullness of joy come Christmas.

This Christmas we seek to bless 25 families with Christmas dinners, 75 seniors with Christmas bundles, and sponsor 2 Christmas parties for children. A good Christmas for a faith filled Ugandan is attending Mass, eating meat along with tasty options of rice, matoke (banana), and potatoes, with soda and enjoying Christmas cake or cookies. With $25 we can feed a family of 5 or support 2 seniors. Would you help us bless all these families this year? Will you help break the tedium of poverty and help fill their hearts anew with love, hope and joy this Christmas? Give Today!

Thank you, Thank you for your generous hearts! We wish you a very Merry Christmas from all of us at eChange Endeavors, our partners and those we serve in Uganda. Love & blessings, Laura, Founder

2nd Annual High Tea for High Hopes

You are cordially invited for High Tea at Williams Place

Saturday, November 23, 2024, 3-5pm

Hosted by Michelle Waters Williams & Laura Frederick

R.S.V.P. appreciated by November 17, 2024

Join us for a lovely British High Tea to hear Laura Frederick, Founder of eChange Endeavors, share stories of the missionaries and families in Uganda we have touched by our support. She has twenty-eight years of experience working with the poor in East Africa and beyond. She began her journey as Jesuit International Volunteer in Belize from 1990-1992. Laura has been working in Uganda since 2000 and lived there between 2006 to 2011. She continues to collaborate with various missionary partners remotely and through visits.

We are seeking to raise $12,000 for our partner YOUFRA Youth Centre in Lira to renovate their solar power solution that provides lighting and security to the building. We are on a long-term development path with Sr. Margaret Awor, LSOSF and the team at the Centre. The next most important element is replacing their electricity, which failed in March of this year. Funds will also be used to begin repairing the walls and foundation in the kitchen and dinning area, replacing windows, and finish building out the plumbing, cupboards, counter tops, painting, and purchasing much needed appliances and furniture. Today the kitchen and dinning hall is an unfinished room (photos below). In a subsequent phase, we will refurbish the two main gathering halls with new windows and doors, add ceilings, lightening, trim and fresh paint.

With these renovations the YOUFRA Youth Centre will be able to host 50-150 young adults in their 20s, 30s, and 40s for workshops, trainings, and retreats. Having a place to take a break from home to gather, sing, pray, laugh, learn and connect with other young adults renews their hearts, minds and dreams. As well they are able to builds and array of skills. These opportunities are a rarity for youth! Retreats are focused on the Sacraments, spiritual formation, and strengthening families. Training covers topics such as farming, shoe making, baking, hair styling, team building, communication, reconciliation, financial management, and beyond. Will you join us and make a gift of $100 to $1,000 or more today? Donate!

Fall Scholarships to Finish Strong!

Fall is here! While that means the start of new academic year in the US, it is the final term in Ugandan. We need to raise $4000 for our scholarship fund to clear the students fees in time for exams. Will you help us and contribute $200 for one needy high schools student per term? Without your generous support these children would not be studying, causing the cycles of poverty to persist in their families.

We support 3 students at Ocer Campion Jesuit College in Gulu, which has 600 plus student with one-third on scholarship (top photo). At St Joseph College, a Franciscan high school in Tororo with 150 students and nearly all students on partial or full scholarship we support 6 students. (See photos above.) We have another 6 female students we support at various Catholic Schools, including Sr. Jackline, LSOSF. Most of their parents are farmers struggling to earn a basic livelihood. Without your generous support these youth would be growing up without an education. For only $600 per year, $200 per term, or $50 per month you can help a youth stay in school and reach their dreams. Graduating from a Catholic school experience is transformative in their lives and that of their families for generations to come. Collectively we help bring a brighter and more faith filled future for all of Uganda. Will you help a high school student reach his/her dream of education? Donate Today!

In Lira diocese, we are helping to support 20 students in primary school with boarding at the YOUFRA (Young Franciscans) Centre and personal requirements. Their parents are former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) abductees whose lives and education were disrupted when they were captured, dragged into the bush and forced to fight or assist fighters under the threat of death. While the conflict is over many years now, the parents have yet to recover–emotionally, educationally, socially, and especially financially. We are working diligently with Sr. Margaret Awor, LSOSF, and staff of the YOUFRA Youth Centre to help improve their livelihoods, heal their traumas, and ensure a next generation does not also loose out on education. Will you help us compensate for a great injustice by supporting their children’s education? Donate Today!

Personal requirements for the primary students includes meals, mattresses, sheets, blankets, school uniforms, sturdy shoes, socks, books, paper, pencils, pens and markers, and sports gear. We are seeking $500, $25 per student, per term for these children, plus an additional $750 for one-time purchases. Will you help the parents redeem and reclaim their hope and dreams for their families and a good future? Will you help ensure their children have access to quality education? Donate Today!

We also support three students engaged in university studies. (photos above) Mercy is studying for a Bachelors in Education to become an English teacher. Gerald is seeking a Diploma in Laboratory Technologies to step his way to becoming a doctor. Emilly is working on a Master’s in Family Counseling to empower her to counsel the families she is working with at the YOUFRA Youth Centre. It costs $700 per term, $120 per month to support them. Will you make a contribution today to ensure their dreams and a better Uganda? Donate Today!

Solar Power Solutions for Growing Souls

Three of our partners are in need of electricity to power their activities. We are seeking to raise $30,000 for solar power solutions for them as they are off the main power grid. Will you make a contribution to help switch on the lights, showers, appliances, and technology so as to create better living and learning opportunities for these communities?

Young Franciscans of Uganda (YOUFRA) has a Youth Centre in Lira town that provides counseling, livelihood training, agricultural demonstration gardens & partnerships, personal skills & communication training, and spiritual formation. As well, they board 20 students attending public school near by because the parents are former abductees of the war and live in rural areas not accessible to schools. YOUFRA is helping ensure the next generation will not loose the opportunity for education as their parents did because of the internal conflict. The simple solar power solution they had died back in March. Consequently, they have been without power and lights for 4 months, which is the only source of security for the facility. We are seeking $8,000 to complete wiring of the building, buy a higher power battery and inverter, and increase their solar panels sufficient to run day and night lights, 4-6 computers, photocopier, projector, sound system, kitchen appliances (blender, mixers, refrigerator, oven etc.), and charge phones and devices for the team, plus 20 students and up to a 100 guests. Will you help us light up the facility anew? Give Today!

St Joseph College in eastern Uganda, Tororo region needs sufficient electricity to power their student computer center with 20 PCs, plus computers for administration and teaching staff, printer, photocopier, projector, sound system, irons, and security lights for the classrooms, dormitories, and offices. Plus power for the kitchen appliances and health center equipment. We are seeking $10,000 for a new solar power solution for them, battery, inverter, solar panels, and accessories. Will you help the staff & students get back to using technology as part of their curriculum? Give Today!

Chiro Camp serves two youth movements the Xaverians and the Catholic Scouts. The have a large hall containing a kitchen and dining area to host 100-200 youths at a time. They offer weekend and week-long training camps for the children who sleep in small camping tents. They have a herd of goats to keep the place well groomed but also provide income for the facility. We are seeking $12,000 to make the camping experience more impactful for the youth. The camp needs enough power for the commercial kitchen appliances, office equipment, sound system, and projector plus a solar pump to get water up from Lake Victoria for the kitchen, outdoor showers, gardens and goat care. Will you help Fr Ceaser Matovu build up Chiro Camp so more youth can grow up to be great disciples, citizens and leaders? Give Today!

Summer Fun Dancing, Drinks, and Donations!

All proceeds benefit our needy scholarship students in Uganda through our amazing partners. Without our support these youth would not be in school. We are helping to make their dreams of education and a better life come true! Pay at the door. Cash appreciated.

Thank you everyone for attending!! We had a lot of fun cutting up the dance floor thanks to DJ Mike Leach and Rockette Becky Stout MacIntyre. We have raised $3,800 towards our goal of $5,000. There is still time to support our scholarship fund and help us close the gap. Use the our secure PayPal link for a one-time or monthly contribution. Your dollars transform lives and families!

Donations Accepted too!

Scholarship recipients include Emmanuel (red shirt) whose mother was abducted by the LRA and spent 3 years living in the bush under the threat of being killed. She lost her chance at an education and struggles now to support her children as well as carrying the memories of that trauma in her life. Through the Young Franciscan of Uganda (YOUFRA) Youth Centre in Lira Emmanuel’s boarding and personal requirements are provided as he attends a local public school. His mother has received counseling and additional training in shoemaking to supplement her agricultural activities from the Centre.

Shaddrach was about 8 years old when his father Francis a primary school teacher died from liver cancer, which came from hepatitis C not being probably treated. He is now a 2nd year student at Ocer Campion Jesuit College as high school student with our support. Also, thanks to our support his sister Mercy is studying education at University to become an English teacher. She is following in her father’s footsteps. Her mother a widow only completed 2 years of high school struggles as a farmer to meet the family’s basic needs.

St Joseph College has a majority of the current students on scholarship. We help with 6 of the students and further development of the school. Their parents are farmers barely eking out a living and cannot even afford to provide for all the basic personal requirements of the students.

Lekebwam is an amazing individual with a very positive outlook on life and concern for others. Through our support with Children’s Community Care he is working to complete a diploma in communication and journalism. We cover tuition fees, personal requirements, boarding and the cost of a care assistant.

A big THANK YOU To our event Sponsors:

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Chef Hannes in El Segundo, 411 1/2 Main Street – view website

Coyote Cantina in Redondo Beach, 531 North Pacific Coast Highway – view website

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Skin Topic in Torrance, 4201 Torrance Blvd., Suite 740 – view website or @skintopicskincare

Tara Landauer make-up artist extraordinaire for weddings and special events – TaraLandauer@yahoo.com

Easter Tidings! Bees Bring Sweet Honey. Will you too?

May we all contemplate during this Octave of Easter the beauty and mystery of Christ’s Resurrection!

During this Easter season will you help us to transform the lives of these children and their future?

Give a Hand Home

For nearly two decades Gertrude Aketch has been taking orphans in to her home from her community in Tororo. She has gathered donations, grown crops, and partnered with local schools, like St Jospeh College to see that these children are fed, loved and receive a good education. She has even managed to push a few through university and one on to the seminary. To help with stability for the children she is seeking to start a bee keeping business on their land. This will create on-going reliable income for the home and children. Plus provide the region with essential honey and bees wax candles. We are seeking $600 to help them get started with their first 4 hives, gear, and flower field.

Will you join us this Easter season to raise $600 to launch a Bee Business for the children’s future?

Donate Today!

Lenten Alms Giving – Bunk Beds & Mattresses

St Joseph College Needs Triple Decker Bunk Beds

Thanks to the great renovations that we helped completed last year to the primary classroom block at St Joseph College the high school has attracted more students. They have 30 new Senior 1 (freshman) students who came with their mattresses but are currently sleeping on the floor in the dormitory. They live too far away to be day students, so take advantage of boarding with the school.

We are seeking $1,000 to buy 10 triple decker beds like the ones in the photo. Will you help these 30 new students get a good night sleep so they can study well? Their presence helps with the financial stability and sustainability of the school too.

Will you contribute $100 for one bed for 3 students? Or $500 for five beds for 15 students?

Donate ToDAY!

YOUFRA Youth Centre Lira Needs Mattresses & Bedding

We are seeking an additional $500 to help 8 more needy children to join the YOUFRA Youth Centre education program. They are the children of former war abductees sitting at home not going to school at all because their parents can’t provide basic requirements of uniform, back packs, school materials, mattresses, sheets and blankets. Will you help us buy 8 mattresses, 8 set of sheets, 8 blankets and school supplies for 8 more children?

Emma in photo below is happily making his bed after the beds were repainted this January. Help us put mattresses and children in the empty beds!

DONATE TODAY!
Thank you for your generous Lenten gift!

Catholic Education Transforms Lives. Will you help?

As we begin anew calendar year, Uganda also begins a new academic year. Ocer Campion Jesuit College in Gulu has 600 plus student with one-third on scholarship. St Joseph College, a Franciscan high school in Tororo has 150 students with nearly all students on partial or full scholarship. (See photo above.) Most of their parents are farmers struggling to eke out a livelihood. Without your generous support these youth would be growing up without an education. As you know, Catholic education is key to helping children become fully who God desires them to be. For only $50 per month, or $200 per term, or $600 for the year you can help one youth stay in school and reach his or her dreams. Graduating from a Catholic school experience is transformative in their lives and that of their families for generations to come. Collectively we help bring a brighter and more faith filled future for all of Uganda. Will you help one of these students reach their dreams? Donate Today!

In Lira diocese, we are helping YOUFRA (Young Franciscans) to support 20 students in primary school with boarding and personal requirements. Their parents are former abductees whose lives and education were disrupted when they were captured, dragged into the bush and forced to fight for the Lord’s Resistance Army or assist with their personal needs. While the conflict is over 17 years now, the parents have yet to recover–emotionally, educationally, socially, and especially financially. We are working diligently with Sr. Margaret Awor, LSOSF, and staff of the Young Franciscan (YOUFRA) Centre to help improve their livelihoods, heal from the traumas, and ensure a second generation of families doesn’t loose out on education. Personal requirements for the students includes mattresses, sheets, blankets, school uniforms, sturdy shoes, socks, books, paper, pencils, pens and markers, rulers, and meals. We are seeking $300 per term for these children, plus an additional $700 for one-time purchases. Will you help the parents redeem and reclaim their hope and dreams for their families and a good future? Will you help ensure their children have access to quality education? Donate Today!

May Christmas Joy Ring!

We are seeking to help our partner St. Theresa Catholic Parish in Achilet, Uganda sing joyously to our Lord on Christmas eve! The parish electric keyboard is now silent (dead) and their drums worn out with 20 years of use. We are seeking to raise $2,000 to help them acquire new musical instruments and accessories before Christmas.

The Fr. Joseph Becket Othieno is the pastor supported by Fr. Paul Okoth and newly assigned Fr. Patrick Masuti. The parish has over 20,000 members including children. It is located in a very rural part of Eastern Uganda, Tororo Diocese. The church holds about 900 members at once. They are waiting with joyful expectations for a special Christmas gift and miracle this year for their parish. Could you help them join the heavenly Chorus and ring out even more joyously their Christmas Masses?

Give today for Christmas Joy!

Donate

Classroom Building Renovations are Finished!!

Thanks to American Martyrs Catholic Church in Manhattan Beach, two generous individual givers, and UK partner FOAG we were able to raise $22,000 to renovate the main classroom building at St Joseph College in Tororo, Uganda. The roof had been blown off during Holy Week this year leaving the classrooms unusable. The school scrambled to create four make shift classrooms to finish the first term, then go a second whole term while construction was underway. We reached out to our partners and friends for help and the response was great!

With the funds we were able to redesign and build a fresh the roof structure to make it more durable for the long-haul. We extending the roof out to include a proper verandah with much needed space in the raining seasons. We replaced all the rotted wooden doors and windows with new metal and class ones. We re-poured the foundation, reconfigured the classroom layouts, wired the building for lights and technology, added ceiling boards, re-plastered the walls inside and out, finished the floors, and painted the whole building. When possible students were able to learn and get involved in some of the construction too! The building looks fresh and fabulous! Students, teacher, parents and community members are thrilled to have the revitalized space!

Thank you to all our generous donors for making this project possible! The school is back to operating fully and students are actively preparing for end of year national exams.