Thank you Everyone for all that you have given this year, your words of encouragement, financial donations, and prayers have be invaluable to help people persevere in faith. We have been a light in the darkness for the missionaries and families in Uganda during a second challenging year.
With your help education for a few was continued! Schools were opened on a limited basis in March of 2021, but then tragically closed down again in June and remained so through to the end of the year. The small minority that had access to laptops or mobile phones managed to stay connected learning from home. The majority were left to the whims of the season leading to a ballooning of teenage pregnancies in the country. While all life is a gift this will bring added to challenges to the families and communities. We did manage to help two students graduate–Mercy completed her O levels and hopes to attend university and study law in the new year as funds may be raised. Her mother is a widow and the conditions of the last two years have been harsh on the family of four. Mark completed his 0-level exams and hopes to continue with A-levels for the next two years, and eventually on to university. Leah and JohnMary (S1) kept up remotely with Ocer Campion Jesuit College. A small group of students through a village school model were able to continue with Eastside High School and St Joseph College run by the Little Sister’s of Saint Francis and Young Franciscans (YOUFRA).
Specifically, thank you to all those who contributed to our health fund this year. With your help we supported Sr Margaret, George, and a few others to cover their COVID-19 treatments. We hosted a virtual baby shower to support Sharon & Walter (photos below) with their new baby, which helped cover extra medical expense when she needed to have a C-section. We stepped in for little Raphael who was born premature to Simon Peter and Josephine (photos below) spending a week in ICU. We helped Joseph out with the cost of surgery and treatments for his daughter Stella who was born with spina bifida. We have also contributed to the health needs of several other families with special needs children who are members of Children’s Community Care. We continued to support Gloria through her physical therapy and subsequent leg and hip surgeries.
New baby Raphael born premature, followed by parents and godparents at Baptism.
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A big thank you to all those that supported kickstarting anew the YOUFRA Youth Center in Lira. They were able to take 32 youth through a 12-week counseling program. The Bakery wood fire oven was repaired and fired up, and product testing ensued. In early November full production and sales was begun. On the 4th Sunday of Advent they were able to have an event bringing 70+ young adults, YOUFRA members and former child soldiers together to celebrate Christmas songs, showcase the bakery items, and gather needs for 2022 programing efforts.
In Tororo, the YOUFRA Youth Center initiated an AgroProduce shop to buy from local farming families, many of which are among the YOUFRA young adults, then sell in larger bulk to the surrounding community, traders, and businesses, such as hotels. Proceeds are intended to help with the development of Eastside High School and St Joseph College. Parents can barely pay school fees sufficient to cover operating expenses thus the extra funds raised through this social enterprise help to upgrade the school facilities.
Thanks to a dear friend and veteran, we were able to help the Xaverians and Catholic Boy Scouts buy tents and some kitchen equipment for Chiro Camp. Located on beautiful Lake Victoria in Uganda Chiro Camp is a training center to offer youth a wide range of skills development from communication, team building, self discipline to first aid, tent set-up, care of the environment and more.