Blog – Page 4 – eChange Endeavors

For A Few, A Hopeful New Year Begins

As a new year begins, bringing new opportunities, it also brings responsibilities as parents seek to find quality educational opportunities for their children. The students are full of hope for what the future may bring, should they get the chance to attend high school. While primary education is covered for all in Uganda, secondary school is not. Once the P7 national exam scores are released the scramble for placements is on.

For the fortunate few this is an exciting time. For those whose scores are low or the parents finances limited it is a sorrowful time. At Ocer Campion Jesuit College one third of the students are on scholarship (200+) because without it they would sitting at home learning nothing. Eastside High School lead by the Franciscan Sisters has an even a higher rate closer to 75% of students who attend on scholarship. Without the generous support of donors like you in the US these youth would not have the opportunity to study at all let alone at a Catholic high school.

Will join join our circle of giving with a one-time contribution for the year or as a monthly giver? It only takes $50 a month or $600 for the year to give a student a chance at a high school education in Uganda. Give today!

Franciscan Sister Relaunching Eastside High School

Sr. Margaret Mary Awor is working diligently to relaunch Eastside High School for students from poor rural families in Tororo district of Uganda. Due to the long conflict in the country and now the repeated drought years these students and their families have suffered greatly. Sr. Margaret is a Little Sister of St. Francis and the National Director of the Young Franciscans (YouFra) of Uganda. She and the team are helping youth gain back their sense of human dignity and fulfill their potential. Eastside is a private Catholic high school with boarding offering a Franciscan charisma and spirituality to the youth attending.

Despite this being the first full year the school is open in a good while the student body is 286 strong of which two-thirds are on scholarship. To be financially viable long term they are seeking to attract 600 students. To attract paying students the school is in need of many new things such as a new water tank, more textbooks, improved science equipment, better windows, solar power, and most especially computers for both teachers and students. Thus we are seeking to raise $10,000 to bring new life back to the school. This is equivalent to only $35 per student to bring new life to the campus and educational experience of the students.

You can make a one-time gift for school improvements or sponsor a student for just $50 monthly. Join our circle of giving today and help make the high school experience for these needy students even better! Your contribution will help shift the trajectory of their lives, families, and country forever.

Catholic Scouts Chiro Camp

Fr. Ceasar Matuvo, Camp Director & Scout Chaplain

The Catholic Boys Scouts in Uganda is one of the few youth organizations in the country that provides youth development for anyone. Through the Scouts youth have the opportunity to learn loads of skills such as setting up tents, tying knots, first aid, sourcing safe water, proper sanitation in the wild or at home, cooking, science and care of the nature, as well as leadership and team building. Skills they desperately need for a productive and cooperative life at home, work or in the community.

George Katende
Scout & Xaverian Leader
George Musinguzi
Scout Leader

Fr. Ceasar Matuvo has been working for 10 years to develop Chiro Camp along Lake Victoria in Masaka district of Uganda. The land was donated by the Archdiocese of Kampala. With the help various donors, hard work and tenacity on the part of Fr. Ceasar, George K., George M. and other scout leaders and troops they have built a main hall, a few bungalows, and limited water and sanitation infrastructure. They are in need of quality tents that sleep 3, 6 or 8 campers, which are two season and can endure the heavy rains. We are currently seeking $2400 for tents and additional $1200 for additional equipment for the kitchen and training hall.

Chiro Camp hosts about 300 youth each quarter between the Scouts and the Xaverians, a local Catholic youth service organization. You can enable a multitude of youth to have a fun and educational camp experience with just $25, $50 or more. Help make the future of Uganda better. Give Today!

Resurrection

Ocer means to rise in the local Acholi language in Uganda. This Easter season, which last from now until Pentecost, we rejoice in the light of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Won’t you help families in need this Easter season to be truly resurrected from the darkness and struggles that envelope their lives due to health care issues and poverty? A little goes a long way as a leaven in their lives!

Small Grants, Big Impact!

Through our small grant program we bridge gaps in resources to enable local communities to grow and serve one another. Through our program widows, orphans, disabled adults and children and the poor have access to education, health services, work opportunities, spiritual formation and Love! We ensure projects are completed and former investments are not lost. Your contribution of $50 or $100 goes a long way in Africa and Asia. Make a donation today to encourage and inspire the next generation of youth to serve their communities.

Be Merciful, Give Today!

Will you help Lazarus in our midst?

Bishop Barron notes from the gospel the Luke 16:19-31, “the rich man ‘dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day,’ while lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, ‘who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table.’ God is not pleased with this kind of economic inequality, and he burns with a passion to set things right.

This theme came roaring up out of the Bible and into the Christian tradition, and it echoes up and down the centuries. St Thomas Aquinas says that we must distinguish between ownership and use of private property. We have a right to ownership through our hard work, through our inheritance. Fair enough. But with regard to the use of those things–how we use them, why we use them, then, says Thomas, we must always be concerned first for the common good and not our own. This especially includes Lazarus at our gate: those who are suffering and most in need.”

In Uganda, unemployment is over 40% with 80% of the population trying to eek out a living from farming or micro businesses. Many families struggle to cover basic needs–food, health care, housing and school fees. And the effects of changing weather, coupled with a lack of access to insurance options, leaves families even more exposed and vulnerable. This Lent support our small grant programs that provides infusions of capital to income generating projects to ensure health care workers are paid for their free services rendered to the community; to provide leadership, scouting and shoe making training programs for youth; to support a rabbit farm for mothers and families with special needs children, and income generating opportunities for disabled men and woman.

We support amazing Catholic religious and lay leaders working to transform their communities through health care, work opportunitities, education, spiritual formation, and love. Will you help the Lazarus in our midst, the marginalized families, youth and disabled in Uganda? Join our Endeavors Giving Circle this Lent!

Following Your Dream – Solomon’s Story

Parents around the world struggle greatly to provide educational opportunities for their children, and instill the values of learning and academic growth in them. Unfortunately for many in Uganda, quality education and monetary opportunity to enroll in schools remain unattainable following the conflict in the north. With the help of generous sponsors, such as yourself, and passionate educators like Fr. Tony, SJ and the staff at Ocer Campion Jesuit College (OCJC), students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to study are able to join classrooms and fulfill their dreams and the hope of their parents.

Solomon, a 14 year old at Ocer Campion Jesuit College, was born to parents living the turmoil of wartime Uganda. During the time of the insurgency, people from Northern Uganda were moved into the family’s compound for safety, but left resource sparse. Following the war, Solomon’s parents had no land for tilling and little opportunity for financial recovery.

Dreams of educating their children looked bleak, but knowing its importance, they enrolled Solomon in a local primary school. During this time, they recognized a struggle in math and worked with the school librarian to obtain books to aid Solomon. Shortly after he was able to pass his Primary 7 examinations and was accepted into Ocer Campion. With the help of your donations which contribute to tuition payments, Solomon, like many other students at Ocer, has been able to attend school and thrive.

Solomon enjoys the environment that Ocer Campion Jesuit College, its staff and students provide. He is fond of the staff of the school, who continuously show kindness to the students and are invested in their success. Solomon is a member of the Ocer Science Club, enjoys fine arts classes, and participates in football during his leisure time. Following Ocer, Solomon hopes to become a mechanical engineer and give back to his community in whatever way he can.

Solomon’s educational dreams and opportunities would not have been possible without the good works of our wonderful missionaries serving in Uganda and our faithful donors. For a mere $660 per year or $55 per month, you can help support a student like Solomon for one year of education. Will you help give a student the opportunity to dream big and join a classroom today? Join our Endeavors Giving Circle Today!

Following Your Dream – Nancy’s Story

For the youth of Uganda it is time to begin a new academic year, but sadly not all students will be able to attend. Due to a lack of funds too many youth will remain sitting at home instead of studying with their peers.

Thanks to generous sponsors like you and me, one in three students at Ocer Campion Jesuit College (OCJC) are able to attend school today. Many more would like to join.

Nancy first dreamed of being able to go to high school. Now she is attending Ocer Campion Jesuit College and she dreams of becoming a judge to help make Uganda a more just country.

Nancy was born in the bush of Northern Uganda. During the war time she lost her father, leaving her mother deeply stressed regarding the safety and survival of her family. After escaping the war, Nancy’s mother with the help of her aunt enrolled her in a primary school specifically for war-affected children in Gulu. Nancy’s love of education blossomed and she performed well.

Knowing that her mother, a war widow, couldn’t afford the tuition cost of high school, Nancy still continued to study hard and placed her educational fate in God’s hands. She passed her primary leaving exams and waited at home for an opportunity to continue studying. After a year she had the chance through her Uncle to work in the fields at Ocer Campion during the holiday season when the other boarding students were away. Once she was able to meet Fr. Tony, SJ and Director of OCJC, she was able to apply for both acceptance and support. Nancy’s prayers were answered with an educational scholarship confirming for her that good does exist in the world.

Nancy, now a Senior 4 student, is active in the Ocer Campion community as a member of the Educate Club, Young Christian Society, and Debate Club. Within the Educate Club, Nancy works alongside students to make the campus and community better to study, and in the Young Christian Society, she guides and counsels youth during their difficult adolescent period. She recognizes the high-quality education Ocer Campion offers and is grateful for the ability to interact openly with her teachers. She finds the educational environment very encouraging.

Nancy dreams of continuing her education beyond Ocer Campion and one day hopes to become a lawyer. She recognizes the turmoil that surrounded the last presidential election and the corruption within the country. In becoming a lawyer, and one day a judge, she hopes to allow the people of Uganda the freedom of speech, and all freedoms. She wants to shape the world to be more just.

Nancy’s educational dreams and opportunities would not have been possible without the good works of our wonderful missionaries serving in Uganda and our faithful donors. For a mere $660 per year or $55/month you can help support a student like Nancy for a year of high school. Will you help give a student the opportunity to dream big and join a classroom today? Join our Endeavors Giving Circle!

Annitah’s Story

We are inspired by the extraordinary love and kindness of Annitah Kawuma. She is a wife, mother, accountant, and community leader. She and her husband have five children, four of their own and one adopted girl. Her fourth child has special needs due to an accident sustained when he was in her womb. In addition, she supports Fr. Tony Wach, Director of Ocer Campion Jesuit College, as the senior accountant for the college.

Born out of her own experience she founded Children’s Community Care in 2015 to help support other mothers and families in her community struggling with the daily challenges of care for a child with special needs. Uganda has limited support systems for these children, additional life challenges, and misunderstanding of disabilities that lead to stigmas and isolation. For many of these mothers, there is no place to take the children during the day while they are working that is safe, clean and stimulating for the children. And affording a caregiver at home is beyond their means. In addition, special transportation to doctor visits and treatment is expensive, extra clothes and blankets needed are all washed by hand, and food preparations are manual and time-consuming. Emotional and spiritual support nominal.

As professionals with jobs, Annitah and her husband are better off than most families in Uganda, but resources are still very tight. When Annitah could rightly just focus on her own child and large family, she continues to see and help those suffering around her. Through Community Children’s Care, she works tirelessly to help increase livelihoods, resources, and emotional support for mothers and families with special needs children. In addition, in her limited time, she fosters the broader community by working to raise awareness and convey the beautiful gifts these children are from God. In coming together and raising one unified voice, Annitah and the mothers are better able to collaborate with educators, students and other families to transform the attitudes of the community one person at a time.

Currently, Annitah and her husband are working to establish a joint rabbit farm to provide an additional source of income for CCC families with special needs children. They have donated the land and are seeking additional funds to renovate and expand the facilities needed to house the rabbits and the additional feed. As we anticipate the arrival of Jesus this Christmas season, we prepare ourselves in our Advent journey through prayer, penance, and good and joyful works! Please support our efforts this Christmas to raise $1,000 for Annitah and the other members of Community Children’s Care. Every little bit helps. Join our Endeavors Giving Circle today!

Jackie’s Story

In this season of Thanksgiving we would like to thank you for your enduring support of our programs, especially the students at Ocer Campion Jesuit College. With the help of your donations and prayers, missionaries and lay Catholics such as Fr. Tony and Jackie have been able to build anew the futures of children affected by war and displacement through education, faith and compassion.

Jackie Lourdes Alaroker is from the Acholi tribe in northern Uganda. During the war years her family sent her to Kampala for safety and to finish her education. After graduating from Makerere University with a degree in education, she worked for the National Association of Women Judges. When the conflict in the north was resolved she began looking for opportunities in Gulu to help with the restoration of the community. Through a referral she was introduced to Fr. Tony Wach, S.J., Director of Ocer Campion Jesuit College. Not long after the school opened its door he invited her to work alongside of him helping on a part-time basis with the students on scholarship. Quickly, the work became too much for Fr. Tony to handle alone, and Jackie came on board fulltime in her current role as the Sponsorship Coordinator for the College.

The financial capacity among the student of Ocer Campion Jesuit College varies greatly, with many families unable to support their education at all. Through the sponsorship program students receive support for school fees, books and uniforms as well as soap, bedding and beyond. As a sponsorship student herself, Jackie knows firsthand how valuable educational contributions are in the lives of children living in poverty, especially those growing up in a war-torn community. The power of donations towards education is immeasurable transforming families for generations. Jackie has dedicated herself to seeing a child with no hope receive the opportunity to attend school, which she considers her greatest joy.

Scholarships received are never detached. At Ocer Campion, the sponsorship program begins with admittance and follows the student throughout their academic career. Once admitted into OCJC on their own accord, Jackie begins her work to build a relationship with the student and their family. She sees value in blending school and family life, as visiting the home and understanding the family members provides insight into the student and the challenges facing them. She monitors the students academically and socially throughout their time at Ocer Campion to ensure that they are maintaining sponsorship standards and reaching to achieve the school motto: Beyond Academic Excellence. As well, those students that are orphans are assigned a foster family, either a teacher, staff member, or friend of the school community to ensure their wellbeing. Throughout the program, Jackie and staff work to bring up children who are well rounded, who “love to serve,” and go beyond their classwork to help people.

While extremely rewarding, Jackie finds her position at Ocer Campion to come with great challenges. The greatest encompasses the sadness and fear of disappointing people when she is unable to help. Though sponsorships increased from 50 students to now more than 160 students since she first began, Ocer Campion continues to turn away students due to a lack of funds.

Although she and the students do not always know where the money will come from, they maintain their faith in God and believe that their prayers will be answered. Jackie is ever grateful for and excited to see the impact of heartfelt donations for Ocer Campion Jesuit College as they ripple throughout the community to the whole country.

We invite you to give the gift of education to more students needing sponsorship, and support and prayers to wonderful lay Catholics, such as Jackie. Join our Endeavors Giving Circle today!

Brother Silas’s Story

As our children have been hard at work in the classrooms, our missionaries are working hard to spread God’s love farther. eChange Endeavors is proud to support our Brothers and Sisters on their journey in Uganda while bridging communities across the ocean together and closer to Christ.

Born and raised in Western Kenya, Brother Silas joined the Jesuit Novitiate in 2009. Following the Novitiate he was sent to India to complete his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Biology. Before going on to finish his Master’s in Philosophy he has been assigned to teach at Ocer Campion to help fill the gap in a shortage of good science teachers in Uganda.

Uganda, and Northern Uganda specifically, Brother Silas notes, has lost the value of education because of the conflict that once raged there. As a result, the students at Ocer Campion carry the burdens of the war and longstanding poverty with them, even though they may not have experienced it themselves. Though this adds a psychological element into the lives of the students at Ocer Campion, Brother Silas believes the attention to a student’s psychological wellbeing has made him a better educator. Through his teaching, he is determined to captivate the minds of his students and provide multidimensional lessons that stretch beyond science and into their daily lives.

Brother Silas values Ocer Campion’s unique approach to education, to the community and to the Northern Ugandan culture. Ocer Campion exudes a Jesuit philosophy of education, which promotes the formation of special student-teacher relationships that provide students individual care and allows for free interaction between students and their teachers. This philosophy extends beyond the classroom and encourages Ocer students to do more. This is done through the school’s clubs which target specific student interests, such as choir, Magis community service club, or the science club, headed by Brother Silas.

Brother Silas recognizes that Ocer Campion, its goods works, and its amazing student population would not be possible without faith and support from its donors. As Ocer Campion Jesuit College continues to grow its student body and faculty, and develop its unique culture through through Christ, Brother Silas believes that the futures of Ugandans are getting brighter and Ocer Campion is on its way to becoming a village of champions.

With the help of donations and prayers, missionaries like Brother Silas and Fr. Tony, SJ, are able to help rebuild a war-torn community encompassed in faith and compassion. Brother Silas is excited to see Ocer Campion Jesuit College becoming a place where children come and walk out men and women for others. We would like to thank you for your enduring support of our programs. We invite you to give the gift of support to other teaching missionaries and the gift of learning to a deserving member of the Gulu community. Join our Endeavors Giving Circle today!