Helping People Help Themselves, Fr. John Mary Lugemwa, OSB

Website: www.ugandaruralfund.org  and www.hopeacademyuganda.org  tell: 804-708-5052 for info.

The most fulfilling thing in life is helping other people. Growing up in a poor rural environment and being raised in strong Catholic family, provided me a deeper understanding of social justice and instilled in me values that have shaped me into the person I am today. Such experiences and my passion for kids, have inspired my efforts to bring quality education to the Uganda’s orphans because education is the only way to assure these kids of a bright future.  I have lived and witnessed poverty and injustice in my village, in my country, and in my global family. I believe that God never desired to see his beautiful creation live under such oppression and injustice. Every human being deserves to live with dignity and in peace. It breaks my heart to see children suffer because of poverty, hunger, disease, war, or natural disasters. The AIDS epidemic has taken its toll on the little ones; especially the African child has become its prime victim. In Uganda alone, a country of 28 million people, close to two million of her children are orphans. Every year, about 25,000 children are born with the AIDS virus in Uganda. In Africa, there are 20 million orphans. Globally, close to 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. By the time you finish reading this sentence a life will have been lost to this disease: in every 8 seconds, someone dies of AIDS, (USAID Report).

     The suffering and injustices I witness in the world around me coupled with experience of sudden murder of my father in 1998, inspires me to “be the change I want to see in the world” I live in (Dr. King). I can’t just sit around to wait for others to act; I have to take the initiative. In my Luganda language, we say, “Kakamu gwe muganda”; meaning that one by one makes a bundle. May be I can’t change the world but my actions may inspire one person at a time and together we can make a difference. I was 19 when my Father died, much older, but life was not so easy; I can imagine the deplorable conditions kids have to endure when they have lost parents at a much tender age. God has blessed me with many gifts and I want to serve Him by using these gifts to promote his kingdom on earth, a Kingdom in which peace and justice prevail. Millions of children in Africa and elsewhere are robbed of their innocent childhood and the joy of a safe family household, by the AIDS epidemic, war, violence, and poverty.

  In Africa and some other developing nations, children have become their own parents and in places like Northern Uganda, they have been turned into ‘killing machines’ (child soldiers). Over 2000 children have been abducted by the Lord Resistance rebel group and used to fight the over 20 year old civil war. It is estimated that by 2010, the number of orphans in Africa will grow up to 15 million. There are many children with no relatives who can feed any more mouths even one meal a day, let alone provide school fees to give them a path to a self-supporting future as adults.  Abandoned children die, become street children in the cities and towns, and may be exploited in various ways such as prostitution and child labor in the struggle to survive. However, underneath all this  devastation, there lies great potential for social and economic progress in Africa.

     The African people are working very hard to find indigenous solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of Africa. Governments are working closely with local and international charities to address various needs. We founded the Uganda Rural Fund USA, Inc (URF) as an initiative to contribute to such efforts. URF’s principal goal is to create educational and sustainable development opportunities for orphans, marginalized youth and women in Uganda’s rural communities, especially those most affected by the AIDS epidemic.In order to accomplish this objective, the URF is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity in the United States and as a Community Based Organization in Uganda. The principal philosophy behind the URF is the belief that a better life is possible for all Ugandans.  Every action we initiate is intended to inspire meaningful service and to deliver results that will improve economic and social conditions for the orphan children and marginalized groups in the communities we serve for many years to come.  Fundamentally, we seek grassroots solutions to local challenges in an effort to help people help themselves. 

     In order to empower the groups we serve with practical and life skills so they can improve their socioeconomic situation. Included among our education programs are:
     + Sponsorship of Children at the Nazareth Orphanage. ($300. per child per year)
     + An after school program in rural villages for up to 160 children. + Computer skills and internet services.
     + Entrepreneurship/ leadership training.
     + Adult literacy, youth and community
        seminars, and counseling.
     + Career guidance, sports, music,
        dance, and drama initiatives.
     + Community resource development at
         the Academy.    

     The Hope Integrated Academy (HIA) which is under construction is our primary project, will include a Vocational School, a Community Library, a Computer Center, and Clinic. Our targeted enrollment is 500 students. The Academy’s mission is to provide a well-rounded (quality) formal and practical education that will empower the mind, body, and spirit of Uganda’s disadvantaged orphans.   HIA will act as a community resource center that provides services not readily available to the community as most rural schools have neither libraries nor computer labs. My personal experience in rural schools drives me to invest in this project. Kids learn solely on lecture notes without any external resources at home or in the community. It is very challenging. 

     Furthermore, URF support includes a women’s initiative and a brick making project. Among the various farming projects are programs to raise pigs, cattle, fish, along with agricultural development of banana plantation and passion fruit gardens. We also have a family outreach and AIDS education program run by our volunteers. As part of the global solidarity initiative in the effort to build bridges between communities, we have designed a volunteer program that attracts individuals and groups from all over the globe. Some past and current volunteers have come from countries such as Canada, England, Spain, United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, and United States. 

      URF has negotiated a successful partnership with the Engineers With Borders (EWB) in order to provide vitally needed clean water for Ugandan communities. The EWB team at University of Minnesota is currently designing a system for clean water and sanitation for the school and local village.  Likewise, a Virginia Tech team is working on a solar energy system to provide reliable power supply for the school in rural Uganda.     

      The organization has also been supported by numerous individuals and groups of students at the College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University, MN, College of William & Mary, VA, Stony Brook University, NY, Virginia Tech, University of Minnesota, Bethel University, MN, Williams College, MA, University of Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth University in VA. We have also partnered with Architecture for Humanity to help with architectural designs for the next set of buildings for the school.

     My core belief is that education is the key to breaking the cycle of illiteracy, poverty and oppression plaguing the African communities. Uganda’s literacy is rated at 66.8% and, as a commitment to our desire to improve educational standards, the URF invests heavily in education for the marginalized children. The future of Africa lies in the education of its young generation. Education will empower these children to take charge of their own destiny. I  want to be a witness to the peace of Christ. It is my prayer and hope that my work will inspire others to act in concrete ways that impact positive change in our world today torn apart by war, oppression, and injustice. Justice, to me, is all about sharing. Whatever you did to the least of these, you did for me, (Mt: 25: 40). In serving the needy and oppressed, we surely glorify God. You don’t need to have a lot of wealth to make a difference in other people’s lives; it only take the heart.  "All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke

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