Change A LIfe Uganda

Description

ChangeALife Uganda works with orphaned and
disadvantaged children in two locations in Uganda: Nabbingo and Migyera. Our focus is to change the lives of disadvantaged children through education and to prepare them to be agents of change...for theirfamilies and for their country.... to continue the cycle of givingback so others can also benefit. ChangeALife began with education (we currently sponsor 280 children), building classrooms, dormitories, a library, adding teachers, providing a meal at school,etc. But itbecame apparent quickly that if the parents could not financiallysupport their family, the children would be taken from school so theycould help out.

To address that issue, CAL began supporting income generating activities including teaching the women to make crafts that are sold in the U.S. and Uganda, and by creating micro-finance groups to help men, women,and sometimes children, invest in income generating projects. CAL currently sponsors 6 micro-finance groups.

Migyera has a higher than average incidence of HIV/AIDS due to it's location along a trucking route, the Kampala-Gulu highway. To provide a short-term
response to this problem, we began a sponsorship program for parents with HIV/AIDS, and now support 30 patients who remain productive because they are being medically managed. For the longer term, we are
on the verge of opening a health clinic at our rural location in Migyera which will focus on Maternal and Child Health issues, malaria, and primary care and preventative medicine. Eventually, we hope to
partner with other organizations to provide treatment for HIV/AIDS.

How did ChangeALife Uganda begin?

Father Lawrence Kizito Kimbowa, along with Jean Semler and David Thelen, founded Change A Life Uganda in 2007. The inspiration behind our organization was Father Lawrence's own experience as a child. He is dedicated to giving the children of his home country the rare opportunity he was given as a child -- an education and a chance to make a difference. As a boy, he was separated from his family for 10 years during the 1980's civil war. However, unlike most children, he was fortunate enough to be given an education by a kind sponsor in Chicago. This was the inspiration behind Change A Life Uganda. Because of his personal experience, Father Lawrence believes that through education, a child becomes the catalyst for change.

Father Lawrence and the Change A Life Uganda team have worked together to strengthen education, healthcare, and marketable skills for the people of Uganda. We start by educating children, who will in turn educate others, and will change society. Today, because of Father Lawrence's dream, many children in Nabbingo and Migyera are receiving quality education. With your help, Father Lawrence's dream will become a reality for even more Ugandan children.

The following is how Change A Life Uganda helps the children and the families of all religions n the villages of Migyera and Nabbingo, Uganda:

CHILD SPONSORSHIPS: With a $330 donation, our sponsors provide tuition, school fees, school supplies, nutrition and healthcare to enable a boy or girl to leave poverty behind and become a productive member of society. We support primary, secondary and university level education. In 2012, 275 students participate in our program, 63 in secondary school, 17 attend the university or technical school and the remainder primary school.

SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS: Our Education Committee strives to provide American and Ugandan students an opportunity to become global citizens. US Students are discovering how they can help talented and intelligent pupils from another culture succeed despite the limited educational and economic opportunities in their country.

HEALTHCARE: Change A Life Uganda is developing a Health Intervention Program to impact Malaria, HIV/AIDS, diseases from unclean water,etc. Our goal is to provide general, maternal, pediatric and adult healthcare, HIV, TB and malaria treatment and the building and staffing of medical facilities.

INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES As part of our mission, we are working to empower families with marketable skills to further their financial independence and reduce poverty through profitable and self-sustaining occupations such as: raising farm animals, native craft production, sewing/tailoring and food preparation.