Sponsor an orphan: Children of Bududa (Uganda)

It has been a special year for Children of Bududa. As we come nearer to 2017, we are reminded of how important the youth are for our future. With the close of several chapters, beginnings start anew. This year that means the finish of our first practical skills course offering, our brand-new Monitoring & Evaluation of our projects, and the roll-out of 1-on-1 social counselling.

So today we’d like to say thank you. Thank you to our children first and foremost. When Barbara Wybar first entered Uganda in 2003, it was a small seed of an idea. This idea has flourished into a center that focuses on youth skills development, microfinance, academic support, technical workshops, and social work. The children inspired her from the beginning to encourage and to uplift. Today the children continue to inspire us to push ourselves afresh. We did an overhaul of the project to push the boundaries of Bududa Canada Foundation and to be practical for our kids. We monitored our projects so we can improve them. We evaluated our opportunities and our weaknesses. And we’ve spent more time with our kids one-on-one so we can help them deal with the daily challenges they face. We will never stop trying because of our children. So a big thank-you to the kids and a fresh start in 2017 as we move forward.

The following details a narrative of one of our brightest students, Miss N. Sandra, who is determined to overcome her obstacles despite how large they may seem.

Sandra is 13 years old and completing her year of Primary-7 this year at Bukiga Primary School. She just finished her primary leaving exams, which will enable her to move on to the secondary level if she passes. Sandra has been a very hard-working student and we believe she will make it with flying colours.

Sandra lives with her mother who is 39 years old. The family has 11 children in total, nine of whom are Sandra’s mother’s children. A number of years ago, Sandra’s father fell sick with malaria and a cough. Then he became mentally unstable, so he was moved from the main hospital to the mental clinic of the main hospital in Mbale. The psychiatrist at Mbale Hospital wrote a report which indicated he was not mentally ill yet showed signs of mental disability. Since the family members were confused, the family head decided that the patient should be placed in prison for his safety. While in prison, Sandra’s father had difficulty using his logical reasoning skills; the police officer recommended it was better for the patient to be kept at home. This was allowed as long as he was monitored closely by family members and the psychiatrist.

Before Sandra’s father was taken to prison, he burnt down the family house including all material items within the home. He also cut down all the banana stems in the family farm that was close to the house. The worst incident occurred when he wanted to kill his wife and the whole family. Despite all this, the family never abandoned him. They believed he would persevere. After destroying the family property and threatening to kill all the children one night, Sandra’s father ended his life by committing suicide. Sandra’s mother became destitute after the death of her husband. Her husband’s relatives wanted to take all the family property and leave her homeless. Unfortunately, this is something that happens a lot in the rural communities of Uganda. While this did not occur, their family was left in a situation of severe poverty.

Even when Children of Bududa became involved and wanted to recruit Sandra into the program, her mother was hesitant in agreeing to the idea because she was frightened. She worried that her late husband’s relatives would evict her from the home for accepting help from Bududa Canada Foundation. It took us time to counsel Sandra’s mother to allow us to help by supporting Sandra. Today Sandra is happier and has opportunity. Thanks to Children of Bududa, her school fees are paid and her sponsor helps with even other expenses. This is an inspiration for us at Bududa Learning Center as we can help children like Sandra!

By:

MARTHA NANZALA, Senior Social Worker, Children of Bududa program

KIMBERLY BEEBE, Assistant Director, Bududa Learning Center