Send Children to School in Uganda

Since 1997, the program now known as Bridges for Children has been caring for children in Kampala, Uganda. In post-war Uganda and in the darkest days of the HIV/AIDS crisis, the program partnered with the church for temporary classrooms that doubled as shelter for children living in the streets.

Over time, as life-saving medications became available and stigma lessened, the program shifted to an educational model providing school fees and allowing children to attend the church school without financial support. In some years, as many as 500 children attended. Last year 224 children were in the program. 

You have helped these children in many ways, including:

• Education and interventions such as medical care, and trauma healing.
• Two daily meals
• The Wamama group for mothers

Now in a new season, Bridges for Children embraces a time of transition into a new model of care. Bridges Founder Sara Sebyala has been working to establish means for the program to become self-sustaining. With this in mind, she has added raising chickens and growing pineapples to her activities.

“Now every day I have eggs. I sell the eggs and I have money in my hands, and every day more chickens are laying and I watch that money grow.” Sara’s aim is to support children and families through farming.

After watching grades plateau and then drop, and after seeing less long-term life change in students,  we all asked how we could bring more hope and positive change into the children’s lives. One problem was the number of children outpaced the financial support. Another was the administrative aspect that took Sara and her team out of the mothering roles where they excel. At the beginning of this school year, the Bridges team began working with families to transition students into other schools. Calvary Primary is operating with fewer students and Nineteen students continue in secondary school.

Sara knows education is a key part of escaping poverty, but there are many other factors that affect a child’s future. The 42 children raised in her home over the years have done well. She is restructuring to have more time with individual children, to make more investment into their day-to-day lives beyond the classroom.

 Within five years, Sara hopes Bridges for Children will be fully self-sustained trough the farm. We'll bring you more updates as this new season unfolds. 

Links:

• TI Web Site