Keep Hope School COVID-free and Create a Library

Thank you to all who donated to our campaign to support The Hope Institute for Transformational Leadership and Development in Uganda. Your contributions are vital. Although we suspended the campaign in April due to Covid-19, thanks to your support, we were on target to meet our goal. We were gratified that GlobalGiving made us a partner.

The Hope Institute vocational school is still closed due to the corona virus and the construction of the library has also been postponed. But that hasn’t stopped Canon Gideon Byamugisha from working tirelessly to raise HIV awareness and funds for students to return to school as soon as the government allows. Canon Gideon received considerable press attention when he and his daughters walked 32 miles to draw attention to the fact that HIV/AIDS remains a very serious problem in Uganda. Less than 3/4ths of those living with HIV are on treatment. With more than 50,000 new infections each year and more than 20,000 deaths, many youth are still being left orphaned and vulnerable. Educating these vulnerable youth to become skilled, self-sufficient, and healthy community leaders is the mission of the Hope Institute.

In addition to educating youth about HIV and AIDS, Canon Gideon is also educating them on how to stay healthy and avoid the virus through videos and public talks. While there have been no cases among staff, students or immediate family, the economic and educational impact of the lockdown has been devastating. The Friends of Canon Gideon Foundation has the challenge of sustaining and feeding its training team and neighbors in need. Many students, it is feared, will require free or very subsidized sponsorship in order to return to school. For that reason, we hope to resume the campaign later this year.