As I began writing this newsletter, John 3:16 kept running through my mind. I am not great at memorizing bible verses, so at first I felt amused, "Of course, one of the most popular bible verses is floating in my thoughts. How sad that I can only remember this one!" A little while later, another thought entered my mind, God loved this world so much that he gave us such a special, brilliant, loving gift like Jesus. God did not need to do this for us. Then, just as quickly, another thought came to mind. All of you, our donors, our prayer partners, our volunteers, are showing your love for this world through the kindness you share with the orphaned children, the guardians and the teachers Educate Uganda supports.
For you so loved the world that you loved God's many children!
Thank you for supporting the children in our sponsorship program, children you may never meet face-to-face, just because you are answering His call to love.
The New Year Brings A $100,000 Challenge!
Educate Uganda has been blessed with two "Challenge Grants". Each grant is for $50,000! The donors of the "Challenge Grants" will match each dollar donated to Educate Uganda, up to $100,000. This is an incredible opportunity for everyone involved with Educate Uganda. If you are considering a gift to Educate Uganda in 2021, now would be a perfect time to do this! We would love to double the impact of your donation! Please help us receive every dollar from this challenge!
What we will do with these donations:
We will be able to construct a five-unit staff housing structure for one of our most remote partner schools.
We will be abled to support a minimum of 20 students to attend and board at a private secondary school.
It will enable us to support our Senior 4 graduates with the opportunity to continue their education in a vocational program.
The most exciting program we will invest in is a sustainability program for our primary school partners. We are going to support our partner schools in a pig-raising program and with expanded gardens. More to come on this exciting project in our next newsletter.
Primary School Students
Above are students from Kinoga, Magulu, St. Alphonsus and Nsonga Primary Schools.
Our primary students are doing the best they can in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Primary 7 students have returned to their schools and the rest of the students are anxiously awaiting for the Ugandan government to allow all students to return to school.
We are still supporting the students with learning packets and tutoring thanks to the help of many of our teachers. The folders the students are holding are learning packets they and their fellow students have been completing.
If you sponsor a primary student and have not sent in your 2021 donation, there is still time. Simply donate online at www.educateuganda.org or venmo @educateuganda. You can also send a check to:
Educate Uganda
P.O. Box 540095
Omaha, NE 68154
A Special Hello From Uganda!
Fr. Michael Mukasa with his mother and his niece.
"Dear friends in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
I bring you greetings from Uganda, the land of the Martyrs. Life has indeed changed for everyone everywhere in the world. I reflected for a moment and realized that for the last fifteen consecutive years, I have spent Christmas time in Omaha, the place I call “my best kept secret.” Indeed, as I was getting ready to return to Uganda after the Christmas of 2019, following all the last Masses I celebrated at St. Wenceslaus, the last words everyone was telling me were, “see you December 2020.” My response was, “see you too in December 2020.” None of us new that December 2020, indeed the whole of 2020, would be a year that most of us would rather forget. The pandemic has really changed our way of living, even here in Uganda. Indeed we are so, so, so tired of Covid-19.
Our beloved Uganda hasn’t been spared the brunt of this terrible pandemic. At first, we thought that maybe we had dodged the bullet, but boy has it reared its ugly head of recent. The entire academic year was almost wiped away for our kids. The last quarter that all our students were in school ended abruptly in mid March, 2020. Since then, Ugandan children have been at home without the privilege of attending classes physically. A "rare few" have been able to study online. Many of you know the technological divide affecting us. So, we can as well say that there has been minimal learning for Ugandan students for the biggest chunk of 2020. Heading into 2021 we are still in limbo, with certain grade levels returning to school. Our prayer is that the government will allow all students to return soon! Needless to say, there have been unwanted consequences for these children as a result of not being in school. Consequences such as early pregnancies, early marriages and children being forced to enter the world of work, have all been the order of the day due to school lockdowns here in Uganda.
Despite all those challenges, there has been a silver lining for our kids sponsored by Educate Uganda! Indeed, we want whole heartedly to thank all of our sponsors for continuing to support the cause of education for our kids. We were able to provide our kids with learning materials at their home regardless of the challenges of getting them there. These packages have kept our kids abreast with their education. They have also kept them busy and hence away from trouble; so far, we haven’t heard any bad news of our kids getting their education ruined; we are crossing our fingers!
I wish to extend my love and prayers to the good people of Omaha. I have dearly missed my time at St. Wenceslaus parish and St. Margaret Mary's Parish. I look forward to seeing everyone as soon as I am allowed to travel again.
May our good and gracious Lord reward you abundantly!"
