Start the new year right

I'm sorry to say... the Christmas holidays are now officially over - Welcome to 2017. 

I assume that if you're like me you spent New Years Day bank holiday finding some fresh air to go for that last holiday winter walk, before putting the kettle on and sitting down to join 8.1 million viewers in watching the new series of Sherlock; all the while attempting to block out the thought of your alarm going off at a inhuman time in the morning. 

All those that we work with in Uganda will be returning back to Katanga during this month, after being with their wider families in 'the village' for the Christmas holidays. The parents, I am sure, will be shocked by the current renovations of the new entrepreneurial working space, opening later this month and the children will be excited about seeing all their friends after being away from them, for what would seem like an eternity. January in Uganda marks the start of a new school year and so I can imagine the children looking forward to, and perhaps nervous about starting back at school with the challeneges that come being one year older. Today I transferred the necessary funds for sending the 42 sponsored children and young adults we have, into 6 different schools and 3 different vocational training colleges.   

24 of 42 sponsored children going back to school on 30th Jan 2017.

The first child to be sponsored through Hope for Life was James. His mother came up to Megan and I the day we arrived back in Katanga in October 2014, fell to her knees, grabbed our hands and simply said, "Webale nyo!" (Thank you very much). We got Daisy (Education Officer) to translate further, "three years ago, before James joined Hope for Life, he would collect plastic bottles to sell, run away from home and stay up late in Katanga, watching films in the cinema (a mud shack with a communal television, where people gathered to drink and watch films). He had an unhealthy lifestyle, which I didn't think would change. Now that he has a sponsor, he goes to school every day, doesn't run away but stays around the house to help with the chores." 

James in red and family in 2016

James has progressed so much in and out of school since we first met him in 2011 and now he is 16, he is leaving school and is going on to study mechanics at a vocational training college, gaining a skill so that when he turns 18, he will be in a position to earn a self-sufficient income. We are so proud of what James and the other 41 sponsored students have been able to achieve so far and we are looking forward to seeing where they are in 1, 2, 5, 10 years time because of the opportunity to education they have been able to receive.

We currently have 9 children in our catch-up class who are ready to start school this new year and are looking for those who feel they are in a position to be able to sponsor a child's education for £20/month. If you feel you are able to change the future of a child in Katanga, Uganda then get in touch with us using the contact form below.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Hope for Life wants to create self sufficient families, so we are also working with the parents of these children so that they will be able to support their own child's education in the future.