Five years ago, the Nzirambi Education Fund was established,
inspired by Veronica. At the time, she was 16-years old-and the third highest
scoring student in the district with dreams of going to law school. These were
especially big dreams considering her unfortunate start in life -- she had been
left at the orphanage when she was just a baby after her mother died of AIDS.
I met Veronica on my first visit to Uganda; we were working
in a new garden behind the orphanage preparing to plant crops and she shared
with me her dreams of becoming a lawyer. I could tell she was a bright young
woman, but when I asked how her university would be paid for, I realized there
was no funding in place.
I knew right away that I would help her. When I returned to
Canada, I shared Vero’s story with so many of you, and you were also inspired. And
if we could help one girl, why not try to help others? And so, the Nzirambi
Education Fund began.
Five Years On
Vero was accepted to law school – in the best university in
the country, I might add! She is the first child from the orphanage to go to
university. Our Fund supported her through her final years of high school, and
three years of university. In 2014, she will finish the program.
We didn’t stop there. We raised more than $50,000, allowing
us to pay for education for 6 other students, fund four other girls through
high school; all of whom were accepted to university this year. We are
supporting a young man named Oscar through a digital arts/advertising program.
I am especially proud of
Oscar because he has suffered great health challenges
that made it nearly impossible for him to finish school. This program will
change his life. We are supporting another boy through his final years of high
school, and a young woman who is taking a care-givers course.
These students are ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters’ of more than 100
children who live at the orphanage today. They are children whose families
could not – or would not -- take care of them: most of them are there because
their mothers died in childbirth, some lost their parents to AIDS and sadly,
some are there because they were abandoned – in bushes, once in a garbage dump
on Christmas Day, and others tossed into latrines. These newborns are the most
vulnerable of all -- brought to the orphanage, cared back to life by House
Mothers.
We can’t stop now.
Your donation will help us to ensure these children can go
to school. It costs $2,500/ year for one student in university; $1,500 for a
year of college; and $1000 for a year of senior high school. We need to raise
$15,000 in 2014 to cover school fees for Veronica, Oscar, Pelucy, Patricia,
Ellen, Priscilla, Dan and Yoneki.
Travels to Uganda
This year, I’m returning to Uganda, looking forward to
spending time in Kampala where the children study in university. I’ll also be
spending time at the orphanage to see the younger children and the House
Mothers. I’m bringing photographer Johan Hallberg-Campbell and we have exciting
plans to document the children’s’ stories.
I am hoping you will consider a donation this holiday to
help the children in their education. I don’t even know how it would be
possible for these children to go to school if it wasn’t for all of you. Thank
you, as always, for your continued support.
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