Monthly Giving – eChange Endeavors

Fall Scholarships to Finish Strong!

Fall is here! While that means the start of new academic year in the US, it is the final term in Ugandan. We need to raise $4000 for our scholarship fund to clear the students fees in time for exams. Will you help us and contribute $200 for one needy high schools student per term? Without your generous support these children would not be studying, causing the cycles of poverty to persist in their families.

We support 3 students at Ocer Campion Jesuit College in Gulu, which has 600 plus student with one-third on scholarship (top photo). At St Joseph College, a Franciscan high school in Tororo with 150 students and nearly all students on partial or full scholarship we support 6 students. (See photos above.) We have another 6 female students we support at various Catholic Schools, including Sr. Jackline, LSOSF. Most of their parents are farmers struggling to earn a basic livelihood. Without your generous support these youth would be growing up without an education. For only $600 per year, $200 per term, or $50 per month you can help a youth stay in school and reach their dreams. Graduating from a Catholic school experience is transformative in their lives and that of their families for generations to come. Collectively we help bring a brighter and more faith filled future for all of Uganda. Will you help a high school student reach his/her dream of education? Donate Today!

In Lira diocese, we are helping to support 20 students in primary school with boarding at the YOUFRA (Young Franciscans) Centre and personal requirements. Their parents are former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) abductees whose lives and education were disrupted when they were captured, dragged into the bush and forced to fight or assist fighters under the threat of death. While the conflict is over many years now, the parents have yet to recover–emotionally, educationally, socially, and especially financially. We are working diligently with Sr. Margaret Awor, LSOSF, and staff of the YOUFRA Youth Centre to help improve their livelihoods, heal their traumas, and ensure a next generation does not also loose out on education. Will you help us compensate for a great injustice by supporting their children’s education? Donate Today!

Personal requirements for the primary students includes meals, mattresses, sheets, blankets, school uniforms, sturdy shoes, socks, books, paper, pencils, pens and markers, and sports gear. We are seeking $500, $25 per student, per term for these children, plus an additional $750 for one-time purchases. Will you help the parents redeem and reclaim their hope and dreams for their families and a good future? Will you help ensure their children have access to quality education? Donate Today!

We also support three students engaged in university studies. (photos above) Mercy is studying for a Bachelors in Education to become an English teacher. Gerald is seeking a Diploma in Laboratory Technologies to step his way to becoming a doctor. Emilly is working on a Master’s in Family Counseling to empower her to counsel the families she is working with at the YOUFRA Youth Centre. It costs $700 per term, $120 per month to support them. Will you make a contribution today to ensure their dreams and a better Uganda? Donate Today!

For A Few, A Hopeful New Year Begins

As a new year begins, bringing new opportunities, it also brings responsibilities as parents seek to find quality educational opportunities for their children. The students are full of hope for what the future may bring, should they get the chance to attend high school. While primary education is covered for all in Uganda, secondary school is not. Once the P7 national exam scores are released the scramble for placements is on.

For the fortunate few this is an exciting time. For those whose scores are low or the parents finances limited it is a sorrowful time. At Ocer Campion Jesuit College one third of the students are on scholarship (200+) because without it they would sitting at home learning nothing. Eastside High School lead by the Franciscan Sisters has an even a higher rate closer to 75% of students who attend on scholarship. Without the generous support of donors like you in the US these youth would not have the opportunity to study at all let alone at a Catholic high school.

Will join join our circle of giving with a one-time contribution for the year or as a monthly giver? It only takes $50 a month or $600 for the year to give a student a chance at a high school education in Uganda. Give today!

Resurrection

Ocer means to rise in the local Acholi language in Uganda. This Easter season, which last from now until Pentecost, we rejoice in the light of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Won’t you help families in need this Easter season to be truly resurrected from the darkness and struggles that envelope their lives due to health care issues and poverty? A little goes a long way as a leaven in their lives!

Small Grants, Big Impact!

Through our small grant program we bridge gaps in resources to enable local communities to grow and serve one another. Through our program widows, orphans, disabled adults and children and the poor have access to education, health services, work opportunities, spiritual formation and Love! We ensure projects are completed and former investments are not lost. Your contribution of $50 or $100 goes a long way in Africa and Asia. Make a donation today to encourage and inspire the next generation of youth to serve their communities.

Be Merciful, Give Today!

Will you help Lazarus in our midst?

Bishop Barron notes from the gospel the Luke 16:19-31, “the rich man ‘dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day,’ while lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, ‘who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table.’ God is not pleased with this kind of economic inequality, and he burns with a passion to set things right.

This theme came roaring up out of the Bible and into the Christian tradition, and it echoes up and down the centuries. St Thomas Aquinas says that we must distinguish between ownership and use of private property. We have a right to ownership through our hard work, through our inheritance. Fair enough. But with regard to the use of those things–how we use them, why we use them, then, says Thomas, we must always be concerned first for the common good and not our own. This especially includes Lazarus at our gate: those who are suffering and most in need.”

In Uganda, unemployment is over 40% with 80% of the population trying to eek out a living from farming or micro businesses. Many families struggle to cover basic needs–food, health care, housing and school fees. And the effects of changing weather, coupled with a lack of access to insurance options, leaves families even more exposed and vulnerable. This Lent support our small grant programs that provides infusions of capital to income generating projects to ensure health care workers are paid for their free services rendered to the community; to provide leadership, scouting and shoe making training programs for youth; to support a rabbit farm for mothers and families with special needs children, and income generating opportunities for disabled men and woman.

We support amazing Catholic religious and lay leaders working to transform their communities through health care, work opportunitities, education, spiritual formation, and love. Will you help the Lazarus in our midst, the marginalized families, youth and disabled in Uganda? Join our Endeavors Giving Circle this Lent!

Following Your Dream – Solomon’s Story

Parents around the world struggle greatly to provide educational opportunities for their children, and instill the values of learning and academic growth in them. Unfortunately for many in Uganda, quality education and monetary opportunity to enroll in schools remain unattainable following the conflict in the north. With the help of generous sponsors, such as yourself, and passionate educators like Fr. Tony, SJ and the staff at Ocer Campion Jesuit College (OCJC), students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to study are able to join classrooms and fulfill their dreams and the hope of their parents.

Solomon, a 14 year old at Ocer Campion Jesuit College, was born to parents living the turmoil of wartime Uganda. During the time of the insurgency, people from Northern Uganda were moved into the family’s compound for safety, but left resource sparse. Following the war, Solomon’s parents had no land for tilling and little opportunity for financial recovery.

Dreams of educating their children looked bleak, but knowing its importance, they enrolled Solomon in a local primary school. During this time, they recognized a struggle in math and worked with the school librarian to obtain books to aid Solomon. Shortly after he was able to pass his Primary 7 examinations and was accepted into Ocer Campion. With the help of your donations which contribute to tuition payments, Solomon, like many other students at Ocer, has been able to attend school and thrive.

Solomon enjoys the environment that Ocer Campion Jesuit College, its staff and students provide. He is fond of the staff of the school, who continuously show kindness to the students and are invested in their success. Solomon is a member of the Ocer Science Club, enjoys fine arts classes, and participates in football during his leisure time. Following Ocer, Solomon hopes to become a mechanical engineer and give back to his community in whatever way he can.

Solomon’s educational dreams and opportunities would not have been possible without the good works of our wonderful missionaries serving in Uganda and our faithful donors. For a mere $660 per year or $55 per month, you can help support a student like Solomon for one year of education. Will you help give a student the opportunity to dream big and join a classroom today? Join our Endeavors Giving Circle Today!

Following Your Dream – Nancy’s Story

For the youth of Uganda it is time to begin a new academic year, but sadly not all students will be able to attend. Due to a lack of funds too many youth will remain sitting at home instead of studying with their peers.

Thanks to generous sponsors like you and me, one in three students at Ocer Campion Jesuit College (OCJC) are able to attend school today. Many more would like to join.

Nancy first dreamed of being able to go to high school. Now she is attending Ocer Campion Jesuit College and she dreams of becoming a judge to help make Uganda a more just country.

Nancy was born in the bush of Northern Uganda. During the war time she lost her father, leaving her mother deeply stressed regarding the safety and survival of her family. After escaping the war, Nancy’s mother with the help of her aunt enrolled her in a primary school specifically for war-affected children in Gulu. Nancy’s love of education blossomed and she performed well.

Knowing that her mother, a war widow, couldn’t afford the tuition cost of high school, Nancy still continued to study hard and placed her educational fate in God’s hands. She passed her primary leaving exams and waited at home for an opportunity to continue studying. After a year she had the chance through her Uncle to work in the fields at Ocer Campion during the holiday season when the other boarding students were away. Once she was able to meet Fr. Tony, SJ and Director of OCJC, she was able to apply for both acceptance and support. Nancy’s prayers were answered with an educational scholarship confirming for her that good does exist in the world.

Nancy, now a Senior 4 student, is active in the Ocer Campion community as a member of the Educate Club, Young Christian Society, and Debate Club. Within the Educate Club, Nancy works alongside students to make the campus and community better to study, and in the Young Christian Society, she guides and counsels youth during their difficult adolescent period. She recognizes the high-quality education Ocer Campion offers and is grateful for the ability to interact openly with her teachers. She finds the educational environment very encouraging.

Nancy dreams of continuing her education beyond Ocer Campion and one day hopes to become a lawyer. She recognizes the turmoil that surrounded the last presidential election and the corruption within the country. In becoming a lawyer, and one day a judge, she hopes to allow the people of Uganda the freedom of speech, and all freedoms. She wants to shape the world to be more just.

Nancy’s educational dreams and opportunities would not have been possible without the good works of our wonderful missionaries serving in Uganda and our faithful donors. For a mere $660 per year or $55/month you can help support a student like Nancy for a year of high school. Will you help give a student the opportunity to dream big and join a classroom today? Join our Endeavors Giving Circle!

Rebecca’s Story

As children around the world rejoin their classrooms, eChange Endeavors is proud to continue our support of Ocer Campion Jesuit College in Gulu, Uganda. Through your donations, eChange Endeavors plays a pivotal role in developing the next generation of educated young Ugandans.

Rebecca has grown up knowing the power of her faith and education. Her father was a soldier so they lived near the barracks early on. Her mother, Judith, one of five children, ran a successful hair salon. Following her father’s death during the insurgency in Northern Uganda, her mother began taking in orphans and families affected by the war while also sending Rebecca to primary school. Soon after, however, Rebecca’s mother fell ill with a meningitis-like illness, causing her to lose her strength and mobility, and leaving her incapacitated and unable to take care of herself or the children. Without her steady hand the salon soon closed.

Since her mother’s illness, Rebecca’s maternal grandparents have emerged from retirement to aid with caregiving and the financial burden. Active members of their parish community, the grandparents continue to model their faith not only in their home, but also within the community. Her grandfather, a retired accountant is the chairman of their sub-parish and member of the parish council. Her grandmother is a member of the parish Catholic women’s group that provides study, fellowship and support to woman in the parish and community. Through a small vegetable stand in the local town market Rebecca’s grandmother provides food for the extended family and an income to cover medical costs. Still it is not enough. While Rebecca’s grades were quite high, her education was halted after primary school due to a lack of funds. She remained at home for a year with no hope of continuing her schooling.

Thanks to the help of Fr. Tony Wach, SJ, Director of Ocer Campion JC, and eChange Endeavors, Rebecca is now among the numerous scholarship recipients given an opportunity for education. Rebecca is an active member of Ocer’s many clubs and activities, and has grown fond of dancing, singing and drama alongside her other subjects. She is also involved in the Magis club, a group dedicated to the service of others within the local community, such as St Jude’s orphanage. Rebecca believes in modeling her faith, as her grandparent and parents have shown her, and recognizes that those with the ability should help others as they can. She similarly values her education and sees it as an indispensable asset to her wellbeing and a way to escape the difficulties often faced within her society. She aspires to one day be a TV announcer and support other children to also complete their education. Rebecca and her family remain shining examples of our dynamic global Catholic family living and thriving through faithful discipleship. They are ever grateful for your support and hope that other families in need around them may also benefit from your generosity.

While education is an opportunity we often take for granted, for a family facing difficulty, it becomes a significant advantage to a better life. We would like to thank you for your enduring support of our programs. We invite you to give the gift of learning to another family and young member of the Gulu community. For only $60 per month or $720 per year, you can support a student for one year of high school. Join our Endeavors Giving Circle today!

Endeavors Circle

Join us as we launch a monthly giving circle to share our blessings. We are called to build up the Body of Christ, the Church. At eChange Endeavors we do this by supporting widows, single parents, orphans and those with disabilities either directly or through local Catholic institutions. We seek to leverage previous investments made in education, personal development or institutional capacities to ensure those at risk won’t fall by the wayside. Together we are helping to transform problems into opportunities inspiring hope and strengthening community!

We help hardworking mothers such as Gloria to ensure they can provide for their children. When she needed a hip replacement surgery due to an accident, we stepped in to help. We also supported Pascal to finish University after his Mother died and his Father was no longer able to generate enough income for both him and his younger brother who was still attending high school. When Esther’s husband died, we assisted with food and helped her start a micro business. Later when the eldest reached high school we helped with the higher fees. We have given a small grant to Children’s Community Care to finish a classroom for children with mental disabilities so that mothers would have a safe, clean, and stimulating environment in which to leave their children while they went to work in the street markets.

We also raise funds for OcerCampion Jesuit College both scholarships and an additional housing for international volunteers to work at the school. We are seeking resources for technology and textbooks for St Athanasius Primary School, which serves mostly poor families living in the slums of Kampala. St. Elizabeth’s Home & Vocational Institute rescues young women from the streets, trafficking and prostitution. We are seeking to raise funds for a solar solution and sewing machines so that local money collected can feed and support more women. We are seeking to help rural health clinics diversify their service capabilities to create a more sustainable model. None of these good works would be possible without your generous support over time.

So join us today and become part of our circle of giving to ensure we can say YES to helping our brothers and sisters in Uganda when we receive their requests. To join simply click on our DONATE button that will take you to a PayPal payment page. You can pay via PayPal, credit or debit card. Just make sure to tick the box for re-occurring payments and your giving will be automatically processed each month.

$10/month enables an entrepreneur to start or grow a microenterprise

$20/month enables young adults to participate in Catholic youth camps

$25/month provides one teacher with a mini-laptop

$30/month supports a student in primary school

$50/month provides a small grant to a health clinic or partner

Thank you for becoming part of our Endeavors Circle of love and hope in the world!