Uganda is located in Eastern Africa. It is slightly smaller than the state of Oregon. Thirty-five percent of the land area is arable and productive. Uganda has several fresh water lakes and rivers. It is the home of part of Lake Victoria, the world's second largest fresh-water lake. The source of the river Nile is also in Uganda.

The average life span in Uganda is 43 years of age. This low number reflects the high infant mortality rate (93 out of every 1000 live births) and the death rate from HIV/AIDS related complications. The fertility rate is 7 children per woman. The literacy rate in Uganda is 62% (from the age of 15 and above).

View from the Children of Promise Leader in Uganda

In Uganda, education is very important. Unfortunately, when you grow up in the slums of the capital city, Kampala, or when you are orphaned or deserted due to insufficient funds, this luxury is beyond your dreams. A growing problem in Uganda is A.I.D.S. Many children have no parents or immediate family to stay with, and so we are seeing many children abandoned at city centers or hospitals. We are also seeing many single-child families.  (The child is the only one left in the family.)

With Children of Promise, you can help support a child with education, food, and clothing. For children who are pre-school age, we place them in the Kasubi Nursery School in Kampala where they receive wonderful nursery school care until the age of six. They then go on to primary school where we monitor and nurture them.

The school is a Church of God school and has a wonderful Christian staff. The environment is one of warmth and caring and is a great example to the neighborhood.

A View from the Staff

The dirt was bright orange and seemed to cling to everything we touched. Before us stood two beautiful children, a brother and sister. There names were John and Uliana, and they had quite a story.

A few years ago while making her rounds, a missionary nurse came upon two dirty, severely malnourished children lying on a mat outside a hut. Because they could neither walk nor talk, and because they were very small physically, she assumed that they were around 9 to 12 months old. But she was very wrong. Instead, they were seven and nine years old. Both of their parents had long ago died of AIDS. The children had been farmed out to an uncle who was more interested in drinking than in taking care of two children. He fed them just enough to keep them alive. Otherwise, they were totally ignored.

With permission from the uncle, the nurse took the two children to her home. She fed them a high-nutrition formula and gave them constant care. Within three months, these two children were walking and talking. After a year, the nurse returned them to their village where they were taken in by a church woman. This woman was already caring for many orphaned children, but her heart went out to John and Uliana. Children of Promise stepped in and the two children were sponsored, helping to relieve the financial burden of this Good Samaritan.

The two children standing before us were still a bit short for their ages, but they were happy and smiling. The Children of Promise director in Uganda told us that John often testifies in church, giving thanks to the God who saved him and his sister from certain death. And then he sings. We praise God along with John and Uliana! Indeed, God is good!

John and Uliana standing outside their school. The look completely different than they did just a few short years ago.	The elementary children at Kasubi School, waiting for the assembly to begin.
The fourth grade class presented a special song and dance for us during the assembly.