The past two years have been particularly hard for children in Uganda. Schools remained shut through most of the pandemic. Light a Candle, our program there, worked tirelessly to help these children succeed in their education despite the seemingly impossible situation. Despite school closures, children have remained committed to pursuing education however they can, and several have successfully passed exams to proceed to the next grade. In 2021, three of our students graduated high school and are now preparing for college!
One of these graduates is Job. Job grew up in the slums of Kampala, where his life was defined by extreme hunger, domestic violence, and no opportunity to go to school. As the oldest child in his family, he was stripped of any chance to enjoy a healthy childhood.
“I was seeing other children going to school while I was left home to look after my younger siblings and there was never any sign of me ever going to school,” he said. Job all but gave up on the idea that he could have a purpose beyond just surviving. The violence in Job’s home got so bad that at one point, he decided the only option he had was to run away.
It was then that our program found him and was able to provide tuition so he could go to school, “I was able to finish school without ever worrying of being sent home for [lack of] fees.”
Job is now on his way to fulfilling his dream of going to nursing school. He is the first person in his family, and his entire community, to ever go to college. His dream is to “use my nursing skills to impact lives and be a ray of hope to my family and community.”
Job is a trailblazer. Through faith, and help from Forward Edge, he’s traversing completely new territory into a college education and a career in helping others. We can’t wait to see all God does in and through him in the years to come!
This story was shared in our 2021 Annual Report. You can view our full report here >>
Choosing to sponsor a child is a big leap of faith. Once you have taken the first step of saying “yes” to sponsorship and helping vulnerable children, the next step can be joyful…and overwhelming! It can be difficult to know where to start that’s why we’ve put together a list
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Ymer grew up feeling invisible, his dreams of education dimmed by discrimination and discouragement. But a spark of hope emerged when he joined tutoring classes, where a simple moment of recognition changed everything. With newfound confidence, letters of encouragement, and the support of a sponsor, Ymer discovered his worth and the power of believing in himself.
17 yrs. old
Entered the program: March 2023
Fatima lives with her mother in a one-bedroom house built with mud and roofed with thatch. The community has access to electricity and potable water but Fatima’s mother cannot afford to pay for it, so they are not connected to these services. There is lack of good sanitation in the community which poses a health hazard.
Fatima’s family is Muslim. Her father is deceased and her mother sells red pepper in the local market but barely earns a dollar a day. Keeping Fatima in school is challenging and, without assistance, her ability to continue would be affected.
Plus bonus group fundraising ideas!
