Why Ignite Change?
By involving both the parents and the children, we are working to break the cycle of poverty on two fronts. We are following Christ’s example of loving and serving others, and we are emboldened by the Great Commission to share Christ’s love with the whole world (Matthew 28:19-20).
Growing up, I always wanted to open an orphanage overseas because I thought this was something greatly needed in a developing country. After getting an internship in Uganda after college, I realized this was far from the truth. Building orphanages is a problem globally because many children end up there who aren’t actually orphans. (In Uganda, an astounding 85% of the children in orphanages have at least one living parent^). Parents struggling to provide for their families sometimes see these institutions as a way for their children to get fed and receive an education. In this way, the orphanages help, but the children grow up outside of a family structure. My Ugandan coworker and I knew something needed to change. We believe these individuals want to work but may lack skills or capital needed to start a business. Since then, we developed business classes to walk families through how to find a source of income. Instead of just a handout, dignity is being restored to the parents because they can now sustainability take care of their children.
In addition to the business classes, we are building a primary school! While working in the communities, we realized there was not a well-performing school in the area. We do not want these children to face the same limitations as their parents. Education is one of the best ways to break the cycle of poverty. Simply learning English, which is taught in school, opens many doors to employment. Phase 1 of the school build will include preschool through fourth grade classrooms, a pavilion, and digging a well to serve the greater community. American teachers are coming over to work alongside Ugandan teachers to help with lesson planning and making learning more hands-on.
By involving both the parents and the children, we are working to break the cycle of poverty on two fronts. We are following Christ’s example of loving and serving others, and we are emboldened by the Great Commission to share Christ’s love with the whole world (Matthew 28:19-20).
-Emily Johns
Founder
^ http://www.alternative-care-uganda.org/safe-campaign.html
School Update
As each week passes, we are getting closer to breaking ground for our Primary School! Our architect has given us a few sketches of what the school will look like. It continues to build our excitement as we now have a clear picture of the design.
One of the Classroom Blocks
After we knew God was calling us to build this school, we began praying for land. God opened up many doors for us to purchase 4 different plots next to each other to have an area big enough for all the school buildings needed. You can see a picture of the land here.
Almost all schools in Uganda (and most of Africa) look the same. They have a symmetrical roof with no overhang. We began looking at different options available and a TED Talk from an architect in Togo came up in our searches. He had tilted the roof of the school in order for the hot air to escape. The idea is so simple yet can help keep the classrooms cooler in the village of Ngai where the school is being built. We began meeting with architects and discussing tilting the roof. Many of the architects told us it was "not possible" so we continued searching. Thankfully, we found an architect who was able to bring our vision to life! And at the same time, we are able to employ all Ugandan employees for the design and construction of the school.