Pegge Johns' Trip to Uganda (Part 2)
Visit to Government Primary School
Thursday. Today, we went to a government Primary School with Nommy which just happened to be the exact school Nommy attended as a child. This Government school was overcrowded and poorly staffed and could clearly have used more resources and teaching material.
Monday Morning Fellowship
Monday morning, I was able to join in with the Ignite Change staff for their weekly Praise & Worship time. Although I did not understand some of the words sung in their native language, one line rang through...Yahweh, Yahweh, you are a miracle working God, your name is Yahweh!
Visting a Tailoring Business
We were then back out in the villages to meet and talk with tailoring students who previously have come through the Ignite Change program. It was so cool to see their enthusiasm and the pride they had in having their own machines and businesses! I saw firsthand some of their awesome creations and was truly impressed! Times are difficult here, but each person greets you with kindness and love. They go out of their way to give you a seat and make you feel so very welcome!
Visit to Land and Vision Retreat
Tuesday the entire Ignite Change staff went to the land purchased for the Vocational School. The land is in a perfect location (right outside of town) and is level so every part can be used! We shared a time of worship there and did a prayer walk around the 7.5 acres. The borehole that has already been drilled was operational and the families who live on the bordering land use it so they do not have to travel far to get water. As long as they maintain it, Ignite Change is more than welcoming for them to use the water. Following, the entire staff (they included me in, too) traveled to a nearby park (with a view of the Nile River!) for their Vision Retreat to plan for upcoming projects, projected growth and future dreams for Ignite Change and the impact it will have on the families in Kamdini ~ all while giving the glory to God for his hand in all that Ignite Change has been able to accomplish and praising Him for the lives and future projects yet to come.
Walking around the land of Ignite Change
Playing a game at the Vision Retreat
Last Day and Farewell
My final day concluded with sweet good-byes to the Ignite Change staff at the office ~ taking pictures, eating cupcakes and having a brief Bible Study with them. And, to top it all off, a motorcycle ride from the office to the tailoring center and back through Kamdini with James.
Conclusion
Well, that's some of the highlights that I was blessed to experience and see during my time in Kamdini. It's been good to see firsthand the great work the Ignite Change staff, our brothers and sisters in Christ, are doing here on a day-to-day basis. However, there is still much work to be done to “empower families to achieve a bright and sustainable future.” (taken from the mission statement of Ignite Change)!
Thank you for your ongoing love and prayers for Emily, the entire Ignite Change staff and all the lovely people in Uganda! Your continued support is going further than you can ever imagine!
To God be the Glory!
Pegge
Pegge Johns' Trip to Uganda (Part 1)
I thought I would send along a recap of my trip to Kamdini. I know this is a bit long (sorry), but there was much to do and experience while I was here, I couldn’t pick which to eliminate so I’ll share it all.
Community Engagement - Cases
My first Tuesday morning we headed out to the villages with one of Ignite Changes’s caseworkers, Betty to meet with families and people from cases Ignite Change is involved with:
One family with a mentally ill child (they are helping provide treatment and medication),
One rape survivor (Betty is working with a sweet lady from the village who works at the medical clinic and is helping with placement/temporary housing for stability while the case is being investigated, which is far from over) and
An 85 year old grandmother who has been taking care of her two grandaughters (ages 8 and 10) because she has no other family left. They have been homeless for a period of time and needs housing (Ignite Change has plans to put a hut up for her asap).
This is definitely one of the hardest parts of this trip - to see people living in such extreme conditions. Huts for homes, cooking on an open fire, no shoes, clothes in grave disrepair and kiddos who will probably never travel more than a few miles from home their entire lives.
Youth Empowerment - Graduation for Young Mothers
The second Monday here was a true delight! I was able to attend the Young Mothers graduation in one of the nearby villages that Ignite Change serves. Mere words cannot describe the pride, joy and overall feeling of gratitude and accomplishment expressed by 55 lovely young ladies who came through the program led by Ignite Change, specifically the project officer, Colline. Just by listening to them speak (some through a translator) - it was apparent how much confidence they now had prior to the beginning of classes. Not only transforming their lives, but also the lives of their immediate families (there was one husband that spoke who had everyone in stitches talking about the remarkable change in his wife) and even into the village who will see the impact moving forward. It was amazing to hear of their newly formed businesses and how numerous ladies have come to know Jesus! At the end of the program, each young lady received a certificate of completion, a Bible translated into their native language and a mosquito net (a must-have for the prevention of malaria). I could tell how grateful they were!
Visit to Other Vocational Schools
To get an idea of Vocational Schools in the area for the upcoming Ignite Change build, on Tuesday we were off to see Vocational Schools in the area. The government school was very run down, classrooms were very basic (desks and blackboards) there was clearly a lack of tools, and the dorms were overcrowded. We were watching some of the students practicing laying bricks and it was visible to the naked eye that the rows were unlevel. The students were not even using a level which I believe is a necessary tool for this type of work. Unfortunately, the government schools are poorly run and staffed.
Professional Development Training on Child Development
On Wednesday I led a class for the Ignite Change staff on Child Development. We talked about appropriate ways to instruct and talk to children, open-ended questions, and language development. In Uganda children are “seen and not heard”; - and too often children are yelled at and, unfortunately, hit for correction. At the end of class, staff started sharing stories about their childhoods. One staff member said he was so happy the day his father died because he would no longer have to endure beatings. Another shared how she was sure the lady in her home was not her mother, (which she was indeed her mother) because the lady was so mean to her. Their stories were heartbreaking and situations I could never imagine. Needless to say, I was in tears listening to their stories. However, it did give us the opportunity to discuss how our Heavenly Father loves us! and how Jesus modeled the perfect example of love throughout his life on earth! We looked at numerous Bible verses to support how we are to treat others, including our children! At the end, each staff member was up to the challenge to be the change so desperately needed here moving forward, not only in their own families, but to share with neighbors and those who they come into contact with through their work. Praise God!
…. to be continued. Part 2 will be posted soon.
You Believe You're Stuck
My name is Akao Juliet, I am a woman, 20 years old. When I met Ignite Change, I had already given birth. In my heart, there was something I wanted to do, but there was no way to reach it. Our mentor from Ignite Change took us through training. I now have many new ideas on how I can get out of poverty and develop by starting up a business.
Before I met Ignite Change, I was not doing anything, I was only farming. I had trained as a tailor, but I did not have the items needed to start a tailoring business. After receiving training on development, my interest grew in starting my own business. Before, I had no idea how to get the items needed to start, I thought I had no way of getting money.
After receiving advice from my mentor, I used the little money I had to rent a garden and plant soybeans back in March 2022. From the harvest in August, I got 3 sacks of soybeans and I sold them for 650,000 shillings ($176). Then I used that money to buy a sewing machine and other materials like threads and zippers to start my tailoring business. I rented a storefront on the road side where people could easily find me.
Akao Juliet with her Income-Generating-Activity
Even after the training, Ignite Change continues to mentor us and give us advice. They even helped us start saving by giving us a savings box. Up to now, the members of our group are still saving together.
At this time, I want to thank Ignite Change for changing the lives of girls like me. Let's say you have dropped out of school, your parents don’t have money. You believe you’re stuck. But through their good advice, I was able to start a business. So I want to thank them for that. I thank them also so much for continuing to bring good things to our community. Up to now, I am doing well. I have my own business. I can help my parents or siblings or my relative who is sick because I have enough money. I was able to leave where I was and now I have become someone who can stand strong by myself.
-Akao Juliet, Young Mother, 2022
Now I am a Powerful Woman
My name is Akao Janet and I am one of the young mothers in Adak.
Ignite Change trained us for 7 months with a lot of topics that changed our lives.
After graduating, Madam Colline (our mentor) came back and started mentoring us the alcohol users. In my case, I was a serious drunkard and alcohol brewer.
During the mentorship, I had two basins of peas (Aguka) in the house and then the mentor asked me if I could sell them off believing my life will change out of it.
When I started selling the peas, my mentor never left my side but kept on guiding me on what to do. I sold the two basins and got the profits of which I bought another sack. Form one sack, I bought 5 sacks. After selling 4 out of 5 bags, I have 700,000/= as an income. This changed my life and I took my mind from alcohol brewing/ drinking and now I am a powerful woman.
I can now pay my children’s fees, buy food items like salt, sugar, and soap, etc. I don't beg for anything from a man.
In two years to come, I want to get a weighing scale in front of my home and start buying from farmers in bulk and put the produce in trucks for big cities.
I would like to ask Ignite Change to extend this program to other people not stopping with us so that many can also become powerful like me.
Recognition to the organization for their support to change our lives.
I used to take marijuana, fight a lot...
My name is Kiza Charles and I am a residence of Kanyang-goga Village.
I came to know about Ignite Change through our leader who told us that the project manager of a nonprofit approached him and asked him to share about his fellow street boys. Our leader was highly terrified and could not easily open up to the project manager because he was afraid of being arrested. We were living in the bush because we were also afraid of the police. We would only come to the town during night hours to loot the houses of people, beat people to get enough to eat, and some even raped young ladies who were working during these late hours.
When he approached us, I was equally terrified but the project manager approached us, talked to us, and assured us of our safety and security. I then started developing trust and courage in him. He had taken a risk to visit us in the bush alone where we were hiding and talk to us from there. We had threatened to kill him if we are arrested but he persisted and kept on coming until we had total trust in him and the entire management of Ignite Change.
My life has totally changed and even my perception toward life. I used to take marijuana, fight a lot, take cocaine, and was a drunkard. But I now love God, fear God, love people, have learned how to farm, and can operate a business and save money for other investments and business expansion.
I am now doing my saloon business. My business is moving on very well and I have many customers which has enabled me to start saving four thousand shillings ($1.10) every day. I sleep in a good house, have enough to eat, and I can socialize freely and easily with the community members and my family members. I am now teaching other youth who are still doing evil things like marijuana, cocaine, alcoholism, raping among other things to stop and give their life to God.
I, therefore, would want to extend my appreciation to Nommy, Emily, and every hand who has given support to Ignite Change. May the almighty God bless you and the work of your hand.
With your help, last June we started a new initiative called the Paul Project. The main goal of this project was to help the current street boys completely change their lives – from Saul to Paul. We aspired for them to meet Jesus, rehabilitate their minds, work together, learn how to farm, start a business, and restore relationships with their families. Most members of the community doubted any project working with this group would succeed.
But through God all things are possible! Ten out of the initial twelve boys completed the project. They were supported with different businesses: selling second hands clothes, roasting sausages, smoking fish, having a mobile shop, music training, and opening a “saloon” (how they call the place where they cut people’s hair in Uganda). One of the boys even signed a contract with Ignite Change and is our newest employee!
Our Community Outreach Manager, Nommy, visited one of the members, Charles Kiza to find out how he is faring. Through the Paul Project, Charles met Jesus and turned his life around! His saloon is the community’s favorite because he does a great job shaving their hair. Many in the community now call him “Pastor Charles” because he is overflowing with the love of Christ. Beyond his profit, he is saving $1.10 a day – which is huge! Many in Uganda do not even earn that much money in a day.
Each and every boy who completed the project has an amazing story like this one. We will continue to share them in the upcoming months.
Starting in April, we will begin working with the next group of street boys. Last year, we identified 24 boys and only had the capability of helping 12 at that time. If you would like to partner with one of these boys by providing monthly support and praying over their lives to see their life drastically changed like Charles - please consider joining our family partnership program.
-Emily