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A Treasure Name Lovina

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 In 2008, the US Travel Team and the ACT Staff established a program, which at the time was named Muko Empowerment Program. This program was created for the purpose of providing a market for local women with HIV to sell their baskets and beaded jewelry. There were about 25 women in the beginning all very eager to participate to earn cash to be able to send their children to school.  2008  Guma with MEP Weavers 2008 With Guma (Alexander Gumoshabe) leading the MEP Program, it grew and grew. We have carried thousands of baskets, jewelry and sewn items back in our suitcases for 20 years! Soon after we began the program, we learned of Lovina! Lovina was clearly the standout best basket weaver in our program. Lovina is lame, unable to use her legs except to walk in a squat position. She is such a strong woman. Her lack of able-ness does not even slow her down. We soon gave her the title of Basket Quality Manager and her responsibility was to come to the ACT Resource Center once a month to re
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The Journey of ACT Uganda with Muko High School

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In August of 2017, a US travel team spent about two weeks in Muko, Uganda working with our Ugandan partners on the various programs underway there including our HONOR scholarship Program. The day before the team was scheduled to return to the US, we received an inquiry from Bishop George Bagamuhunda of the Church of Uganda's Kigezi Diocese regarding our interest in exploring ACT to assume the operation of the church's Muko High School (MHS). As he put it humorously, "we know how to save souls; you know how to run schools!" The next day the Bishop was returning from a meeting in Kampala while the travel team was en-route to the airport in Entebbe for their return flight to the US (an 8-hour journey). Arrangements were made to meet along the roadside where an Agreement in Principle was reached.  Travel Team roadside meeting with Bishop George Bagamuhunda Left to right: Joe Oprea, Karen Viele, Dave Viele, Bishop, Sue Waechter, Diana Stubig, Dick Dolinski Over the next fe
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What a Week - What a Celebration!

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 Dear Friends! John and I just spent a week in Muko to celebrate the 20th Anniversary with our staff and the community. We just arrived home on Dec 21st. Generous and I were able to keep the whole thing a complete surprise to the staff. They had no idea we were coming until Christopher pulled up in the van with us in front of the ACT Resource Center. It was so much fun to see their faces! After Guma got over his shock and spoke, the first thing he said to me was, "You didn't send me an agenda!" With the staff, we always prepare a very detailed agenda for the time a team is visiting in Muko so we can accomplish many things while there! No agenda, Guma! Just here to be with you as you celebrate 20 glorious years of serving Muko! It felt like a bookend for John and I because the very first trip in 2006, it was just John and I and now 20 years later... As we watched the next few days unfold, we saw the work of Generous and her staff. There were meetings with many people on te
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A Precious Connection

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  In 2013, I spoke with Karen and Dave Viele, when attending First Presbyterian Church of Holt, Michigan, regarding ACT Uganda. Karen said to me that they went to Uganda and were going again. It didn't take much for me to immediately say, "I want to go to Uganda with you the next time." The following year, Karen surprised me with a check from our church's mission group to go towards my visit! I was shocked and then realized that my wanting to go was about to come true. Travel Team 2014, Diana is at far right In the year 2014, I began preparing for my trip by meeting with the travel group in order to know about cultural differences, travel expectations and the Ugandan staff I would meet. That day came later that year for my inquisitive mind to walk with the Ugandan friends 22 travel hours later. The travel team arrived late at night at the airport in Entebbe. What will it be like when I walk out of the airport with my team and many suitcases? When I looked out the wind
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One Person can Make a Big Difference!

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Michelle Busch was our first intern at ACT in Muko, Uganda. She was very brave to be the first and she had a very large, positive impact on the folks there as well as ACT's programs. Enjoy her story and see photos of her time there and the room she stayed in at our ACT Resource Center! "As I was finishing up my studies at University, I knew I wanted to do something different afterwards, and was looking into joining the Peace Corps. My step-mom, Diane Busch, was already involved in ACT at the time, and mentioned this to the board. The idea of having an intern for ACT seemed exciting to the board, and so we agreed that I would join a team, with my parents, Bill and Diane, and go to the village and see what living there would be like.  My first trip to Muko was amazing - seeing fields of all colors along the mountains, sometimes partially covered by clouds, was beautiful. The people of Muko were extremely kind and made me feel welcome. Getting to work closely with people in the A
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The Future Ugandan Leaders

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You have previously read a blogpost about the Maverick Leadership Scholarship created and designed by Toni Stanfield (Traverse City, MI) who continues to be the US Leader with our ACT Staff engaged in the identification of applicants, selection of scholars and followup with the students. Toni's dream was to have impact on the future leadership in Uganda, specifically in the SW region where ACT serves. To date we have had four students attend and graduate from university and two who are currently in school. We have shared previous blogs about Judith Tukahirwe and Isaac Ainembabazi, already graduated and proving to be significant leaders in Rubanda District. November 28th - coming soon! - is Giving Tuesday in the US. This is a day dedicated to nonprofit fund-raising. This year, ACT is asking for donations to continue this important program. You will be receiving another email inviting you to the campaign to make a gift.   But for now, I want to share with you the story of three of ou
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HONORing the Kids

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H.O.N.O.R.S. - Hope, Opportunity, Need, Ownership, Respect Scholarship The HONOR Scholarship is a fund of ACT that engages dedicated, recurring donors to assist the students within the Rubanda District with their primary and secondary education with the outcome of providing greater life opportunities for each student. Honor scholars at Murole Primary School, 2023 As most of you know, this program sprung out of the original orphan sponsorship program - a program that we realized was encouraging some students to feel entitled and not be serious about their education.  As evidence that this new scholarship fund is more successful than the sponsorship program, we need not look any further than the number of kids that quit school or were suspended under the original program and under the new program only 1 young scholar has left the program. In addition, the academic performance of the students has never been higher.  Here is the story of  Ronah Orishaba. She has completed Senior 4 (about 1
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