It's All About the Kids!
The first team that traveled to Muko, Uganda from Michigan and the ACT staff determined the children/orphans to be the first priority. So, the ACT program was called MukoHOPE (HOPE = Helping Orphans Prosper and Endure). US sponsors were encouraged to pay $40 per month to help a child, writing letters and getting to know each other from continent to continent. The first 25 orphans were chosen by staff, 50% girls, 50% boys from each of seven parishes of Muko Sub county. On the continent of Africa, "orphans" are defined as single (having lost one parent) or double orphans (those who had lost both parents). The sponsors provided their children with school tuition, room and board, school supplies, clothing ad medical care if needed. We also experimented with a gift-buying program that allowed sponsors to send their children Christmas and birthday gifts and, at the same time, because the purchasing happened in Uganda, the local vendors benefitted as well.
As the children grew and advanced it was discovered that more family involvement was needed. We learned that we were providing too much and causing an attitude of entitlement in the children. They would decide they would not have to work hard in school because they had a sponsor in the US who would take care of them.
We pared down the benefits to allow the Ugandan guardians (sometimes another family member or other village families) to participate in the health care and school work. In 2021, we designed a new program to replace MukoHOPE Program - HONOR Scholarship Fund (Hope, Opportunity, Need, Ownership and Respect). In this transition, we changed the description from being a sponsor to being a donor to the Fund. The donors gift a pot of funds that are distributed to many children rather than being pared up with one child. $25 per month could now cover the cost for one student to attend school for one year. Many of our original sponsors decided to pay $50 per month and cover tuition for two children. ACT went from helping 140 children during the peak of the MukoHOPE Program to over 200 currently. The HONOR Scholarship is administered by our Ugandan staff and a Ugandan Selection Committee with ACT staff, school representatives and community members to accept applications and award the scholarships to deserving students based on need and academic interest.
The academic results have been surprisingly successful. In 2022, every HONOR Scholar was at the top of their classes. Muko High School was congratulated for their academic excellence in December 2022 when over twenty students earned top grades as compared to 1-3 students in past years. We believe education to be one of the greatest impacts in the Rubanda District.
If you would like to join us in supporting these deserving students, please contact Karen Viele: ksmov3@gmail.com
Learn more about ACT:
True record about the scholarship program.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful program!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update and please congratulate the wonderful staff, volunteers and teachers for the success of the revised/new program. I was not aware that no longer am I sponsoring the student I have had for the past five years.I guess that explains why I haven't heard from her for about a year. I did however know she is still in the program as I received a message this past January that she is going into S2 as she scored very well. By the way, I have not received an invoice in 2023 so please let me know what the current procedures are for sponsrship or the new program as I do want to continue to support the ACT Uganda program.
ReplyDeleteWe honor your endless support toward this program! May the Lord reward you mightily
ReplyDeleteSO WONDERFUL!! Congratulations!! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteCarolyn Hahne, Cincinnati, OH and Traverse City MI