Here are some of the ways we are helping the people of Uganda
Click on the links below to read more.

Education Scholarships Helping students pursue college and vocational training Bakka Orphanage [PROGRAM UPDATE!] Instruction, food, clothing, and school supplies Lucky Star Primary School Education for needy children in Kampala Internet Café Startup Job creation, skill training, and computer access Pastors Conferences Training and enabling area pastors

Housing and Other Necessities Providing shelter to needy families Small Business Assistance [PROGRAM UPDATE!] Grants and micro-loans to help church members create sustainable income Support for Jesus Power Church Providing capital and operational support Educational Programs Adult education and skills training

Education Scholarships

One of our main activities has been helping young people stay in - or return to – school.  We have done this by providing financial assistance – scholarships - so that they are able to pay their school fees and other expenses.  In Uganda, there is no system of free public education as we know it in the United States; fees are charged even for children as young as 5 years of age.  The Ugandan people are eager for educational opportunities; as those of us in the US know, having an education opens doors of opportunity that can make an enormous difference in one’s quality of life.  Working closely with Pastor Frank Mukiliza, we have tailored each person’s educational program to his or her background and interests.  Some are studying theology as a means of advancing the ministry of Jesus Power Church; others are in traditional university settings; and still others are in vocational programs learning practical skills that will help them obtain employment in their chosen field. Did you know that for as little as $500 you can sponsor a student for an entire semester of college in Uganda?  And vocational programs typically cost even less. Read more about how lives are being changed through providing educational opportunities.

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Bakka Orphanage
				The village of Bakka lies about 27 miles from Kampala. The children there live in extreme poverty with no running water or electricity. There is also very little hope for change. The majority of children in Bakka did not attend school because they were unable to pay the $20 for the government- sponsored school, or because they had no clothes to wear. Many are orphans who were taken in by villagers and used as slaves on their farms. Pastor Frank Mukiliza from Jesus Power Church recognized the children’s need and in 2003 organized the Christian Mission Academy Orphanage Program. Starting a school has presented many challenges.  Many of the parents and guardians do not want the children to attend even a free school because they use the children to work on the farm or beg in the village. Often, the teachers and pastors at the school must convince the parents and guardians to allow the children to attend school.

Currently, about 240 children from the village attend the school program.  The children’s day begins at dawn when they have to do chores before they leave home for school.  They arrive at school by 8:00 a.m. and participate in a worship service before attending classes.  The youngest children (pre-school - kindergarten) attend school until noon; the upper classes attend school until 5:00 pm.  While at school the children receive instruction in reading, writing, and other subjects; Bible training; and basic information about personal health and hygiene.  As funds allow, they are also provided a hot meal.  After the school day is over, the children return home to complete their daily chores before starting their homework.

These children have unimaginable needs; many have worn the same clothing for years.  Many have treatable diseases - such as chiggers, skin disease, stomach worms, lice, and malaria - that go untreated because there is no money.  The school is their best hope in an otherwise hopeless situation, and shows them that God loves and cares for them.

Current Orphanage Projects

Building a school
The school was forced to relocate from its original site.  We have helped them purchase land and, with the generous support of individual donors and a foundation grant, are building a new school facility.  Please consider supporting this effort.

Program Update - May 2010 The children are now attending classes in both of the new school buildings - praise the Lord!  They are happy that the buildings have concrete floors so they no longer have to sit on dirt.   The blackboards are of good quality.   The school is still in need of windows and doors (costing approximately $2,500).  When the windows and doors are complete it will ease the burden on the teachers, who now have to put the benches into a locked storage shed at the end of each day and then set up the classrooms again in the morning.  We also need benches, desks, and chairs, as well as school supplies. See more photos of the children and the progress on school construction in our Photo Gallery

Meeting the children’s basic needs
•    A meal for a child costs 28 cents.
•    A meal for all the children costs $50.
•    One month of medical care costs $20 per child.
•    One month of food and medical care for a child costs $25.
•    A school uniform costs $6 and a good pair of shoes $16.
•    Sponsoring a teacher's salary costs $45 per month.

If you would like to learn more about these beautiful children or the orphanage program, please contact Sandy Gannon at 617-633-7053 or by email.

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Lucky Star Primary School For many years, Pastor Frank Mukiliza dreamed of being able to start a school in the Makindye neighborhood of Kampala where Jesus Power Church is located.  In May 2009, he learned that the operator of a primary school located just across the road - the Lucky Star Primary School - was closing the school and making it available to interested parties.  Acting quickly and with the support of Hearts and Hands for Uganda, Pastor Frank was able to negotiate a five-year lease of the premises and re-open the school.  Todd Klipp assisted with the planning and was on-hand for the opening ceremony on June 15, 2009. The Lucky Star Primary School will serve needy children from pre-school age (4-5 years) through Primary-7 (age 12) and be an important ministry outreach to the community.  It is our hope that Lucky Star will be a great blessing to the many families who have been unable to send their children to school due to a lack of school fees and educational materials.  Our goal is to provide area children, many of them orphans and in desperate need of care, with a high-quality education based on a strong Christian foundation.  By having a modest fee schedule and a generous scholarship program, we hope that all neighborhood children may attend the school regardless of their parents’ or guardians’ ability to pay.

In the near future we plan to change the name of the school to the “Hearts and Hands School” in recognition of our partnership and our desire to be God’s heart and hands in the local community. 

Your financial support will help us provide scholarships, pay teachers’ salaries, renovate the school facility, and purchase much-needed equipment and supplies.


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Internet Café Startup We have helped Jesus Power Church launch an Internet café. In Uganda, very few people can afford to own their own computers; as a result, Internet cafés are very popular and are located throughout the City of Kampala. In 2008, we provided startup funding to enable JPC to rent a small but attractive facility in an excellent location (near the church and across the street from the American Club) and to purchase computers and other equipment. Our goals in assisting with this project were threefold: to provide the church with a source of income; to create jobs for church members and community residents; and to provide computer and secretarial skills training.In May 2010 we provided additional funding to create a small photography studio within the cafe and thereby expand both the services offered and the training opportunities provided.

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Pastors Conferences
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During our first trip to Uganda, we discovered a deep hunger for new knowledge of the Scriptures in the pastors we met.  We learned that most of these pastors had received little formal theological education.  Typically they served as apprentices to experienced pastors until they were ready to go out and start new churches.  These apprenticeships prepared them for the practical aspects of church ministry but did not give them in-depth knowledge of the Bible and Christian doctrine.  Then we heard of their disappointment with many of the pastors conferences offered in their country, which tend to focus on “how to” topics, such as how to evangelize, how to develop leadership skills, etc.  So we responded with a unique and much-desired way to equip these faithful servants of God’s Kingdom.  Under the leadership of Senior Pastor Doug Cederberg, the conferences we hold are intended to provide biblical and theological knowledge for the purpose of equipping pastors to be proficient in teaching and preaching (2 Timothy 3:17).			Pastor Frank addresses a pastors conference
Conference attendees have greatly appreciated learning about the Bible in ways previously unknown to them.  Several have commented how renewed they felt and how excited they were to return to their churches with new knowledge and a new perspective. When we multiply the number of pastors who attend by the number of people in their churches, we realize that our conferences impact thousands of people each year.  We have held annual conferences for two consecutive years and hope to continue this pattern.  In 2008 we taught from Paul’s letters to his churches, and in 2009 we taught from the Wisdom literature of the Old and New Testaments.  We want the pastors to be well-treated when they attend, so we feed them healthy meals and give certificates of course completion at the conclusion of each conference.  We have also offered financial assistance with their travel and lodging expenses.  The gifts we receive from our donors have helped fund these conferences.			Senior Pastor Doug Cederberg teaches the gathered pastors

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Housing and Other Necessities

For many people in Uganda, meeting even the most basic necessities of life can be a tremendous challenge.  We provide support to several individuals and families, often on a monthly basis, so that they will have shelter, food, clean drinking water, and access to medical care.  Read Claire’s story for an example of how we are helping people in this way. During our February 2010 visit, we provided cosmetic bags (including such items as nail clippers, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, and hand cream) to over 100 people.

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Small Business Grants and Micro-Loan Program

By making small grants (usually only a few hundred dollars), we have helped people start or expand their small business ventures. In this way, they are able to have meaningful self-employment and provide for themselves and their families. In late 2009, we launched a small micro-loan fund for members and friends of Jesus Power Church.  By making these small loans, we are helping people start new businesses or expand existing ones and, in the process, develop business skills and better provide for themselves and their families. Interested persons submit loan applications, including business plans, to the JPC Finance Committee which reviews them and then interviews the applicants.  Loans are typically in the amount of $100 - $250 and are repaid, with interest, over a period of six to nine months.  When the funds are repaid, new loans are made.  The Finance Committee monitors the business ventures and maintains contact with the borrowers to ensure maximum success. As of January 2010, a total of 13 loans have been made to support small businesses such as selling cold drinks, charcoal (for cooking), fruits and vegetables, and used clothing, as well as raising chickens for egg-laying.  As additional funds become available, we will expand the micro-loan program so as to help even more people escape poverty and dependence upon others.

Read about Hope’s videography business

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Support for Jesus Power Church

Capital Improvements We have helped Jesus Power Church secure a long-term lease of land so that it will have stability and the security of knowing that it will not be forced to relocate to a different site, as has happened in the past.  With our assistance, the JPC church facility now has solid walls, a concrete floor, and a better sound system to use for its worship services and other programs. Operational Expenses We also assist Jesus Power Church with its monthly expenses for rent, electricity, stipends for the pastoral staff, support for widows and orphans, and other necessities.

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Educational Programs

We have offered short-term educational programs to the people of Jesus Power Church, including English lessons, cooking classes, and Bible studies (in Ephesians, Philippians, and James).  During her first-ever visit to Uganda in February 2010, Anne Klipp taught several people how to knit. They were extremely eager to learn, enthusiastic, and proud of their work. Since that time, we have shipped additional knitting supplies so that our Ugandan friends can continue to improve their skills and even create some items for sale.



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