Change A Life Uganda

Our Story

Education is the cornerstone of our mission: We provide education for children through school-based program and reach out to their families to help them become self-sufficient through income-generating projects and access to quality healthcare. For the village of Migyera, our multi-pronged approach has become a model of excellence in the following areas: Education: CAL Uganda’s programs have increased school enrollment, school attendance, and graduation rates for children in Migyera. In 2005, the school was substandard with only 90 children and 4 teachers. A new dormitory building replaced a dilapidated building with a collapsed wall to provide space for up to 80 female and 80 male students who are orphaned, live far from school, or have difficult family situations, providing the students with a safe place to sleep, to receive meals, and obtain academic support. Today with over 500 students and 20 teachers it is ranked 2 out of 181 primary schools in the Nakasongola school district. Our sponsorship program offers the opportunity to sponsor a Ugandan child’s education. For as little as $1.00 a day, a student can receive an education, school meals, medical care, school uniforms and supplies. Unlike many other sponsorship programs, sponsors support their child through secondary school and to a university or other post secondary programs.

Literacy For Living is a Functional Adult Literacy [FAL] project that is enables vulnerable women to be delivered from poverty, abuse and exploitation through educating them to read, write and count together with other functional literacy themes that bring about improvement of an individual’s or a house hold income. This project was launched in January 2013 as a pilot project in Nabbingo and in Migyera. It expanded to 5 villages in 2014, 6 villages in 2016, 7 villages in 2017 and 9 villages in 2018. In 2019, a target of 500 learners will be recruited in the areas of Migeera, Kansiira, Nakitoma, and new groups are underway in the areas of Kiwatule and Nabbingo (Kampala Suburbs).

Income Generating Projects: Uganda’s economy is principally an agrarian one. Because of two dry seasons, families who rely on agriculture for their livelihood earn very little. In fact, 52% of the population earns less than $1.25/day (according to UNICEF 2008). CAL Uganda offers programs to reduce poverty and increase financial independence. One program educated village women in basket weaving and jewelry making. and earnings were cycled directly back to the artists and the school. The women now have their own store in Migyera and shipping to the US was discontinued in 2017. Funds For Farming is a cooperative effort between local farmers and sponsored students providing pigs, goats, cows and chickens for families to raise livestock for income and food.

Healthcare: The goal of ChangeALife Uganda’s healthcare program is to provide an opportunity for children and their families to access better health services including clean water, maternal and child health care, general pediatric and adult healthcare, HIV, TB and malaria treatment. In 2012 CALU opened St. Francis Health Center, the first health center in Migyera to provide family health and maternity care. Services expanded in 2017 to make minor surgery available and in 2018 Cesarean sections. All sponsored children receive treated mosquito nets for their beds to reduce the risk of malaria.