Winston Churchill called Uganda "The Pearl of Africa".
Uganda is a country about the size of North Carolina and South Carolina combined. It is located in East Africa, just to the west of Kenia, and straddles the Equator. The source of the Nile can be found in Uganda, near the northern outflow of Lake Victoria. To the west, The "Mountains Of The Moon" provide the spectacular habitat for about one half of the remaining mountain gorillas in Africa. There are numerous national parks, which have preserved a multitude of natural beauty and wildlife.
The population of Uganda is derived from many tribes and numerous local languages are spoken. The official language is English. Kampala is a city of 800,000 people, and the capital of Uganda. It is so very Africa. The colors, the sights, the smells, the traffic. (It's like bumper cars, except they never bump into each other). 800,000 people and 4 traffic lights! There is a courtesy within this culture that can only be experienced, it cannot be described. Most Ugandan live in rural small towns and villages. In every part of the country, people walk along the sides of the road, from their homes to the markets and villages.
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In 1962, Uganda gained independence from British Rule. At one time, Uganda was the second most significant exporter of goods and products amongst all African nations. Much of this was lost during years of misguided political leadership and economic demise. Along came AIDS, and almost an entire generation of productive adults was lost. Unrest and civil war, mostly in the northern part of the country, has added to the strain on this nation. However, today's Uganda is a democratic nation, and people enjoy personal freedom.
The soil is rich, there are natural resources, and wherever we traveled, there was food and people were able to live of the land. However, many of the orphaned children and youth do not have any resources. Most children do not have the opportunity for secondary education, but even with advanced education, a higher paying job is difficult to find. Few can afford any privileges The country lacks infrastructure. Many parts of rural Uganda do not have electricity or running water. There are enormous needs in the areas of health care and education. And there are needs for spiritual leadership.






A few Uganda statistics:

  • Population 32,000,000
  • Annual Pop. Increase 10%
  • Life Expectancy 51,75 years
  • Infant Mortality 67/1000 live births
  • Physicians 4/100,000 pop.
  • Literacy Rate 66.8%
  • Per Capita Income $320 per year.

One can go there, observe all of this, and then close ones eyes to pretend as if we didn't see it. One can decide that the tasks are too big and the needs too overwhelming, it would just be better not to get involved. Or one can begin by making a difference one child at a time, and one village at a time.
This is the purpose of Embrace Uganda!