Uganda is Africa’s leading coffee exporter and ranked seventh among worldwide exporters in 2015. Coffee is Uganda’s top-earning export crop. During my internship in Uganda with CARITAS’ child sponsorship programs this fall, I have found some time on the weekends to travel. Recently I was able to visit Mount Elgon on Uganda’s eastern border to tour the only certified organic coffee farms in Uganda.
Sister Carolyne, who coordinates CARITAS’ child sponsorship programs in Nkokonjeru, Uganda noticed a problem. In her role attending to the needs of sponsored children she became aware that some of the girls who attended day school were missing school and it was entirely preventable.
Recently I was able to meet with Margaret Nakirigya, the founder and director of Little Angel’s Catholic Nursery and Primary School, which is one of the schools participating in CARITAS’ child sponsorship programs.
Little Angels is affiliated with the Nkokonjeru Parish church, Queen of Apostles. Around 30 students are able to attend Little Angels thanks to their CARITAS sponsors.
Six young women who have come up through CARITAS’ Uganda child sponsorship programs started their first year at Kyambogo University just outside of Kampala this fall. They are fortunate to have their sponsors continued support of their education. Spending my fall semester as an intern with CARITAS through my own university in the states, I was eager to get more information about what university life is like in Uganda and talk to some of my peers!
Every October St. Francis Hospital in Nkokonjeru dedicates one week to seeing and treating patients from within the community for free. During my time in Uganda, I have had the honor of shadowing the medical professionals and helping out around St. Francis Hospital. “Hospital Week” really put the team to the test.
After enjoying the music blasting from Stella Maris Primary Boarding School for a few hours, I decided to walk up to the school to see what was going on. To my surprise, the whole school was out dancing on the common grounds, with a DJ at the top of the school stairs, and trophies and cake on a table out front!
