Meet Our Members
These children come from poverty that is unknown to those in rural Western New York. The village homes are typically made from mud with one large room and no indoor plumbing. Water is gathered daily from a communal source. Many children who join LoL with little or no education, malnutrition, disease, and disabilities. Having a sense of belonging, for instance, a home where children visit to fellowship and learn together, gives them a stable core, a sense of family, pride, and belief they can improve their lives and be the change in their family history. Children come from families so poor that they cannot provide the most basic needs. In some cases, the family situation is volatile and abusive.
One widowed mother was invited to spend the holiday with her two children who are part of “Family of the Heart,” what LoL calls its members. The mom told her children that the home was “paradise” – where her children are safe, can attend school, and have clean clothes to wear and food to eat every day.
With a strong foundation formed with the schools’ LoL partners with, the future mission is to become an independent community in which graduates of the program help to start businesses, mentor younger students, and help change the future for these children and their families. Students who started in the program in elementary school are now graduating from college and trade schools.
A young man named David has graduated from medical school and is a doctor. Another, Jude, completed college to become a medical lab technician. Both are employees and managers of LoL’s new medical center.
Many members learn trades such as welding, barbering, and tailoring. Several students are already realizing their goals with small businesses, such as a pig farm, a welding shop, a tourism business, and a tailor shop. With these grown children now becoming productive citizens of Uganda, sustainability is in sight: Several of these business owners are now taking LoL’s older children as apprentices and teaching them their trade. LoL’s approach to breaking the cycle of generational poverty is multifaceted, and members are seeing their hope become a reality.
Erick
Erick was a total orphan who was able to study only because of football scholarships he earned with his talent and hard work. Through sponsorship, Erick was able to continue after schooling with vocational studies. From desperate to hopeful, Erick is now the supervisor and director of a successful organization because of his trustworthiness and good heart. He attributes his success and fulfillment to the kindness of his new family who gave him purpose. Now, he’s committed to bringing that hope to the hopeless.
Jude
Jude is the eldest boy of a family living in poverty. His brothers and sister and parents all look to him to help the family, as most African families do. Through sponsorship, Jude was afforded the ability to attend university, and now he is employed by LoL’s clinic. He is a volunteer and acts as a liaison to all families and school as our Family Support Director.
Eden
Eden was forced to drop out of school because he couldn’t afford fees. He began working at a young age, but with little schooling, he found the situation was harsh and hopeless. After Eden joined Literacy of Love, he was trained in welding and driving. Now, he is a small business owner and contracts with NorthStar. Eden is a very talented dancer, and it’s impossible not to laugh and smile when you’re with him. He’s the life of every party!
Sharifa
Shalifa was orphaned by both parents leaving her (and her young brother) in the care of a neighbor. The neighbor could not manage to send her to school nor afford to pay for her care, so Shalifa was forced into working as a housemaid. In those few years, she was accused by the owner of stealing a TV after a repairman ran away with it. She was put into jail for a year over the value of $255. Her estranged, widowed auntie learned about her, unbeknownst of her situation. When she learned of the circumstances, she took a loan of $400 to rescue Shalifa from jail. Her auntie’s village, an island in Lake Victoria, was only accessible by wooden boat taxi. Even though Shalifa is only 16, she tried to finish primary school, but after missing so much, she was unable to. We brought her to live at The Heart where she finished a vocation in hairdressing. Now, Shalifa is a business owner of her own salon, and she will be employed by LoL sponsorship to teach other girls the trade who may find themselves in her circumstances with the school.