Bringing hope and love to vulnerable children and their families living in extreme poverty in the slums of Uganda.
Kampala comprises 3.5 million people within the city limits, including 57 slums where the poorest of the poor reside. Of those living in these slums, 50% are children under the age of 15. Slum life is one of abject poverty, poor sanitation and exposure to high crime.
Most families have little to no income and have to try selling trash they can find on the street for something to eat. Prostitution and drug use are common and law enforcement is very poor. Most children have only one parent, or none at all, due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. They are not in school and are left alone often, which puts them at very high risk of abuse, assault, and sexual exploitation.
Our program serves over 400 children in some of the most difficult areas of Kampala. Meals are prepared and served directly in the communities and schools we support. Children also receive education, mentoring, and discipleship, while women benefit from our micro-financing program, which helps them establish their own small businesses to support their families.
Light a Candle Uganda has acquired land for an agricultural initiative and for the construction of a centralized community center, aimed at better serving the children and families. The future looks promising as our program continues to grow, expand, and bring glory to God!
Declaring and demonstrating the Good News of Jesus Christ has always been – and will always be – at the heart of everything we do. Our program leaders integrate discipleship into every aspect of their program.
Children are the seeds of the future. When we invest in them, they have the capacity to be agents of change in their communities for generations to come. Our program focuses on the individual needs of each child and reaches out from there to their families and communities.
Our program is holistic, caring for the whole child – their mind, body and spirit. We provide regular meals to children, food baskets for families, school tuition and supplies, safe drinking water, medical care, discipleship, and a caring community.
Bonny and Julian, natives to Uganda, are local Christian leaders with a heart for the next generation. We work closely with them to ensure high levels of trust and stewardship in the program.
Bonny was born and raised in Kampala. He graduated from Makerere University with a bachelor's degree in International Business. His wife Julian is a statistician who resigned from her government job and dedicated her life to supporting and nurturing vulnerable children.
Bonny’s passion in life is to ensure that every child is given the right to be a child; as a result, he has been key in advocating for children's rights in Uganda and has been educating parents and communities about the need of keeping children in school.
Through Light A Candle Uganda, Bonny has establishing a strong team that is creating a better world for young boys and girls of the Kampala community. He believes that everyone has a role to play and if we all played our parts then the world would be a better place.
What drew you to the mission of Forward Edge? I came to know about Forward Edge through my great friend Gabe Winslow with whom we have for long shared about having a world where both the poor and rich live in harmony. Forward Edge gives me the opportunity to be a part of God’s story and to have a deeper understanding of my purpose in life which is to put smiles on the faces of vulnerable children.
If you could have dinner with any person in history (excluding Jesus) who would it be and why? Ray Barnett: Founder and CEO of the African Childrens Choir. Barnett left his comfortable home and came down to Uganda during the times of war. He worked hard to protect and bring hope to the marginalized. Today the African Childrens Choir has changed many lives through spreading the Gospel in music and dance and continues to bless and nurture leaders. It is because of Ray’s servanthood spirit that I would love to dine with him.
What is something about you others are often surprised to learn? I train and conduct children’s choirs.
Monthly giving enables our program to have sustained impact in the lives of children and their community, but every gift of generosity makes a difference.
As a child sponsor, you’re providing things like nutritious meals, safe drinking water, education, health care, and spiritual instruction. Beyond meeting their critical needs, you’re also building a priceless personal relationship with your child, helping them discover their true worth and God-given potential.
Teams of 10 or more are invited to go on a 7-night mission trip to our program in Kampala, Uganda. You will be the hands and feet of Jesus as you serve children and their families, build relationships, and grow in faith.
Partnering your church or school with our program in Uganda creates a meaningful, long-term, and holistic impact for all parties involved.
