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| It costs so little to make a huge difference in the life and opportunities of a small child in Uganda through the Sponsor-A-Child program. In looking through this page learn how we support kids in a economical way but provide the basic needs of a much better life. |
How Does the Sponsor-A-Child Program Work?
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New Children at Mustard Seed Academy. They are hoping for sponsors.
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Stella (top) and Shalif
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Umar (top) and Hope
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Linda (top) and Vianey
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A Quick Look at the Program: A
yearly sponsorship for one child is $150! The money provides school
fees for Mustard Seed Academy, one or two daily meals, uniforms, periodic health care, and a Saturday Program for older children. It is amazing how much can be done with so
little--less than half of the typical dollar-a-day sponsorship of other
programs. We can do this because we keep the children living in their community with parents, relatives or friends, and because our overhead is so low. Our Board members and
Executive Director for RPU here in the US donate their time, and pay for trips to Uganda twice per year. Over 95% of the money donated goes directly to work in Uganda.
Over 190 Ugandan children, most of whom are orphans or live in poverty with
one parent, are sponsored by individuals, families, schools, churches
or civic organizations in the United States. Tree of Life Ministries,
working with RPU, helps to establish and maintain individual
relationships between children and their sponsors through photos, gift-giving,
letters from the kids, and annual reports from teachers.
The Tree of Life Ministries Saturday Program for older primary children is unique in Lukaya. Students come there to engage in a variety of learning and fun activities, and to eat nutritious food. The
Saturday Program enables us to provide medical care, share Bible
stories and songs, tutor children that need academic help, and promote
the fellowship and fun of organized games. To sponsor a child, Click here.....
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Why Sponsor A Child?: Few children in Lukaya come from families that have the means to afford even the modest fees charged by private schools in town. In addition to the services described above, there is a huge psychological boost for a child who learns that a person in America cares enough to provide the support. Our sponsorship program connects a specific child with each donor in the USA. We provide pictures, a letter from the child and a brief progress report once per year or more. Many of our donors make extra donations to provide bedding (mattresses, sheets, blankets), mosquito nets, or other needs for their children. This personal connection is part of the blessing both for the child and the donor. When you donate, you can be sure that you have made a huge difference in the life of a child--your child.
How to begin a Sponsorship: You can make your donation in two ways. 1) Mail a check for $150 made out to Real Partners Uganda, noting in the memo line "sponsor a child" and mail it to: Real Partners Uganda, 523 Lafayette Blvd., Brigantine, NJ 08203, Be sure your name and address is on the check so that we may send you a thank you letter that allows you to take a tax deduction for your contribution. You may also arrange semi-annual payments or monthly payments through PayPal--- or.. 2) Go to the How to Help page on this website by clicking, scroll down to the Sponsor a Child description, and click on the blue text there to make your contribution online using PayPal.
What to Expect: You will receive a thank-you letter from our SAC coordinator with a child assigned to you, and usually his or her picture. If we need to get the picture from Uganda, it may take a week or two longer. Thereafter, we send you our periodic newsletters (3 per year) and other announcements. Also you can expect an letter and photo with a progress report from the child's teacher once per year. There are opportunities to donate money to provide some basic needs for your child at his/her home. The mattresses being carried by the children below were purchased in Lukaya using funds donated by their sponsors.
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Sponsors from the USA donated funds for these mattresses that are being carried home by Mustard Seed students. For many it will be the first time they have slept up off the floors of their homes.
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Letter from P-4 student to a pen pal in the USA. Sponsors receive similar letters each year.
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The Impact of Sponsorship
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Sponoring a child has a broad impact, and not just on the life of the child. It is true that many MSA children could not attend our model school without the generous support of their sponsors. These are children who are orphans or live with a poor single parent or a relative who barely have the resources to stay alive and eat each day, so sponsorships are vital. The money from sponsorships pays salaries for 11 teaching and non-teaching staff members, buys food sold by local merchants and farmers, purchases uniforms that come from a clothing manufacturer in the area, and enables us to provide the teaching and learning materials that are so vital to effective education. The presence of a funded school program helps the community in many ways. We have seen dramatic changes in the health and behavior of our students after a year of schooling with our sponsorship. The January 2009 newsletter, Partners' Progress, tells the story of one child, Frank Kigundu, who was deserted by his parents, and turned over to us two years ago as a sick, malnourished 3-year old. Look at him now. And there are many similar stories.
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The SAC Family:A new kind of sponsorship.
Tree of Life Ministries and our school, Mustard Seed Academy, have no boarding section for children. Our approach to supporting children is to provide food, clothing and education while they live with parents or relatives in the community. However, in a few cases, like that of Frank who is mentioned above, there is no family or the family breaks up and is no longer able to care for one of our students. So, for a very limited number of especially needy children we have developed the "SAC Family". These children need very special sponsors or pairs of sponsors who are willing to provide $30 per month or $360 per year to support their children. We hope to find people or teams for the children who attend Mustard Seed Academy but have very poor living situations at home, or no home at all. One, for example, has an HIV positive mother although the child is not infected. If you are will to be an angel for one of our neediest children, please contact us for more information, send a check to Real Partners Uganda, or donate through PayPal on the How To Help page by Clicking here...
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