In February 2026, our team traveled to Uganda for a regional assessment and met a family whose story deeply impacted us. A widowed mother and her six children had fled the violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after the father was killed during the war in November 2025. Like so many displaced families, they arrived in Uganda carrying grief, uncertainty, and very limited resources.

In early 2026, the family was able to move from refugee tents into a small home in Mbarara through the help of extended family members who assist with rent and food. Even with this support, the burden on a widowed mother raising seven children is overwhelming. One of the siblings was forced to move to another country to live with relatives because the family simply could not survive together financially. Most heartbreaking of all, the children were left without the opportunity to continue their education.

Through the generosity of a donor, we were able to provide funding for the children’s first school term. But without consistent sponsorship and ongoing support, these children will not be able to remain in school. Education is more than a classroom — it is stability, hope, opportunity, and protection for vulnerable children who have already experienced tremendous loss and trauma.

Our vision is not only to help this one family, but to grow a sustainable program that serves more Congolese refugee children living in Uganda. As this program develops, we desire to implement the same life-giving children’s programs we currently operate in Rwanda, including discipleship, tutoring, mentoring, camps, activities, and educational field trips. With additional funding and sponsorship partners, we can help refugee children heal, grow, and build a future filled with hope instead of despair.