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Who are the people?

Uganda, known as the “Pearl of Africa,” is made up of various ethnic groups and subcultures. Although English is the official language, there are more than 40 languages spoken throughout the country.

About 82 percent of Ugandans work in agriculture. Among the crops they cultivate are cotton, corn, tea, and coffee. In sponsorship communities, most farmers work at the subsistence level, struggling to grow enough to feed their families. They rarely have surplus food to sell for income that can provide other necessities like clothing and health care. World Vision is working alongside these families to help them improve their crop yields and overall quality of life.

Uganda’s people have endured much suffering in recent history. Between 800,000 and 2 million people perished during the dictatorship of Idi Amin and the civil wars, tribal killings, and famines that followed. For the past two decades, the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has terrorized the northern districts, including Gulu. Thousands of rural children—known as “night commuters”—trek to towns each night to avoid abduction by the LRA, which has forced an estimated 30,000 children into armed conflict and sex slavery.

Uganda’s children are in desperate need of improved educational opportunities to help them escape the cycle of poverty and open up a brighter future.

What is it like to live there?


 
Country Statistics 
Population28.8 million
Land Mass77,108 sq. miles
Life Expectancy53 years
Infant Mortality Rate79 / 1,000
Literacy Rate67%
School Enrollment87%
Access to Safe Water60%
Average Annual Income (GNI per capita)US$280
 
 
Located in East Africa, Uganda is about twice the size of Pennsylvania. Its diverse scenery includes tropical forests, snow-capped mountains, and rolling savannahs. Wildlife is abundant and includes the famous mountain gorillas, which are a favorite among visitors.

Though once a thriving country, Uganda’s economy was devastated under the rule of Idi Amin and by years of warfare. Even today, the country is struggling to recover. World Vision is working in the most impoverished communities, providing families with skills and resources they need to improve their children’s current and future living conditions.

Health care is a great concern for families. Access to medical facilities is limited and costly. World Vision is working alongside communities to ensure children receive the care they desperately need.

Although progress has been made in Uganda’s Rakai District to reduce HIV infection, AIDS has been decimating the population for 24 years and has left an estimated 44,000 children orphaned. One of every four Ugandan families cares for a child orphaned by AIDS. Child sponsors provide many of these children with hope for a better life and a brighter future.

How You Can Pray for Your Sponsored Child
  • Pray that churches and families will respond to God's calling to care for orphans and widows in their distress, especially those affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
  • Pray that your sponsored child might learn more about God’s love and grace.
  • Ask God to guide your sponsored child as he or she learns, grows, and moves toward a future full of hope and possibilities.
  • Pray for God to protect the health of your sponsored child and his or her family.
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