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Click on the photo to see its full-sized version!
Ankole Cattle Don’t Produce… Most of Uganda is rural with millions trying to scratch out an existence by farming small plots or raising cattle. These Ankole cattle are preferred because of the enormous horns and tolerance of poor conditions. Unfortunately they provide little milk, and they are very inefficient producers of protein compared to chickens. Owning them is a status symbol.
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Produce Stand…. This beautiful display of fruits and vegetables is a common site for passersby on the main roads of Uganda. With proper selection and washing, they are delicious and healthy to eat. Most Ugandans cannot afford to eat them in sufficient amounts to meet nutritional needs. On average, people live on about $1.00 US per day.
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Matoke Bunches… A staple and favorite of the Ugandan diet is matoke, a variety of bananas harvested and sold in the green condition shown here. Women peel them and cook them all day wrapped in banana leaves over a wood or charcoal fire, then mash them before serving. Matoke is basically a source of carbohydrates—no protein or fat---and requires significant human energy and fuel to prepare.
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Too Many Children… All these children live with the single grandmother in the one room house behind them. It is nearly impossible for this woman to provide even basic food needs. Fortunately these children get two meals per day at Mustard Seed Academy, but the exploding population of Uganda includes over 50% of people under the age of 18 and a total of 30 million people in a tiny country
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Jammed Classrooms…. The government has decreed universal primary education but seems to have neither the resources nor the will to make sure that a decent quality of education is delivered. This typical classroom of first and second graders has over 100 children crammed into the space with one teacher. The result is what you would imagine: poor performance, high attrition, and young people without even basic skills sentenced to a life of poverty.
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Life Guard Truck… This truck distributes condoms to the small stores in each town. And the government is trying to encourage their use to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDs. The efforts are only partially successful because many people cannot afford condoms, and have multiple sexual partners.
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Dying Mother….. The woman in this picture was already suffering from AIDS and died a few months later leaving her daughter to live with a guardian in Lukaya town. The orphaned little girl is sponsored by an American to attend Mustard Seed Academy. This scenario is repeated again and again, making the Masaka District, where MSA is located, home to one of the highest populations of orphans in Uganda.
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Nursing School…. The health care “system” in Uganda is overwhelmed by the need, and so many people, especially children, die from treatable illnesses. Despite heroic efforts by some, like our “Dr. Peter” Kizza of Kalungi Health Clinic, training nurses is an uphill battle. This classroom at the Clinic reveals the lack of equipment and learning materials. We are trying to support this health education effort but the needs are endless.
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No furniture…no.... The family lounging outside this house has no furniture inside or outside their home. Most people are outdoors most of the day. There are no electricity, running water, cooking or toilet facilities inside. Indoors most sleep on the ground or on a straw mat. In addition to the discomfort and dirt related to sleeping on the ground, there are problems with people picking up parasitic infections directly through the skin.
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Skin disease…. The little girl poses for her photo despite having a white medicine on much of her body to combat parasitic infections. Skin diseases, malaria, and water-borne infections are among the many health threats that, combined with poor nutrition, stunt growth and prevent kids from reaching their full potential in school.
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Despite it all…. When we get discouraged by the overwhelming needs, we stop to consider what huge differences can be made for individual children and families with just a few resources. This is a picture of Peter when we met him more than 3 years ago, sitting with his father, a single parent with three children. The father's weak heart gave out nearly two years ago and he died, leaving Peter and brother William (right) to live with their teenage sister. With help from his US sponsor, Peter started attending school and doing well......
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How much of a difference?.... Check out this picture of Peter taken in February 2009 with RPU President Joe Griswold on the new campus. Despite his handicap, he flies around the campus with his crutches and interacts normally with the other children. Peter's sponsor has made a life-changing difference for him and his brother. A small investment can go so far. Learn how you can sponsor a child at Mustard Seed Academy by clicking here.......
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