RESTORING HOPE & EMPOWERING CHANGE THROUGH PROGRAMS SERVING THE EXTREME POOR

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In the Kampala slums, life is a relentless pursuit of food, shelter, & safety. Countless thousands of orphaned, abandoned or runaway children live on the streets. Most are severely abused and barely survive as prostitutes and scavengers. 60% are addicted to huffing gas to minimize hunger and mental pains. Imagine the mass of suffering as 1.5 million souls live in the Kisenyi slums, which is just 1 of 7 slums in Uganda’s capital. 

Patrick Ssenyonjo survived this life, by God's grace, and now faithfully ministers to these children. Each Tuesday & Thursday, as funds allow, our slum outreach offers food, water, medical care, and bathing. We affirm them and play games. Equally important, residents hear the Gospel of the Grace of God and experience the love of the Lord Jesus Christ.

From relationships built during outreach, Hope Empowers staff identifies boys who would benefit from the Rescue Center. For a fortunate few willing to give up the 'old' life, they come to live at Terri's Home.

Many things lead a child to the street- abuse, extreme poverty, death of parents or even a fight that caused them to run away.  They soon realize how horrible street life is, but there is no way to return home due to money or not knowing where they live. 

During Slum Outreaches, we meet young boys who want out of slum life and are willing to change with the hopes of a better life. The boys spend the 1st several months in a half-way house to detox from drugs, get medical treatment, receive counseling, learn about the Lord Jesus Christ and begin to understand their 'new normal' lifestyle.  

Once integrated with the boys at the Home, they start to feel a part of a family who cares about them. Because our boys are between 10 and 13 years old, we are committed to raising them for many years. We employ a mama and 2 male caretakers but they receive lots of love from all our staff.  All boys attend school, most at Hope Empowers Academy. 

Older youth with no education has virtually no hope for a bright future.  As our boy’s home staff reached out to serve our community, we found many young girls who experienced trauma, like rape, forced early marriages, and even torture in their marriages.  

To help these girls reclaim their lives, we began The Esuubi (Hope) Program to provide life skills to create a sustainable future for girls with no means to support themselves or their children. Our 8-month sewing and beauty programs is followed by an internship and testing for a government certificate.  Their challenges are myriad like finding a place to live, accessing food, day care, and starting a business so we address issues through counseling, babysitting, and meals. Learning about the Lord Jesus Christ and His love for them is a program emphasis so they learn who their identity in Christ and how to face life's challenges according to God's direction. 

Our vocational training includes community boys learning welding.  Our 1st class of boys are now sustaining themselves having formed a business. Our vision next year is to begin entry level classes for our schoolboys. 

To maximize the time the young children of the Essubi moms spent at Hope Empowers, we began teaching a nursery class. And, as Hope Empowers' staff became involved in the community, we found many children from ultra-poor families who were not attending school. We saw an opportunity to make a great impact by offering very low-cost education.  Hope Empowers Academy started in January 2024 and now we have 96 children who have the privilege of learning about Jesus every single day at our school. Our boys at the Boy's Home also attend the school. 

Certified teachers provide education for nursery through P-5 and nutritious meals so they can focus without the burden of hunger. We firmly believe that education is the key to unlocking a brighter future for these children. By providing them with a solid education and instilling the values of love, compassion, and resilience, they will have the foundation to thrive and triumph in the years to come. As we continue on this journey, we remain committed to our vision of bringing hope, dignity, and independence to those who need it most. Because we serve the ultra-poor through very low cost education, we are grateful for the support of our community and partners who share our passion for transforming lives. 

Disabled children in our culture are often hidden and discriminated by society because of fear, ignorance, superstitions, and neglect.  These children have limited access to education, services, information, and resources. The majority depend on family and community to survive. 

Every child is a gift from God, deserving of love, care, and support. Our therapist works with families to change their perceptions and assist children to get needed resources. First, we search for families who are hiding their disabled children and our team counsels parents see their child's unique abilities and potential. With families' cooperation, our therapists provide comprehensive teaching, therapy and devices (like wheelchairs or walking aids) to empower children to live fulfilling lives. 

Hope Empowers' founder, Patrick, visited Saala village many years ago. He found a community who didn't know Christ and people trapped in the darkness of witch doctors and their rituals. This remote location seemed forgotten by the world and villagers were in desperate need of love, hope, and salvation.  BUT God knew them and had a plan for their lives. In early 2024, we hired Pastor Robert to engage in door-to-door evangelism to introduce people to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  People were very open to hearing about our Savior and during a mission trip in April, Russ Crane of Children's Home Chain, dedicated Hope Empowers Church. So people could gather and grow in their faith, we constructed a temporary cover as a church. Today, Hope Empowers Church stands as a beacon of faith, love, and community and many people have embraced the message of Jesus Christ. Our prayer is to construct a permanent church building, as the Lord leads people to partner with us. 

These villagers lacked access to clean water, which posed a significant health risk. God called partners to dig a well to bring safe drinking water. Our vision for Saala includes bringing education to the many children who have no schools to attend.  We want to empower them with a chance to learn and break the cycle of poverty. We are excited and thankful to God Almighty for guiding our steps to impacting a community for Christ.  

Having experienced slum life and living on the streets, our Founder Patrick understands the struggles and challenges faced by homeless children in the slum. During his journey, Patrick was deeply moved by the joy he saw in children living with parents and their excitement to receive gifts on Christmas Day. Knowing this act of kindness brings immense happiness and hope to street children, he made a personal commitment to surprise them with gifts each Christmas. This has been a tradition for Patrick for 8 years. 

Through our ministry, we rent land, have a special meal with meat and soda, and gift each   child a jacket, shoes, shirt, and trousers. They play games, dance, get their feet washed, and hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This special day reminds these children that they are seen, valued, and loved. At Hope Empowers, we believe that every child deserves to experience the joy and magic of Christmas, regardless of their circumstances. 

It's heartbreaking to know someone, especially a child, died due to lack of healthcare access. In Hope Empowers' community of Nabukalu there is no access to a medical facility, so we understand the urgent need firsthand.

A very generous donor partnered with us to build a clinic to promote healthcare and save lives. Our mission is to ensure that no individual loses their life to curable diseases like malaria and typhoid, and that pregnant women have safe deliveries. We believe that everyone deserves the right to quality healthcare, and we are committed to making a difference in the lives of those in need. The clinic is under construction with an expected completion date of October 2024. 

In the Saala community, extreme poverty is commonplace.  We impact this community through Children's and Sr. Women (Jajas) Outreaches. 

JAJA OUTREACH: Senior women are often overwhelmed with poverty and child-rearing responsibilities when parents leave or die.  Our missionary, Cathy, meets them each Wednesday to encourage them with God's word, offer a safe place to share problems, and enjoy fellowship with other senior women.  

CHILDREN'S OUTREACH: Each Saturday, we gather 100-150 children to hear Bible stories, learn about Jesus, enjoy a nutritious meal, and participate in games. The kids anxiously await each Outreach and bring the Good News of Jesus back to their families.