February is a special time of year, not just because of Valentine’s Day, but it also marks the anniversary of St. Elizabeth’s Girl’s Academy (SEGA) in Uganda. SEGA is the reason Hope for Hearts exists, and in honor of their 19th anniversary, we’d like to share 19 fun facts about the school.
- 1998– St. Elizabeth Girls Academy (SEGA) founded.
- Father Mugagga Lule – Co-founder and President.
- Mission– To assist orphans in Uganda, East Africa, lifting them from poverty to prosperity through primary education, vocational training and life-skill classes.
- Kampala – SEGA’s hometown.
- 1 Acre– Girls live in tents and buildings on one acre of land dedicated to the school.
- 300 – Number of girls (and now boys too) served on average each year.
- Birth-21– Age range of children supported by the schools.
- 2 – Number of counseling and guidance sessions each girl receives every week.
- $25 – Amount it costs to purchase a handmade necklace to support Hope for Hearts efforts to fund education and provide a hand-up to children in conflicted areas.
- Seamstress in Training– One of SEGA’s programs that offers women home-based business opportunities.
- Culinary Training– A SEGA program that helps girls gain practical experience so they can start their own restaurant business or gain employment in Uganda’s culinary industry.
- Banquet Services– A girl-led service SEGA provides to outside businesses and organizations. Girls participating in the banquet services program receive hospitality training that prepares them for job opportunities for life after SEGA.
- Auxiliary Programs– In addition to educational and vocational training, girls at SEGA receive: spiritual development and support, recreational activities, sports programs.
- Nuns– The very special ladies who serve as protectors, teachers and spiritual guides for the children at SEGA.
- Self-Reliance– SEGA empowers kids with survival skills for self-reliance, lifting them from poverty to prosperity.
- Profile of Prosperity– Najjuko Resty “Kalisizo” went from being a maid and a prostitute to a self-employed seamstress living in St. Balikuddembe thanks to the education and services she received at SEGA.
- $240– Cost of providing one-year of education to a child at SEGA.
- $3,750– Average monthly cost to feed students at the school.
- You Can Help– hope4hearts.org/donate – Link to where you can make your tax deductible donation to lift children from poverty to prosperity in honor of SEGA’s 19th anniversary.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and that’s certainly true. Support from people like Father Mugagga, the nuns, myself, and most importantly – you, our children not only survive, they thrive. Please help us celebrate this important milestone by making a donation of $19 or more, and help us provide many more years of education lifting a child out of poverty to prosperity.
“My success depends on others doing their part. Success does not depend on any one person, but by every person fulfilling their responsibility to give back to the whole. As humans we are independent, but we are not meant to live in solitude, but in a living and loving communion with others.” – Father Mugagga Lule, Co-Founder and President, St. Elizabeth’s Girls Academy
Warmest Regards,
Cristen
