Rev. Michael Lillpopp, President

Rev. Michael C. Lillpopp is President and Co-Founder of the Uganda Rural Fund USA.  A native of Dalton, Massachusetts, he is a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, Massachusetts.  He holds a Master of Divinity and a Baccalaureate of Sacred Theology from St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore, a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and German Studies from St. John Seminary College in Boston, and an Associate of Applied Science from the Community College of the Air Force.  Rev. Lillpopp is the pastor of St. Frances Xavier
Cabrini Parish in West Springfield, Massachusetts, and a member of the Board of Directors of Camp Holy Cross in Goshen, Massachusetts.  He is also a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve and has had assignments throughout Europe, the Middle East, and the United States.

In co-founding the Uganda Rural Fund USA, Rev. Lillpopp brings attention to a frequently neglected corner of the world.  “The impact that HIV/AIDS has made on East Africa is tremendous,” he says, “and has left millions of orphaned children in its wake.  It is the responsibility of the world community to join efforts in seeing that the child-victims of this terrible disease are given the resources to grow and learn.”  Rev. Lillpopp observes, “As we have been taught time and again throughout history, problems grow when good people absolve themselves from responsibility and do nothing.”

John Mary holds a B.A. in Computer Science and Philosophy from St. John’s University. Besides spending a year at Law school back in Uganda, John Mary has taken classes in Non profit management at the University of Richmond’s Institute on Philanthropy. John Mary is a member of the Benedictine Society of Virginia where he serves as an assistant in the finance office and as webmaster. During his college career, John Mary initiated the Africa Service Learning Program, a program that continues to send groups of college students to work with AIDS support organizations in East Africa. He also founded two student organizations: the Global AIDS Awareness Organization and the Africa Students Association at the St. Benedict’s College and St. John’s University, MN. John Mary was also active in other student clubs and student government. He sat on the Joint Academic Board and also served on various administration committees as a studnet representatives: these included the Academic Assessment Committee, and the Curriculum and Academic Policies Committee. John Mary has also participated in the Clinton Global Initiative University conference which brings together students from around the world to commit to effecting social change.

John Mary received varios awards for his work in Africa and the United States. He was the recipient of the International Peace Award in DC in 2007, the 2006 Excellence in Leadership Award and Inspiring a Shared Vision leadership Award from from the College of St. Benedicts/St. John’s University. He was one of the recipients of the Peace and Justice Award from the Vincent L. Hawtkinson foundation, MN in 2006.

John Mary is enrolled in graduate school/seminary pursuing studies for the S.T.B and M.A programs leading to ordination and further academic work in Canon Law. John Mary is passionate about children and his work bring him much joy and peace knowing that his small deeds can make a difference in other people’s lives.

Benjamin Kaster

Ben Kaster has been with Uganda Rural Fund since its founding in 2005. He hold B.A. in Peace Studies from St. John’s University. Ben is currently enrolled at Ross University Medical School.

“I can smell the anger and see the frustration in the eyes of people who have become victims of poverty which has propelled me to act. In 2004 I helped establish  Uganda Rura Fund (URF) based in Uganda to promote equality for the rural poor. URF is now able to assist the community in supporting themselves while providing them with the fundamental realities that all humans need:food, shelter, education and access to health care. Upon my return, I have continued to be a voice for the voiceless, sharing the stories of commonality and bringing home a human face to correspond with our nightly news. It is from these experiences that I gather my inspiration and dedication to proceed towards my ultimate goal: to become a physician, and help my global community.”

Jacqueline Namazzi was born and raised in Uganda. Jacqueline is a lawyer who received her LL.B from Makerere University, Postgraduate Diploma in Legal studies from Law Development Center and an LL.M from University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. Prior to pursuing her masters in law, Jacqueline volunteered for UNHCR in Rhino Camp assisting with registration of refugees from Sudan, Jacqueline volunteered with NGO Election Monitoring Group-Uganda (NEMGroup-U) on behalf of The Association of Uganda Women lawyers( FIDA-U) in legal monitoring of local council elections in Masindi, Jacqueline volunteered with FIDA-U in legal Aid meetings and trainings. Jacqueline was privileged to work as a legal assistant at Byamugisha, Rwaheru &Co, advocates, Kampala,Uganda in Makoro &Co. Advocates, Kampala, Uganda and completed her clerkship at the Directorate of Public Prosecutions in Kampala, Uganda. Jacqueline has also had the privilege of volunteering as a Court Appointed Special Advocate(CASA) in Champaign for abused and neglected children.

Jacqueline, has the desire and passion to help those less fortunate, disadvantaged and marginalised people in Uganda especially the children. I was personally orphaned by AIDS, i could have ended up living on the street but was fortunate that God provided relatives who adopted me and offered me the chance of education  from primary until university and also an opportunity to study in the US, this blessing has enabled me to achieve my dreams. I would love to see each child at HOPE Integrated Academy have a chance to achieve their dream and i will offer my knowledge, skill, passion and experience to work for Uganda Rural Fund USA Inc to achieve that goal.

Matt Kuntz was born and raised in Helena, Montana.  Matt received his bachelor’s degree from West Point and his law degree from the University of Oregon.  Matt served as in infantry officer in the Army and was recognized as Distinguished Member of the Thirty Fifth Regiment for his service.  Matt was practicing corporate law in Helena when his step-brother, a Montana National Guardsmen who suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, committed suicide.  Spurred on by his step-brother’s death, Matt began advocating for effective screening and treatment of post traumatic stress injuries of our returning service members.  Matt’s advocacy efforts on behalf of Montana’s servicemembers and their families were documented in the book, Faces of Combat: PTSD & TBI by Eric Newhouse.  Matt was also recognized by President Obama in his inauguration festivities as one of eighteen Ordinary Americans Who Have Made An Extraordinary Difference.  In June of 2008, Matt took on the role of the National Alliance on Mental Illness for Montana’s (NAMI Montana’s) Executive Director in order to support, educate, and advocate for all Montanans suffering from mental illness and their families.

Chris Blake (65) is a psychotherapist who lives in Duxbury, MA in the US. He holds a PhD in Neuroscience and Behavior, a MSW in Clinical Social Work, an Med in Secondary Level Counseling and a BA in History from Yale. He has worked as a teacher and therapist most of his life. He has been on the Boards of the Hoosac  School in Hoosick, NY, Crossroads for Kids, Boston, MA, the Community School, Camden, ME, the Stowe School, the Midcoast Detox Center, the Bay Area Children’s Museum (co founder) and is a member of his local Interfaith Council, volunteers for No Place For Hate, is an Emergency Responder for the American Red Cross, and carries on a number of supervisory and consultancy relationships with non profits. He is a clinician at Duxbury Counseling Services, Duxbury, MA.

Chris returned from volunteering in Kyetume and Masaka and, with Dan Hall, raised funds for and commissioned the building of the new Boy’s Dorm at the Nazareth School. His commitment to the work of URF is whole hearted. “You pick one grain of sand off the beach of want in this world and commit to it, fiercely. URF is mine. I will contribute to URF in any way I can, including Board of Directors service if that’s helpful. URF has grown to such a degree and at such a pace that it’s going to take a number of us, each in our proper roles and with our own distinct talents, to work together to be sure it stays successfully on the visionary path that Michael, John Mary, and others set for it just a short time ago. It is a Ugandan project for the benefit of Ugandans. We must remember that at all times and contribute what we can to help.

Dan after graduation from Colby College spent two years with the military in Eritrea in East Africa. After a year of teaching in Williamstown, MA, he earned a Masters Degree in Education from Harvard.  Following that study program, he then spent many years in several Massachusetts public schools teaching and coaching. Those years were interrupted with two year teaching stints in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) as a lay teacher at a United Church of Christ mission secondary school and later with the Government of Zambia at Chamboli Secondary School in Kitwe on the copperbelt.  Retiring in 1993, he was employed for 13 years at a homeless shelter in Boston as a Case Manager.  He and Chris Blake spent the month of September in 2008 with URF in Uganda between Hope Academy and the Nazareth orphanage. The poor condition of the boy’s dorm at the orphanage prompted them on their return to Duxbury, MA to raise funds for a new boy’s dormitory.