About Uganda Rural Fund

The Uganda Rural Fund USA, a 501(c)(3) charity, began in 2005 as a "grass roots" effort between Peter Francis Luswata and Rev. Michael Lillpopp, two former  seminary classmates in Baltimore.  Together with Peter's brother, Benedictine Brother John Mary Lugemwa, OSB, the URF-USA was incorporated in December 2005 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to serve the needs of the poorest and most forgotten people of our world: the children of rural Uganda. URF-USA primary goal is the creation of educational and sustainable development opportunities for orphans, disadvantaged youth and women in rural communities.
 
 From its field office in Masaka, southwestern Uganda, the URF-USA works in areas most significantly hit by the devastating AIDS epidemic since 1970.  This fledgling non-profit organization has generated the primary funding for a vocational school in the remote village of Kyetume on Masaka-Mbarara Road, south central Uganda.  In cooperation with a dedicated team of young men and women at Saint John's University and the College of Saint Benedict in Minnesota, the URF-USA also funds the operation of an orphanage, the Nazareth Children's Home, the After School Program, the Women's Empowerment Program, a Youth Resource Center, and various agricultural projects.  The Hope Integrated Academy, our primary education initiative, involves vocational training programs, a community library, a computer center, a medical clinic, an entreprenuership and leadership center, and a science center.
 
While the Uganda Rural Fund has its sights set on some big goals, it is an extremely low-budget operation.  All of its Directors, Officers, and employees are volunteers.  We are a group of Christian people who want to put their faith into concrete action.  We profess a belief that our Ugandan friends are our family members.  If you had a little brother or sister in trouble, wouldn't you help?
 
 Our volunteer network, operated from our home office in Holyoke, Mass., includes representative office in Richmond, Virginia; London, England; and Kampala, Uganda.

In order to achieve our objectives, we work with the local youth and the elders, the community institutions, partner with international organizations, the local authorities and government to:

• provide shelter, education and re-settlement of the needy children in general, especially those affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
• sensitize the general public on the issues relating to children’s rights with the aim of creating awareness and action.
• strive to improve the quality of life of children within the context of family, community and culture.
• help children living in dire poverty and conflict by providing program benefits and services that meet their basic needs, enhance their self-esteem, and raise their physical, social, and educational levels in a meaningful and lasting way.
• encourage the public to directly engage in the care of children through advocacy, seminars, workshops and the publication of newsletters highlighting the plight of children.
• provide child and family services, focusing in the areas of childcare, child abuse prevention, advocacy for the rights of children and women, rehabilitation, counseling and reintegration services.
• engage in active public debates by involving local authorities, the Government Ministries and the press with a goal of finding solutions to the ever growing needs of children.
• provide adult education programs and support to the poor, small-scale farmers and women groups in rural areas, emphasizing and promoting sustainable agriculture.
• initiate, organize, or participate in campaigns or other activities, educational or otherwise, intended to spread awareness of the plight of children in Uganda.
• provide any form of technical and material assistance in various disciplines that are relevant for the enhancement of needy children for re-integration into society and the entire community.
• generate and mobilize funds to support vulnerable communities, especially the orphans and children displaced through wars and loss of parents due to HIV/AIDS, by providing shelter, food, health care, education, vocational skills and set-up income-generating projects to better their lives.