Compassion, Opportunity Join Forces to Battle Poverty in Uganda
One of the world’s largest Christian child development organizations partnered with the largest Christian microfinance group to fight poverty in the war-torn country of Uganda.
Compassion International and Opportunity International joined forces to help 1,000 families in Bushenyi and Rukundiri districts in Western Uganda. The two Christian organizations plan to offer qualified caregivers loans and lines of credit to start their own businesses, such as a small grocery, farming or handicraft business, reported Compassion International.
“We’re delighted to partner with Opportunity International in this new program in Uganda,” said Dr. Wess Stafford, president of Compassion International, in a statement. “Compassion International and Opportunity International work in related facets of poverty and share the same commitment to empower the poor by treating them with dignity and respect.”
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Uganda suffers from 19 years of civil war between the Ugandan government and the rebel group Lord’s Resistance Army. U.N. officials estimate the guerilla group has kidnapped 20,000 children in the past 19 years, forcing boys into soldiers and girls into sex slaves for rebel commanders. Violence committed by LRA drove 1.7 million people from their homes.
In response to the poverty in Uganda, Compassion will fund loans totaling $180,000 through the Uganda Agency for Development (UGAFODE), a Christian micro-business organization that has been a member of the Opportunity International Network for the past 12 years, working in 15 districts of Uganda.
“We’re pleased that with this generous gift from Compassion International we will be able to expand and grow our much needed microfinance services to more poor families in Uganda,” said Chris Crane, president/CEO of Opportunity International in a statement released by Compassion. “This is truly a gift that keeps on giving, because as these loans are repaid, the money will be used again and again to help thousands more poor families work their way out of poverty.”
Compassion Uganda currently serves nearly 42,000 children while Opportunity International provided $3.5 million in loans to 12,817 poor entrepreneurs in Uganda in 2005. The two groups have worked together since June 2000 when they partnered to provide small loans to poor families in the Dominican Republic.
