About

A partnership began in 2017 when we became aware of children dying from water borne diseases at a primary school started by a dear friend and Pastor, Muhoza Lewi on the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. The school ministers to nearly 400 orphan refugees, providing a free primary education with a Christ centered worldview.

These children have had to flee their home countries do to wars and political unrest, some have come with relatives or family friends, others made their way to the camp by themselves. Some know their parents have been killed, others do not know if any family members have survived. The one thing they all have in common is that they are refugees living in a foreign country with no means of support.

We praise God for the people He raised up that gave to provide a drilled water well for the school. This water is a life saving addition to this community. This water has saved many physical lives, as The Living Water of Christ saves their spiritual lives. Since that time we have asked the Lord to provide continued funding for teachers salaries, school supplies, children’s Bibles and maintenance of the facility. There are 10 teachers, 2 nurses, and 3 guards, plus Pastor Lewi as the sole administrator. The Lord lead us in finding a nonprofit organization to work with financially for accountability and providing tax deductible giving. (www.bit.ly/EmmausGO). Our organization is Emmaus Gospel Outreach with a focus on Christian training and high level primary education taught in English affording the children a distinct advantage.

The total cost for operating the school per month is $2500.00. As of now we are a long way from meeting that sustained goal. And as with most programs there are emergencies that arise. This past fall brought extremely heavy rains to the area, those rains basically dissolved the mud brick walls of the classrooms.

While being extremely grateful, I wish I could say everything now is fine, but that one building was only one of six that have been badly damaged and need to be rebuilt. We know that our Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills, we are praying that a few can be sold to fund this school and minister to these orphan refugees.

While a Christian education is our main focus another great advantage of the school is keeping the children safe from child traffickers. The refugee camps are a major hunting grounds for these predators. The most vulnerable children are those that have no accountability during the day. The school offers them a secure place and accountability.

Update- 2025. Thanks to all who have given and continue to give, all of the school buildings have been restored and doors and windows have been installed . A new toilet facility has been built, and student desks have been made for all the classrooms.

Statement of Faith

WHAT WE BELIEVE

We believe that the Bible in the inspired Word of God and is the foundation for both faith and practice. In addition to affirming the historic creeds of the Church, such as the Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed.

We believe the Bible is God’s unique revelation to people. It is the inspired Word of God, providing an authoritative and trustworthy rule of faith and practice. There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is God’s only Son, born of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, willingly took upon Himself all of our sins, died on the Cross and rose again bodily on the third day, and is at the right hand of the Father. He will return to consummate history and to fulfill the eternal plan of God. All people are created in God’s image having an innate value and dignity but alienated from God by sin and justly subject to God’s wrath. Salvation cannot be earned through personal goodness or human effort. It is the gift that must be received by humble repentance and faith in Christ and His finished work on the cross. The indwelling presence and transforming power of the Holy Spirit, who gives to all believers a new life and a new calling to obedient service. All believers are members of the Body of Christ, the one true Church universal.

Challenges on the Nakivale Settlement

The Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda currently hosts about 180,000 to 185,000 refugees. Nakivale is one of the oldest refugee settlements in Africa and covers 71 sq/mi; being the 8th largest settlement area in the world and has 74 separate villages and hosting 8 different countries. Nakivale receives an average of 10,000 new refugees every month.

Main Challenges Faced by Refugees in Nakivale

Water and Sanitation

• Access to water is a persistent problem; 41.5% of women and girls report always having trouble accessing water, often having to queue until late at night. Infrastructure limitations and management issues exacerbate shortages for both domestic and agricultural use.

Food Security

• Many refugees face food shortages and poor nutrition, especially among expectant mothers. Food ration cuts have led to insufficient supplies for large families, affecting overall well-being and coping mechanisms.

Health and Mental Health

• There is a critical lack of medical and mental health staff. Refugees frequently experience untreated health conditions, and mental health issues such as PTSD, depression, and psychosis are common due to past trauma and ongoing hardship.

Economic Hardship

• Only a small fraction of women have enough money to last the month. Lack of capital, limited freedom of movement, and few job opportunities force some into survival sex or child labor to meet basic needs.

Gender-Based Violence and Child Protection

• Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is rampant. Many women and girls have experienced domestic violence, rape, or child abuse. Early marriage and child labor are also prevalent, often driven by economic pressures.

Education

• Refugee children, especially girls, face barriers to education such as discrimination, lack of transportation, and insufficient sanitary materials. Many girls drop out to seek work or due to safety concerns.

Land and Resource Conflicts

• Tensions over land allocation between refugees and host communities have led to xenophobia, animosity, and sometimes violence. Some refugees remain without land, relying solely on food rations.

Environmental Challenges

• Population growth and deforestation have made access to cooking fuel difficult, increasing hardship for both refugees and host communities.

These challenges are compounded by the breakdown of traditional support structures, making daily survival and long-term integration difficult for many in Nakivale.