Joshua - Meals at Preschool Transform.

In 2018, Joshua began attending the SOM Uganda preschool in the Pugwinyi community in Northern Uganda. This 3 year kid was skinny, malnourished and wore torn clothes. The teachers learned that Joshua came from a very poor family coupled with an alcoholic father who left the family quite traumatized. During our school social and academic visits and consultations, Joshua’s mother disclosed frustration and struggle as a wife and mother in raising up her child. Often times after hard work of growing food at home her husband forcefully picked almost every harvest and sold it to buy himself alcohol. This left Joshua , his mother and his siblings to survive on almost nothing.

The school feeding program was truly transformative for Joshua`s health. The breakfast and the regular daily cup of corn/soy porridge during break time at school literally changed his physical appearance!

It will take much to fully solve the family challenges in Joshua`s household, but receiving the 2 meals each day at school has brought inspiration, change and joy to this young boy. He has continued to visit the preschool during this covid -19 period with the hope to share food with teacher Gloria who continued to manage the school premises/ compound.

Joshua has also received sponsorship through Sports Outreach’s EmpowerMe program. Once school is back in session, he will be able again to regularly attend class and be better encouraged to manage the moments of struggle in the family. When asked his goal/dream, Joshua says he would like to be a doctor in his village, wearing the white coat and treating people!

Will you consider helping kids like Joshua? through Sports Outreach’s EmpowerMe sponsorship and LEAD education programs, you can help bring this kind of transformation and hope to young children!