124 PICS

Transforming former Child soldier & AIDS Orphans into Leaders

Tell story of AIDS orphans, child soldiers, refugee camp kids, child laborers, whose lives are transformed by LEAD Uganda, an NGO that molds children into leaders by sending them to top schools so they gain the skills needed to lead Africa

The AIDS pandemic and the conflict in the north has devastated whole regions of Uganda, amplifying poverty and despair. 1.9 million orphans saw their parents die of AIDS. An insurgency waged by the Lords Resistance Army has created 1.6 million Internally Displaced People (IDP) in northern Uganda, of whom 1 million are children. 28,000 children - some as young as nine -have been abducted and forced to become child soldiers or sex slaves by the rebel Lords Resistance Army, a rebel group that has waged a war for two decades.

My Dream Assignment is to tell the story of six Ugandan children - AIDS orphans, former child soldiers, refugee camp kids, child laborers - whose lives are transformed by LEAD Uganda, an indigenous program that locates forgotten children with innate talents and molds them into leaders by sending them to the top schools so they gain the 21st century skills needed to lead Africa into the future.

Six new children will be selected by LEAD Uganda for this photo documentation. They will be AIDS orphans from rural villages, former child soldiers or sex-slaves, a youth who works in a rock quarry, a child living in a refugee camp, and a youth from slum area in Kampala. Half will be girls. I will document their lives before they join the program and chronicle their journey to the best boarding schools in Uganda as they become leaders.

I will pay for these six children to stay in school and the LEAD Uganda program for two years out of the grant money. (It costs $1,800 a year per child to keep them in this elite leadership program, so this will total $21,600.)

LEAD Uganda
Many non-profits in Africa pay school fees for children. What makes LEAD Uganda unique is its emphasis on training leaders. LEAD Uganda’s student-members attend the very best primary and secondary schools, then go on to university. The LEAD Uganda initiative provides its’ scholars with everything they need to succeed: books, school supplies, medical care, food, clothes, emotional support, and a family. The Ugandan staff, aided by community partners, imbue the children with a strong work ethic, a devotion to democratic values, and a desire to serve.

In a five short years LEAD Uganda has transformed the lives of seventy-plus youngsters, turning outsiders into leaders.

• One student, who used to work in a rock quarry, was accepted at the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, one of Africa's top high schools. Only 100 students from all of Africa were accepted.

• Forty-three of the sixty-four primary and secondary students (67%) received top marks at the best boarding schools in Uganda last term.

• Thirty (nearly half) received A averages or first grades on their national exams. Six compiled A-plus marks. Three ranked 1st in their classes. Three were second.

• Thirteen were elected to leadership positions at their schools.

• Three were selected to be delegates at international conferences or to participate in international exchange programs.

• LEAD Uganda’s scholars create videos, design websites, are writing books. They start community service projects, such as coaching children in slum areas and teaching art at IDP camps.

The Project
The story is the transformation of a child’s life from AIDS orphan or former child soldier to a leader at a top school. What makes LEAD Uganda’s story incredible is seeing the difference between where these children started and where they are after three months, six months, a year in the program.

I have witnessed this transformation with my own eyes. A child comes down from the north or from a remote village in the south. He does not speak English. He has one pair of shorts, no shoes, is malnourished. LEAD Uganda teaches him English and helps with academics, gives him a family, helps him heal. LEAD Uganda puts him into one of the top boarding schools in Uganda, where he sits next to cabinet minister’s children. He is given incredible support and leadership mentoring from the indigenous staff of five. And he excels. He moves to the top of his class academically. He gains self-confidence as he realizes he can do as well or even better than the rich kids. He might be given a leadership positions in his school. With the help of the staff and the other children -- who have become his family -- he heals. His nightmares diminish. He becomes a positive force in the world.

I have seen this because I have known these kids for five years when I started the program. I trained an all Ugandan staff of five and three years ago turned the program over to them. I no longer run it, but many of the students still consider me their dad or uncle. This will be an “inside” story. This transformation needs to be documented and my unique relationship with the children and my knowledge of Uganda will enhance the story and make the blog more interesting. These are an incredible bunch of young people. See them on the website: www.leaduganda.org.

The components of this story are:

Their Life Before They Join LEAD Uganda
It is important to see where these children come from. I will document their lives in the village: walking miles to fetch water, cutting firewood to cook, caring for younger siblings. I will document life in the refugee camp: sleeping outside on the ground, being escorted to school by armed soldiers. I will photograph a child who breaks rocks all day in a quarry.

The Selection Process
LEAD Uganda has a rigorous selection process. LEAD Uganda works with community organizations in refugee camps and villages, who recommend children. LEAD Uganda looks at their school reports, talks to head masters and teachers, family and neighbors, to determine if they are smart enough and motivated enough. Most importantly the staff talks to the children themselves to see if they have that sparkle in their eyes.

The Journey
The children come to Kampala by bus during school break accompanied by a staff member. They stay at the LEAD Uganda house for a few weeks, learning English, getting school supplies and clothes, receiving remedial instruction and leadership training. They receive emotional support and counseling. Many of the former child soldiers weep at night when they first arrive. They become part of the LEAD Uganda family. The other students help them. They are interviewed by schools. They go to their new school and meet the other students.

Boarding School
I will document their lives at school, spending one day a week with each student for a period of eight to twelve weeks. I will document them when they return home to their families after their first school break. (They return home heroes.) My experience is you will can see a real change during this period.

Follow-Up: Six Months or One Year Later
If the contest rules allow, I will photograph them again at school and home six months (or a year) later. This will add another component to the photo story. The children grow intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally very fast. This can be seen during the first two month, but is even more pronounced six months and a year later.

Journals
I and the students will keep journals. These entries will be displayed on the blog. Having a student voice, in addition to mine, will give an added dimension to the project.

Why Training Leaders is Important
The United Nations has called education the most effective poverty alleviator. In the United States, education is the highway to success for millions of immigrants. After World War II, the Marshall Plan re-built Europe’s infrastructure to contain Communism. Today’s infrastructure is both mental and physical. Knowledge is the pathway to economic growth. An educated, technological elite is guiding India to super-power status. Thus far, the digital age has benefited countries such as India that made a concerted effort to train leaders and harness their energies. Africa is worse off.

What keeps Africa from emulating India’s success is not brain power: “African college students are doing exceptionally well....In 2000, Africans averaged the highest educational attainments of any group in the United States - higher even than whites and Asians.” The problem is lack of opportunity for millions of children living in poverty. The issue is a lack of funding for programs dedicated to finding and cultivating leaders among the dispossessed.

LEAD Uganda offers an innovative solution to the issue of child soldiers / abducted / refugee children and to the AIDS orphans crisis. LEAD Uganda was created because the leadership of sub-Saharan Africa has been decimated by war and AIDS. The NGO trains leaders so Uganda can determine its’ own destiny, develop economically, and heal.

LEAD Uganda builds leaders by providing talented, motivated youngsters suffering from poverty, war, and AIDS with access to the best education. It has melded children from divergent tribes into a robust family, seasoned with firm moral values.

Why This Photo Project is Needed
Most issue-oriented photography projects document problems, not solutions. This is why this photo project is so important. It will show, through the lives of six children what can be done — what is being done right now — to transform the lives of children devastated by war, AIDS, and poverty. This project provides a road map of hope. It will inspire change.

LEAD Uganda is what the United States, the United Nations, the Europeans ought to be doing. Taken to scale, LEAD Uganda could serve as a prototype for a massive effort that will help seed the ideals of democracy, liberty and opportunity. Education could transform the lives of millions of children, build economic self-sufficiency, create hope from despair.

It is not just about a handful of children. It is about the future of our planet. African children can escape the effects of poverty, AIDS, and war and emerge as leaders. This story needs to be told.

Rank: 115

22 Comments

FatherJohn

Stephen that is extremely well thought-out and documented! I love so many aspects of what you spelled out, but comments are limited to 200 characters. Suffice it to say yours is a great vision and I am happy to support it. All the best to you.

BreeK

You have my vote... please return the favor!

lucasbarth

i like your idea. I voted for it, check out mine and vote for it or leave a comment if you like. good luck!

willbaxter

Nice idea. Can you not get funding from another NGO for this? Voted for you. Feel free to return the favor and vote for my project to document issues in Zimbabwe.

RSLD22

You have my vote. You have a great idea and I hope you get the votes to be a finalist

nisrin

Great idea!You have my vote. Good luck.

cancun

Keep up God's work, you are a blessing!!

lperski

You have my vote and wishes for success. The future of Uganda and Africa depends partially on educated young people..great to get some positive images of Africa!!

Good Luck.. LP

marsha78

This idea is great and so are you Steve

LSHorwitz

Excellent plan and extremely impressive accomplishments to date certainly earn my vote !!!

mommapbs

" A little child shall lead them . . ."
Thank you for giving legs to your dream Stephen!

robertebarber

Your vision transforms the shadowy Problem of Africa into individual children with real futures! Thank you and good luck!

tigerlily

hi thx,voted,all best wiht it, and please see both my ideas,set in afric anad worldwide...and vote...!

magstive

Indeed you are a blessing1

cdykstra

Your photography is always so moving and your project has a proven track record for success. Hope you win. Good luck!

kasozimargaret

God bless you

susiefitzhugh

Good luck, Stephen. I've always been a fan of your work.

monica4cftf

Thanks for your tireless efforts of putting hope to these young leaders of tomorrow. Hope luck falls for the education of these children.

instudiox

Interesting idea, check out mine and vote for me if you like it. Its about poverty and society in 3rd world countries and how they are controlled, devastated by their governments and western industrialized nations. http://tinyurl.com/chy79g

longjohn

The future of Uganda's children is in having an education and a very good education at that. I wholly support you Steve in this plan. Go,go,go. You have my blessings

wpricemurch

You inspire me - God bless you and the children you are helping!

mwindisch

Interesting and worthwhile project - I voted for you - please check out an additional project that I like! http://www.nameyourdreamassignment.com/the-ideas/richs85/making-peace-with-the-world-peace-corps-at-50/

Submitted by

stephenshames
Please install Flash to see the mini-map.

Sponsor