In 2019, we launched a very successful rural and social development program called the Hope Development Project.  The goal of the project is to provide life skills and sustainable income for the poorest families in our supported communities in Uganda.

The project is run by Damalie Bisaso, a member of our CRMI Uganda team, who has many years' experience in rural development.  In the first phase, the Hope Development Project works with the families, teaching them life skills such as household and personal hygiene, family planning, HIV prevention, conflict resolution, problem solving and leadership skills.

The second phase provides the families with a start-up business, which in most cases will be farming either pigs or goats.  Once the pig or goat has produced offspring, the participants contribute an animal back to the project, proving an opportunity for more families to participate.

The families involved also take a course on financial literacy and have started a successful savings club.

Our five year objective for the program is to have engaged the whole school communities of Bombo and Nakaseke in the Hope Development Project so that participants are increasingly able to support themselves.