Christopher’s story

“This is my life success stories right from birth up to this moment of time; it was really encountered by different situations as summarized below.

Life Before the War

During my childhood, life was really so different and amazing in that people observed culture in upbringing and teaching of children, family members enjoyed leisure time with other family members and neighbors, hunger was never a problem because of high level of food production, and people practiced farming locally by doing things together from one person to another so called door to door farming. This initiative is locally managed by the selected leaders, each and everyone's garden is cleared within a very short time, many activities like weeding, harvesting and building local granaries to improve on the storage was each and every one’s responsibility. Families that had poor harvest were supported by the families that had good harvest, Elders gathered children from the different families and neighbors and talked to them on how to have a better life in future. All these were done in fire places (firepits in the middle of the village where everyone would gather) every evening as part of the routine. Nutritious food like sweet potatoes, cassava and beans etc. were produced in plenty in each and every home seasonally. Studies were the responsibility of every home to take their children to school and lessons were conducted under the mango tree. This was interesting and so amazing in my life, later on LRA rebels emerged and disrupted the free life.

After the LRA war

The LRA  war in Northern Uganda impacted negatively in my life as a young child of four years in that my beloved and very hard working father was abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels and unfortunately lost his life when the government soldiers exchanged fire with the rebels to rescue the captured people. He was shot to death as he tried to escape from the rebels. This extremely traumatized me for a long time, I lost sense of having future again at my younger age on seeing the beloved and hard-working dad leaving me at an early stage.

We continued battling with life with my young mother and the younger brother of one year, we couldn't manage staying in the village where most of the nights were spent hiding in the bush to protect our lives from being killed and abducted. There was nothing like any idea to study. We were stranded in life. Food became scarce because no farming activities taking place following the administrative instructions of the rebel which state that whoever caught digging in the garden must be killed immediately. Houses were burnt in order to capture people. The situation worsened until we were forced to move to the Tetugu Camp (Internally Displace People) where many problems had risen. Outbreak of diseases like Ebola, Cholera due to poor hygiene in the camps with no toilets and proper clean water sources led to many health complications and the loss of important elders. From there, my mother decided to leave and moved back to her mother's home with the younger brother and this had seriously broken my heart and I decided to have no more future again on seeing her leaving me just like that.

My Life Renewed by God

Much as life was in bondage, God revealed my life after continuously praying to him and asking for forgiveness. God showed me the way by bringing to me to Village of Hope Uganda through the tireless hard work of Mama Rose (National Director) after seeing young children suffering without education, no good health, no proper nutritional food. My life changed the first day after hearing about sponsorship from Village of Hope Uganda, I knelt down and thanked the Almighty God for the unexpected opportunities. This relieved me from the mind set of not studying any more to begin imagining a very brighter future of no regrets even when there's no parents.

Possible Achievements While at Village of Hope Uganda

While at Village of Hope Uganda, I have achieved 100% love, care and education with all the necessary scholastic materials provided that could have been a burden to me. My health was catered for properly. Nutrition improved because of nutritious food like cabbages, vegetables, tomatoes, and maize etc. which were grown by the different department of homes in Bweyale High School Campus. This extensive care made me feel a lot of parental care, not only that but also quality medical care attention. The hands-on skills training made me become a powerful entrepreneur.

Above all, the biggest achievement in my life is the completion of my bachelor’s degree in public administration and management which was my main future goal. I have also gone through series of mentorship, guidance and counseling services offered by VOH staffs, access to the opportunity to give back to the organization which have aquatinted me with a lot of skills for future opportunities and have enhanced a safer and motivational life for me.

I have also gained experience in organization activities and management about which we have sat down together with the colleagues and developed an innovative ideas of having an initiative of changing the community from the status of vulnerability to a stage where the community can define their own projects, manage them and we provide the technical support to them. This is an initiative with an intention of providing jobs to the youth in order to fit in the community in terms of visibility though its starting with voluntary activities.

In conclusion, I extend my sincere thanks and prayers to the leaders of Village of Hope, Mama Cindy and Mama Rose for exceptional supports and community engagement activities that may the Almighty Father continue granting for your blessings, protection and financial support for continuous development of the country and to the whole world, I will continue to commit myself for any form of support that I can offer to the organization comprehensively.”

God's blessings,

Christopher Oketta