Uganda’s people have endured much suffering in recent history. Between 800,000 and 2 million people perished during the dictatorship of Idi Amin and the civil wars, tribal killings, and famines that followed. For the past two decades, the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has terrorized the northern districts, including Gulu. Thousands of rural children—known as “night commuters”—trek to towns each night to avoid abduction by the LRA, which has forced an estimated 30,000 children into armed conflict and sex slavery.

Uganda’s children are in desperate need of improved educational opportunities to help them escape the cycle of poverty and open up a brighter
future.

Country Comparison	Uganda	United States
Population	27.8 million	295.4 million
Land Mass	77,108 sq. miles	3,537,439 sq. miles
Life Expectancy	48 years	78 years
Infant Mortality Rate (per 1,000)	80	7
Literacy Rate	69%	97%
Primary School Enrollment	79%	92%
Access to Safe Water	56%	100%
Average Annual Income (GNI per capita)	$270	$41,400

-Information found at www.worldvision.org

Uganda, known as the “Pearl of Africa,” is made up of various ethnic groups and subcultures. Although English is the official language, there are more than 40 languages spoken throughout the country.

About 82 percent of Ugandans work in agriculture. Among the crops they cultivate are cotton, corn, tea, and coffee. In sponsorship communities, most farmers work at the subsistence level, struggling to grow enough to feed their families. They rarely have surplus food to sell for income that can provide other necessities like clothing and health care. World Vision is working alongside these families to help them improve their crop yields and overall quality of life.