About YWAM Hopeland
In the 1990s, Uganda was in a rough state:
Post-War-Chaos
By the 1990s, Uganda was still recovering from the civil war under Idi Amin (1970s): Many people had been killed back then, and many children had grown up as orphans without guardians much of their lives.
HIV/AIDS
AIDS first was discovered in the 1980s and became increasingly known as a deadly disease by the 1990s. While the AIDS epidemic caused stigma and protests in the West, it killed many more people in Uganda, as this region was one of the most infected regions in the world.
Poverty
Partly due to the war and disease, there simply weren't enough good schools or job opportunities for people. So, most people were working in very low-paying jobs in factories or as housekeepers etc., and hunger and a bleak future were too common.
YWAM already had a base in Jinja city at the time, but they realized the needs were greater than what that base could carry. So, in 1991, some of those ministry leaders set out and founded the YWAM Hopeland base: Also in Jinja, but more on the outskirts in Wairaka, where they could create a center for training Christian leaders to transform their communities, spiritually and practically.
Soon after building the first structures and running DTS classes, YWAM Hopeland expanded its community impact:
1993
An elementary education center was created, to train local teachers for their jobs. That center evolved into a nursery and primary school.
Also in 1993, the first VTS students were trained. Prior to that, kids would often either be unemployed or go work in the sugar cane factory in Kakira. Now, some of them had a better alternative.
2003
A family ministry opened up, to help parents and children to have healthier home lives together.
2008
The prison ministry was born. Then as now, missionaries go once a week to the local prisons in Jinja and sometimes in neighboring Kakira. We visit people as a listening ear, give simple items such as soap to inmates, and share God’s love with the people we meet. (No images because it's against prison laws to take pictures, and because we want to protect the dignity of the inmates).
There are many more things going on at the YWAM Hopeland base and around it, such as open air evangelism, giving out clothes or food, building houses, or hosting conferences on our property. Covid-19 slowed down our work for a few years, but as of 2022, we've seen (per year) around 70 bible school students, 20 vocational students, and hundreds of community members ministered to in various ministries.
The road is often not straight-forward in ministry, but we have witnessed again and again that God has been faithful and has brought increased impact. Today, we want to keep moving forward with our supporters, to train more Christian workers for the work God has called them to do in their communities.
Would you like to support our ministry?
Donate or send us a message to inquire about volunteer/staff opportunities at info@ywamhopeland.org.