To our friends and donors in 2020--
It has been quite a year! Just twelve months ago, many of us gathered in St. Louis to celebrate the awarding of the Opus Prizes to the three finalists. As you recall, Brother Charles Nuwagaba received $100,000 for the work of the Brothers in Watoto Wa Lwanga in Nairobi, Kenya. This award recognizes the high quality of the Brothers’ work, since all of the awardees were carefully vetted. Seeing what so many have done to assist people around the world was rewarding beyond words. Since then, of course, the world has turned upside down. The corona virus pandemic has affected everyone, and as you know, it is those with the least who have been affected the most. The Brothers are working very hard to assist the children and communities around them in East Africa.
We are very happy to report that the dairy farm project, which was the main recipient of our last fundraiser in September 2019, is running beautifully, thanks to the generous contributions that you have made. The milk and other products from the dairy farms help to feed the local communities, generate income for the Brothers’ projects, and offer people in the community the opportunity to learn how to run a successful business.
Donations can be made online by clicking the button at the top of this page or by sending a check for "Brothers of St. Charles Lwanga" to 6235 N. Kenmore Ave, Chicago, IL 60660.
This year, we are asking for donations for the installation of solar panels. Power sources in rural Uganda are not always reliable, which makes it difficult for the Brothers to carry out their work, not to mention just trying to accomplish the tasks of daily life. Many of us here in the US know how terribly inconvenient, if not dangerous, it is when we lose power due to storms. But just imagine if losing power was something you had to deal with on an almost daily basis!
We hear from the Brothers that sometimes they have no electric power for weeks, so think of what that does to their ability to communicate via phone or computer. Perhaps even more importantly, if students are in school, they can't study at night. The installation of solar panels will give the Brothers not only a reliable source of power but will also mean that there is less fossil fuel going into the atmosphere. The climate crisis affects all of us, and, like the pandemic, affects those who are poor the most. We on the Board enthusiastically support this exciting new step and hope that you will add your support to those who have already contributed.
Although we have not been able to meet in person since March, the Board has been in close contact with Brothers Charles and Anthony here in Chicago, and with the Brothers in Uganda and Kenya. We are very grateful for your past support!