Hello everyone! Greetings from Soroti, Uganda!
Yesterday was an amazing day. It started with a car that wouldn't start, but finished with some great news from our Care Points!
Getting the car started was as simple as buying a new battery. I'm blessed to have the means to do that here in Uganda. Most here would would have to wait a month to have the money to go buy a battery. The battery cost me about 200,000 UGX or 3 1/2 months of the salary we pay our workers at the care point. To us in the USA, it cost me just under $100.00.
On my way to Ngariam, I picked up a hitch hiker. She was a young mother who had graduated from University in 2010 with a degree in Developmental Studies. She has yet to find a job. She was walking to Katakwi (about a 30 minute drive) to apply for a job. I told her I was going to Ngariam, and if she was still there in Katakwi on my way back, I would be happy to take her home. She agreed, and we found a place for her to wait for me.
After dropping her in Katakwi, I continued to Ngariam, where I was greeted with hugs and warm wishes, along with questions about my trip home. Also, it was a great sight to see them using the borehole that we had just completed on our last trip.
Now for the great news. This past rainy season has been particularly bad. Our gardens and those gardens around us have been flooded with water. They had been flooded with water so long that we were afraid we were going to lose everything. Glory to God!!!!! Our gardens have now dried out and it appears that we have no significant damage. I was unprimed to find that they had already harvested around 35 bags of peanuts. These are big bags! And there's still more to harvest. Their great tating peanuts as well!
Thank you Jesus for all you do!
As I headed back to Soroti, I stopped by Katakwi to pick up the young lady who I had dropped to apply for a job. She was in good spirits, but was told to come back next year. She explained that the position they were currently trying to fill was in a different field, but that she should try back next year, their budget may allow them to hire another person. She said that she offered to volunteer until such a time might become available for them to hire her.
Such is the attitude of many that I meet in Uganda. They just want an opportunity to work. Getting an education is great and very important, but someone has to create jobs. I can't tell you how many people I meet here in Uganda that have college degrees, yet there are no jobs to be had. The unemployment here is somewhere around 65%. Handouts are not the solution. These people, all people, need jobs! They want jobs!
Just as I previously stated with regards to the cost of the battery, starting a business is very hard to do when you lack the financial resources to do so. Loans here come at a rate of 24% to 30% interest. Who can afford that? I'm happy about the jobs we have created with our farm project. We just have to make it sustainable. And we will!
If any of you want to help with this project, we spend about $2,000.00 a month, trying to employ about 34 people. Send me an email at tomcoxokc@gmail.com. These workers are held accountable!
I'll let you know how you can help.
Thanks for your time. More importantly, thank you for your prayers!
Tom Cox
Yesterday was an amazing day. It started with a car that wouldn't start, but finished with some great news from our Care Points!
Getting the car started was as simple as buying a new battery. I'm blessed to have the means to do that here in Uganda. Most here would would have to wait a month to have the money to go buy a battery. The battery cost me about 200,000 UGX or 3 1/2 months of the salary we pay our workers at the care point. To us in the USA, it cost me just under $100.00.
On my way to Ngariam, I picked up a hitch hiker. She was a young mother who had graduated from University in 2010 with a degree in Developmental Studies. She has yet to find a job. She was walking to Katakwi (about a 30 minute drive) to apply for a job. I told her I was going to Ngariam, and if she was still there in Katakwi on my way back, I would be happy to take her home. She agreed, and we found a place for her to wait for me.
After dropping her in Katakwi, I continued to Ngariam, where I was greeted with hugs and warm wishes, along with questions about my trip home. Also, it was a great sight to see them using the borehole that we had just completed on our last trip.
Now for the great news. This past rainy season has been particularly bad. Our gardens and those gardens around us have been flooded with water. They had been flooded with water so long that we were afraid we were going to lose everything. Glory to God!!!!! Our gardens have now dried out and it appears that we have no significant damage. I was unprimed to find that they had already harvested around 35 bags of peanuts. These are big bags! And there's still more to harvest. Their great tating peanuts as well!
Thank you Jesus for all you do!
As I headed back to Soroti, I stopped by Katakwi to pick up the young lady who I had dropped to apply for a job. She was in good spirits, but was told to come back next year. She explained that the position they were currently trying to fill was in a different field, but that she should try back next year, their budget may allow them to hire another person. She said that she offered to volunteer until such a time might become available for them to hire her.
Such is the attitude of many that I meet in Uganda. They just want an opportunity to work. Getting an education is great and very important, but someone has to create jobs. I can't tell you how many people I meet here in Uganda that have college degrees, yet there are no jobs to be had. The unemployment here is somewhere around 65%. Handouts are not the solution. These people, all people, need jobs! They want jobs!
Just as I previously stated with regards to the cost of the battery, starting a business is very hard to do when you lack the financial resources to do so. Loans here come at a rate of 24% to 30% interest. Who can afford that? I'm happy about the jobs we have created with our farm project. We just have to make it sustainable. And we will!
If any of you want to help with this project, we spend about $2,000.00 a month, trying to employ about 34 people. Send me an email at tomcoxokc@gmail.com. These workers are held accountable!
I'll let you know how you can help.
Thanks for your time. More importantly, thank you for your prayers!
Tom Cox
