Name: Ann Godlive Atim
School/Major: College/BA Degree
Cost of Tuition: $2000 per year
Year of Completion/Graduation: 2013
Summary of Need: Godlive (Goddy) was orphaned as at a very young age, when her father fell
into an ambush while travelling with his brother Fr. Richard.
It was a difficult time for Goddy’s mother who did not have a job, to provide for the family’s
basic needs, let alone their education. Help from friends of Fr Richard provided the family with
enough money to send Goddy to college. Anne Godlive has worked hard and next year, January
2013, she will graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Developmental Studies. She wants to
continue with her masters and, if God willing, obtain a scholarship for her PHD.
Goddy was very lucky to find a sponsor in Nixon and Anne McMillan, who studied with Richard
at Yale Divinity School. They have funded her education from high School through to College,
contributing about $2000 per year.
In Goddy’s words, “Nixon and Anne were angels sent to me by God. I want to work hard and in
turn help someone else.”
Sponsor: Ann & Nixon McMillan
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Name: Philomena Akiteng
School/Major: College/ BA Degree in Business
Cost of Tuition: $2000 per year
Year of Completion/Graduation: 2014
Summary of Need:
Mena is the orphaned daughter Fr. Richard’s brother, Charles Ewadu, who was killed in an
ambush attack, in which Fr Richard narrowly survived. Life without their father meant the family
endured some very trying times. It was often difficult to have a meal every day, as their single
mother did not have enough money to feed the family.
Mena knew all along that her future and the future of her family rested on her obtaining an
education, so that one day she could relieve her mother of the responsibility of caring for the
family alone. She was determined to bring hope to her family by graduating from college and
finding herself a good job.
This dream might have ended due to the high cost of a college education. Just as she and her
family were about to give up hope, Mena received a generous sponsor who offered to help her
pay for her college education. Today Mena is in her second year and is determined to curve out a
future for herself and help lift up her family and others in need.
Sponsor: Dcn Kevin & Lori Monahan
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Name: Stephen Oron
School/Major: Junior Seminary/High School
Cost of Tuition: $500 per year
Year of Completion/Graduation: Unknown; it is expected that Stephen will continue to
Seminary.
Summary of Need: The Holy Spirit brought Stephen to Bridges to Hope in answer to a prayer
from Stephen’s mother, Rose, who was no longer able to pay for Stephen to go to school. Rose
lost her job and is now working part-time to help support herself, her mother and her other
children.
During one of his visits to Uganda, Richard went to the local Post Office; he met a lady, whom
he recognized from a time when he worked in Soroti Cathedral Church. She was in the church
choir.
The lady looked distraught and anxious. As she would later narrate her story, her son had been
admitted to a high school seminary, but she had no money to pay the tuition. She was desperately
looking for money when she saw Fr. Richard at the Post Office. It was two days before the
deadline in which to pay the tuition.
She had run out of options and was becoming resigned to letting the boy stay at home. Holding
tight to her rosary and wearing many scapulars, she knelt down and begged Fr Richard to help
her beat the deadline.
Fr Richard promised to meet her the next day. He would see if he could raise half the money to
get the boy to the seminary. He met the lady and next day, gave her a little money and asked her
to pray: “Pray that I might find a kind soul to help your son.”
The prayer was immediately answered on Richard’s return to the USA when Lori and Kevin
agreed to fund Stephen’s education. They have since visited with the Stephen and his mother and
have seen how deeply grateful she is for their sponsorship.
Sponsor: Dcn Kevin & Lori Monahan
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Name: Elizabeth Akello
School/Major: High School
Cost of Tuition: $600 per year
Year of Completion/Graduation: Unknown; it is expected that Elizabeth will continue on to
college.
Summary of Need:
Elizabeth is the daughter of Fr Richard’s brother who was murdered in an ambush attack.
Elizabeth, like her other siblings faced a lot of challenges after the death of their father, the only
breadwinner in the house.
The family no longer had the resources to keep all the children in school. Elizabeth became
truant and out of frustration was starting to associate with a bad group of kids. The Lord came to
Elizabeth’s aid through the generous support of Christine and Wayne Sandford of East Haven,
who offered to pay her tuition.
Elizabeth instantly recovered her hope and has been a determined student. She should be
entering college next year with great ambitions. The help From Christine and Wayne was so
timely; it saved another girl who might have been forced into marriage at an early age.
Sponsor: Dcn Wayne & Chris Sanford
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Name: Ebinu Charles
School/Major: Diploma in Education
Cost of Tuition: $1000 per year
Year of Completion/Graduation: 2014
Summary of Need: Charles came to Fr. Richard’s attention two years after Father was ordained
to the priesthood. Fr. Richard was on temporal assignment to a parish north of his home area of
Agu. Father was involved in school activities and it was here that he met Charles and his sister,
Grace.
The two had a sad story to tell. Not long before meeting Fr. Richard Charles and Grace’s parents
had been brutally murdered by the marauding warriors from the Karamojo, who not only looted
property, especially cows, but often left death in their trail. Charles and Grace and another sister
were left as orphans to fend for themselves and to keep themselves in school.
On hearing this story and checking out its accuracy, Fr. Richard did what he believed Jesus
would have done; he “adopted” the two orphans and supported them through their primary and
high school education.
Charles did not complete his Education degree, although he did become a teacher. Grace became
a registered nurse and now has her own family.
Charles is now studying to get his Diploma in Education. This will improve his teaching skills
and open up greater opportunities as a teacher.
Sponsor: Fr. Richard Okiria
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Name: Stephen
School/Major: High School
Cost of Tuition: $600
Year of Completion/Graduation: Unknown; it is expected Stephen will go to college
Summary of Need: Stephen was the top student Agu Primary School and was awarded this
scholarship for outstanding academic achievement, after a visit by Lisa Cozzi and members of
Bridges to Hope in 2009.
Stephen is today in his second year of high school thanks to the generosity of Lisa and Chris
Cozzi.
Sponsor: Lisa & Chris Cozzi
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Name: Barbara Evelyn Akol
School/Major: Going to College
Cost of Tuition: $2000
Year of Completion/Graduation: 2014
Summary of Need:
Barbara was born to a single parent. In Africa, it is a stigma for children born without a father.
These children often have no rights to property in the home of origin of their mother. A girl
child is trapped and has no future as she is considered a second rate citizen.
Evelyn is aware of her predicament and she aches because she has no father to fight for her. Her
only hope is in education. She came to us with a plea for help, so she can carve out a future for
herself.
Her mother, who is a nurse’s aide, has managed to provide Evelyn with the means to complete
high school. Evelyn hopes to go to college, but is sure her mother will not be able to afford it. In
a letter she wrote to us, she desperately begged for some kind person to help her finance her
education. Barbara hopes to attend Kyambogo University to major in Development Studies. She
promises to work hard to complete her courses. After graduation she plans to get a job to help
others in need.
Sponsor: Needed
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Name: Aluka Angela
School/Major: High School
Cost of Tuition: $600 per year.
Year of Completion/Graduation: Unknown; it is expected Angela will go on to College
Summary of Need:
Angela, was born to a deaf and mute mother. Her father has never been known. She is being
raised by her grandparents, who have little money. After giving birth to Angela, her mother met
a deaf and mute man, with whom she made home. They are happily married with five children.
Being deaf and mute is taboo in the Teso culture. The rights of such people are trampled upon.
Life could never be more challenging.
Angela is a gifted child. She is a promising student and is determined to work hard to turn the
fortunes of her family.
She has been admitted to high school, but the fees are beyond reach to her whole family, leaving
her hopeless about her dreams.
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Sponsor: Needed
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Name: Akiteng Philomena
School/Major: High School
Cost of Tuition: $600
Year of Completion/Graduation: Unknown; it is expected Philomena will go on to College
Summary of Need:
Philomena Akiteng is a daughter of a man Fr. Richard adopted. Fr. Richard met Philomena’s
father at one of the parishes to which he was assigned in Uganda. The father of Philomena had
been born out of wedlock and had no property rights from his family, so no not only did Fr.
Richard raise this young man helped him find a wife and bought him a piece of land. In
appreciation of Richard’s help, the man named his first daughter after Richard’s mom, Akitang
Philomena.
Philomena is a bright girl and just graduated in first grade for high school education. Her parents
can not afford the high school education and if they don’t find help, Philomena might have to
stay home and wait to be married off at a young age.
She is determined to survive this and desperately wants to continue with her education. She is
one of those who pleaded with Fr Richard to find her a sponsor to help her get a future for
herself.
Sponsor: Needed
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Name: Barbara Musana
School/Major: College/BA Human Resource Management
Cost of Tuition: $2000
Year of Completion/Graduation:
Summary of Need:
Barbara Musana probably typifies the fate of many girls in Uganda. After her high school she
could not continue with a college education because her family could not afford the tuition. She
tried for several years to raise the money but she did not have the qualifications to find a well
paying job. Desperate to continue with her education, get a college degree and ultimately a good
job, she kept knocking on doors. In her desperate search she wrote a humble e-mail to Fr.
Richard asking for help. Richard did not know her and wondered how she got his e mail address.
Her answer was that she had been praying and one day, by chance, Fr. Richard stopped for
dinner in a restaurant where she was at the front desk. She took his e-mail from the guest book
and with great trepidation wrote to him hoping and praying he would not report her. After a few
e-mails and checking her story out Richard proposed her to Bridges to Hope.
This is the e-mail from Barbara to Fr. Richard:
“My name is Barbara Musana aged 21. I am a Ugandan by nationality with a humble
background. My father the late Mr Musana John Patrick Ssalongo, passed away on the 16th Jan
2009,it was a Friday at 8:00pm just a \few months after my high school. He passed away at a
time we all needed him most. Since, then we have lived in sorrowful moments and our hearts
have not healed yet from that terrible wound.
I am the 7th born in a family of 14 children_6 brothers 7 sisters we stay with our dear mother in
the eastern part of Uganda: Tororo District.
After my primary education, I was able to join secondary school and thereafter went for my
,high school but due to lack of school fees, I was not able to join University(college).
It is my prayer and humble request that if help is rendered, I am more than willing to get back to
school so that I can become some useful and even my young ones can come under my care. I am
hoping to get admitted for a degree course in human Resource management. I promise not to be a
disappointment.
Looking forward to seeing your help
Yours Sincerely,
Barbara Musana “
Sponsor: Needed
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Name: Helen Fortunate Akol
School/Major: Tororo Girls Secondary School
Cost of Tuition: $600 per year
Year of Completion for high school: 2016
Summary of Need:
Tororo Girls School is one of the most prestigious schools in the Eastern region. The school was
originally built through generous donations from the United States. Admission standards are very
high, as is the tuition. Upon graduation the chances of a student being accepted into college are
very good.
Helen celebrated when she was admitted to this school. She was among the lucky few. Helen’s
parents used their meager savings and sold all their valuable property to enable her to attend this
high school. They can no longer afford to support her education as their savings are gone and
they have nothing left to sell. The option is for her to go back home where the chances are that
she will never finish high school or go on to college.
She is a determined young girl and is doing well academically. She approached Fr Richard
during one of his visits crying for help towards her education.
Sponsor: Needed
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Name: Charles Ewadu
School/Major: College
Cost of Tuition: $2000 per year
Year of Completion/Graduation: 2014
Summary of Need:
Charles Ewadu is a bright student, but like many children faces the challenge of the high cost of
education. For his high school, he has been supported by Fr Richard.
He has just completed his high school and is planning to start his College degree this Spring.
His family cannot raise the fees for his college and are appealing for support to help Charles
complete his education.
Sponsor: Needed
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