In response to community needs, LWOSO initiated its first project in January of 2013, a primary school sponsorship program for critically vulnerable youth in Lwengo District. This program supports young children recommended by community leaders at a well-respected local primary school, and starting in 2015, sponsored children were able to attend Shepherd High School, LWOSO’s secondary school, allowing them to receive a complete high school education. All sponsored children in the primary school and secondary school sponsorship program receive fees for three terms of tuition, books, uniforms, 2 hot meals a day, health testing, and home visits. Currently, three children from Lwengo District are now attending Uganda universities through this program. It is our dream that in the future more and more students will be able to complete secondary school at Shepherd Highs School, and as more scholarships become available, more students who desire to continue their education will be able to pursue a diploma or university degree.

LWOSO started the sponsorship project with 15 vulnerable children in January of 2013, and today 86 students are sponsored at various educational levels from preschool through university. In addition, Shepherd High School students taking the Uganda National Exams in 2021 scored the highest of students from any of the 20 high schools in Lwengo District who took the Advanced Level exams, and students from Shepherd High School at the Ordinary Levels scored the second highest of students from any Lwengo District High School. These results show the dedication of the Shepherd High School teachers and staff and the hard work of our students and their parents and guardians.

If you are interested in sponsoring a child at the primary or secondary level the cost is $260 a year (and if you would like to sponsor a child at the university level costs will be given to you depending on what university and major a student and sponsor choose). Please contact Peter Kitayimbwa at peter.kitayimbwa@eastern.edu or Judy Shepherd at mukwanoprojectug@gmail.com for more information.