Pregnancy center fundraising never stops.
It could arguably be even more of a challenge when that pregnancy center is in Uganda.
Wakisa Ministries was the recipient of a major fundraising effort by The Hope Venture, in Lincoln, Neb., in early October.
The pregnancy center and maternity home was started in 2005 by Ugandan nurse, Vivan Kityo, whose middle name is Wakisa. The center takes in pregnant girls who are frequently abandoned by their family, have been abused, and have nowhere else to turn.
In addition to providing housing, love and care, Wakisa educates the moms on pregnancy and parenting, and skills to equip these expecting mothers for life. They're given counseling to deal with any trauma they've suffered. Vocational skills are taught through local courses, such as sewing, cooking, hairdressing, knitting, gardening, and computers. The hope is to give these young women self-sustaining employment which will provide stability for them and their children.
Wakisa's Christian goals include working on family reunification wherever possible, through forgiveness and reunification.
"The aim is to bring the youth to Christ by offering unconditional love and message of the Cross," the Wakisa website states.
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The Hope Venture is a non-profit organization that supports locally led projects. The group works in partnership with overseas local efforts to assist in health or educational projects.
The organization began in 2018, focusing on fundraising for projects in countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, India, Bangladesh, and Uganda.
Unlike many fundraising organizations, The Hope Venture sends 100% of contributions directly to the project selected by the donor. Overhead and even credit card fees on donations are covered separately by other donors.
"Everything we do overseas is directed by local leaders," said Carli Huston, head of Mass Marketing for The Hope Venture. "People can choose which project they want to be involved with, and their contribution goes to that program directly."
The Hope Venture has a vetting process to consider a potential partnership.
"We want to see if it's a good match," Huston continued, "so we'll do a small lump sum, maybe $1000 to see where it goes; how it's used; are they believers, are they serving the need they said they were. The next step would be to go visit these local leaders."
Typical projects are for communities of extreme poverty, where the average person survives on $2.15 per day. Desperately needed partnerships have brought about water filtration programs in Kenya and India and a nursing college in Rwanda. Ongoing projects include a farm program for school lunches in Kenya, outreach to the blind and those suffering with leprosy in India, tailoring and computer classes in India, and college scholarships program in Kenya and Rwanda.
After Wakisa Ministries was selected for a fundraising effort, a "Night for Hope" was organized to raise money for the pregnancy center.
Tweet This: Wakisa Ministries pregnancy center & maternity home in Uganda was the recipient of a fundraising event by The Hope Venture in early October.
The exciting evening at the Rocco Theatre in Lincoln included hors d'oeuvres, talks, art by local artists, a live screen donation tracker, and a local live band. The fundraising goal for Wakisa Ministries was $100,000, intended to spearhead a new building project.
“There’s just something special about A Night for Hope,” Huston said. “When you tell someone they can make a real impact in another person’s life, that their contribution matters, that changes hearts. A Night for Hope is where hearts get changed and spirits get lifted.”
That goal was reached and surpassed, with a grand total of $230,000 raised in 10 minutes that evening. Wakisa Ministries has received $100,000 for its inspirational programs, with the remainder directed towards other projects by The Hope Venture.
With a growing demand for its programs and services, Wakisa Ministries is now building a larger center that’s been planned for some time. The $100,000 contribution means this project can move forward, which will allow for more classrooms and meeting rooms, a larger kitchen, and more bedrooms for young moms in need to stay.
The inspiring video shared at the A Night for Hope event is available HERE.
