newest UPDATe
Through your generosity and donations, in its second year, the EITZ CHAYIM SCHOOL has grown to more than 300 children who attend Monday through Friday. They enjoy a comprehensive curriculum of Jewish and secular classes, including academics, arts and sports. The breakfast and lunch provided at the school ensure that the children are well nourished and ready to learn. Ezra Uganda continues to fund the ongoing completion of the school. Thousands of bricks were handmade by the Namutumba Jews, who infused them with their love and great hopes for their children.
Adult Education: Two highly respected young adult members of the Namutumba community. Miriam Kadondi and Seth Kirya celebrated their graduation from nursing school! Both are now working as nurses and provide some basic medical assistance to the village. With your generosity, in the coming years we will be able to fulfill the community’s dream of establishing a local clinic with an on-call doctor. Miriam has also earned certification in midwifery that will significantly improve pregnancy and birthing safety for Namutumba women. Seth also serves as one of the community’s hazzanim (cantors).
Saving Two Lives: For several years, Ezra Uganda has helped to save the lives of two young girls with Albinism (a genetic condition that is inherited and affects the production of melanin). These two girls must receive a special medicinal cream to save their skin and they would not survive without the cream in the African sun. Except for vision problems, most people with Albinism are just as healthy as anyone else.
Areas of Focus
Education
We know that education is the key to community advancement. We've provided the Namutumba school--which serves Jewish, Christian, and Muslim children together, electricity through solar panels, and have helped many members of the Abayudaya community pay for primary, secondary, and higher educational fees. We have also provided educational materials for Namutumba's children and illiterate adults.
Entrepreneurship
We emphasize the development of entrepreneurial projects that will eventually allow the residents of Namutumba to support themselves. These have included small community businesses such as the raising and selling of poultry, eggs, and livestock, boda-boda (motorized scooter-taxis) rentals and rideshares, and even the opening of small stores in the larger Namutumba town center.
Health
We help to provide preventative medical care, including fully inoculating the village--Jews and non-Jews alike--against COVID-19; we've also sent dozens of mosquito nets to stem outbreaks of malaria. We provide an emergency fund to the village council, to be distributed to families in need due to medical emergencies. Through this fund, we recently saved the life of a premature infant who needed expensive care in a far-away hospital.
infrastructure
We focus on improving Namutumba's infrastructure and the community's ability to sustain itself. We've provided shared community oxen and plows, which are used to work the land and farm more efficiently; built a granary for the storage of surplus crops; and are working on developing more boreholes to ensure clear water supply.
jewish life
We work to supply Hebrew and Jewish educational materials for the Abayudaya of Namutumba. We have also brought the community with its first full-sized, Kosher Torah; funded the construction of the community synagogue; performed Jewish marriage ceremonies for multiple couples in the village; and facilitated the Jewish schooling of the community rabbi and cantor.
Services in Lusoga
In November 2021, Ezra Uganda Assistance executive board member Samantha Mandeles traveled to Namutumba, Uganda to bring the Abayudaya community there its first ever full-sized, Kosher Torah.
Sam stayed with the Abayudaya in Namutumba for two weeks and was able to join the community for services in the synagogue. The Abayudaya of Namutumba pray in Hebrew and local languages Luganda and Lusoga, and using both Ashkenazi and Ugandan tunes.
Check out this video of Abayaudaya services in Namutumba. (Un-mute by mousing over the video and tapping the sound-on button.)
For more photos and information about Sam's visit to Namutumba, click here.