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Education Transforms Lives –
Charles’ Journey from the Streets of Uganda
A year ago, I couldn’t have told this story. Today, I’m deeply grateful for the encounters that led me here.
Charles, a guide from Uganda, drove me through Uganda & Rwanda. Professional, kind, and attentive – but there was something more. When asked to share his story, he hesitated. It was against his rule: listen to guests, don’t talk about yourself. But this time, he opened up.
Charles grew up on the streets – he worked from the age of 4. At 12, he heard of a young woman starting a school in the ghetto. He wasn’t interested – until he learned there was free food. That was the turning point. He kept coming back, eventually taken in by an English family, and began school. He excelled, skipped grades, graduated in “wildlife” and learned not only academics but also cultural understanding.
Today, as a professional tour guide he bridges worlds – proudly Ugandan, yet fluent in the expectations of international travelers.
Thanks to his job, Charles can afford to send his daughter to a good school. She will never know the poverty he endured.
Later, I met Laura Brady from Hands of Love. Her passion moved me. I visited one of their schools with Charles. I wanted to hear, how he would “rate” this school. He confirmed: this is a place of hope for the kids. He was invited to tell his story to the students. The students listened intently as Charles spoke – one of them who “made it.” His honesty, including the pain of a brother who didn’t seize the same chance he was given, made his message powerful. And made Charles happy. I think, he realized for the first time, how far he made it.
I was impressed by the school we visited. I firmly believe in the work – and impact! - of Hands of Love. Education is crucial. It works. I’ve seen it. Charles knows it.
Cathy Flaviano - Zurich, Switzerland
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