What We Do
We believe that everyone should be treated with respect. We believe they each have the right to education, training and access to safe medical treatment.
Schools
Since 2007, GMI has helped to provide an education for hundreds of children in Paminano, initially through building a primary school and later with the addition of a high school. Each year an additional block of two classrooms was built as another year group has been added. A wide range of curriculum subjects as well as extra-curricular activities are offered to both day students and boarders.
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We have just completed the final block of classrooms which is a sixth form block, which doubles as an exam centre for the national examinations so that candidates will no longer have to travel many miles to sit their exams, which can be very costly.
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Education is key to hundreds of children breaking out of the cycle of poverty. GMI works alongside Dr. Phoebe Ayoo and Bishop James Ochan, the local directors of Bethel Christian Schools, and our partners in Uganda to provide the students at the school with the chance to grow and play in a safe environment as well as an education, good nutrition, healthcare and immunisations.
Bishop James and Phoebe oversee the development of all GMI projects in the area and provide regular updates to the trustees regarding progress. They monitor and evaluate constantly and provide feedback from surveys and interviews with the beneficiaries.
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The school prides itself in achieving an excellent standard of teaching in a caring, nurturing environment where both students and staff can thrive and this is demonstrated by scoring highly in inspections by local authorities.
We seek to improve the attendance of adolescent girls in school and the rates of retention of girls in education. Uganda has one of the lowest median populations of any nation in the world. With approximately half the population under the age of 16, education is of paramount importance.
Bethel Schools employ dozens of local people, providing a vital boost to the economy.
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EDUCATION
Vocational Training Centre
In 2021 we were able to complete the construction of a Vocational Training Centre in Patiko, Gulu District.
An entire generation of young people in Gulu have missed out on their education and currently face high levels of unemployment and limited opportunities due to many years of civil war in the area.
This new centre will help transform this post-conflict region by providing the opportunity for the young people in the area to learn new skills, and open up the opportunity of employment to hundreds of young people.
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We intend to create a student-centred environment with excellent teaching and training standards, counselling and support that will promote the physical and mental health of these vulnerable young people.
The students will be equipped with skills for a wide range of vocations, to encourage them to flourish. This will enable them to realise their potential and earn a living so they can support their families, breaking free from the cycle of poverty for future generations.
Students at the VTC will have the opportunity to learn skills in construction, carpentry, tailoring, fashion, hairdressing, bricklaying, welding, and mechanics. Alongside vocational training in their chosen trade, they will also be taught I.C.T. and business skills to build their enterprise, enabling them to contribute to the economy by producing job creators rather than job seekers.
We have been fortunate to source a large supply of equipment from another charity in the U.K., Tools With A Mission (TWAM) who have kindly provided us with carpentry tools, building equipment, and sewing machines. These were gratefully received by the centre.
Feeding the vulnerable
As a charity one of our missions is to come alongside the poor and the vulnerable.
The Uganda Bureau of statistics (UBOS) report states that in Northern Uganda 68% of people live below the poverty line, and the Acholi region increased from 33% in 2017 to 68% in 2020. (This is the latest official statistics on poverty level- August 2020).
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The level of desperation has led to increased criminality in the communities. Domestic violence is on the increase, with women and children being the worst of victims. Sexual crimes against girls under the age of 19y has rocketed and has resulted in increased teen pregnancies. Many young boys have turned to drugs, drinking and theft.
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Although the Ugandan economy is opening up steadily since the pandemic, food crisis to the most vulnerable is still a big problem. These include the elderly and persons living with disability. These people depend on the good will of extended family members or community for their wellbeing. With poverty hitting hard, it becomes difficult for the would-be well-wishers in the community to help these people when they themselves cannot meet their own needs.
Gulu Mission is helping to provide food items to the neediest in the communities alongside sharing the gospel with them.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Providing bicycles
Pastors provide spiritual and psychosocial needs in their local communities. Since the pandemic there has been a lot of despair as people have lost loved ones, their livelihoods, and children have had their education disrupted. All these have had far reaching effects on lives of individuals, families and communities.
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Pastors are agents of hope, and the demand for their service is great. Walking can take days or weeks to meet with only a few families, but providing bicycles will motivate them to serve so many more families and make their movements easier as they seek to meet the needs of the community.
Supplying water
Gulu Mission is committed to bringing safe, clean water to rural communities in Gulu. Many are having to travel many miles on foot via treacherous and dangerous conditions to reach the nearest boreholes. This can sometimes be a daily exercise.
As of June 2021, Gulu district safe water coverage is 53.8%. The implication is that 46% of the population still have no access to safe water. Many communities are still drinking from unprotected wells, which in turn cause stomach issues and diarrhoea. Hand washing practice stands at only 38.5% in the district. The result is disease incidences which could have been avoided through hand washing and other hygiene practices.
Marriage Conferences
Soul Gospel Centre ministry organises yearly marriage conferences, and Gulu Mission teams have shared in ministry at these events.
The conferences bring together married couples with the vision of building strong families, knowing that the family is important to God.
The conference usually attracts more than a hundred couples and topics include:
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God’s design and purposes for marriage.
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Roles of parents in nurturing children with to have a healthy relationship with God.
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Serving God as married people.
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The importance of marriage.
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Dealing with conflict within marriage.
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Developing a good work ethic.
Soul Gospel Centre ministry is licensed by the government of Uganda to conduct church marriages with certified documents.
CONFERENCE AND TRAINING
Pastor's Conferences
It is not unusual for pastors in Africa to run churches without receiving theological training and we are keen to give them the opportunity to do so. It is a great privilege for teams of pastors from the UK to visit Uganda to train men and women of God in Christian ministry. We organise and deliver relevant theological teaching through facilitating pastors conferences to both encourage our existing church leaders and impact the next generation of leaders.
Women's events
Ministry to women in Uganda is often overlooked. We take delight in reaching out to this often-marginalised group in society in our specially formulised conferences to women. We speak life-affirming and valuing messages to uplift, inspire and encourage.
Youth events
Throughout the world young people enjoy meeting together and discovering new things. Our youth events will involve relevant communication tools, lots of music and dancing and the added component of an influential spiritual message and prayer ministry being offered. We have seen countless teenagers encouraged and transformed by the power of God at work in their lives. We always look to complement our teams from the UK with gifted communicators who can deliver life changing messages to young people.
