Because education without peace is as futile as peace without education, Unified for UNIFAT (U4U) has a two part mission statement:
- To financially and emotionally support the children of UNIFAT.
- To do our part to make sure the US stays involved with the peace process in Uganda, both before and after a peace agreement is signed.
We strongly believe that education for the children of Uganda is their best hope for a better future. But we also have come to understand the social implications that supporting education can have within a community. By paying the tuition for the most destitute children at UNIFAT, we are affecting so many lives beyond that child’s own. The money provides the salaries for the teachers and staff, which enables them to provide for their families and send their children to school. We are supporting the construction workers who are being paid through tuition to expand and improve the school. They in turn can support their families and send their children to school, and the local economy is stimulated by the need for construction materials. In addition, we completely pay the salaries of four mentors for the sponsored children to ensure their success at school and in their home lives. This ripple effect is powerful and we strive to extend it as far as we can.
To work toward accomplishing the second part of our mission statement, we empower high school students locally to influence the United States government through letter writing campaigns. At our annual events we send hundreds of letters to Washington urging our political leaders to support the Ugandan peace process. Even though great strides have been made during the last few years, including unprecedented U.S. legislation and peace in Northern Uganda, our fight is not over. History tells us that although Uganda is no longer at war, the real work begins when the rehabilitation and rebuilding starts. And we believe that begins with education.
