Click here to view the Sample Sponsorship Agreement.

It only costs $250-$350/year or $35/month (approx depending on the school) to sponsor one of these children. We are also happy to accept partial donations that can add up to a lot! To sponsor a child please read the sponsorship agreement and donate online through Canada Helps here.

Ivan – age 8

“I like fixing things and making things, like violins and buildings. When I grow up I want to be an engineer, a mechanical engineer. My favorite animal is a lion, I saw one at the zoo and wasn’t scared!”

Marjorie Nakakade – Age 8

Marjorie (left) with a friend) is 8 years old and lives in the Chibaga district of Kampala with her two brothers Marvin and Tony.

Since her mother died Marjorie has been cared for mostly by her aunt and grandmother. Marjorie is in the P5 class at Kyaggwe Road Primary School, where her elder brother used to be head boy, She has been doing well in her studies, especially in math, and when she leaves school she wants to work in a bank to help people save money. However, at present she cannot go to classes, as her father is very ill, has lost his job as a bus conductor and is unable to pay her school fees. Sitting at home she tries to keep up with her studies but misses her friends. Marjorie urgently needs sponsorship to return to school, continue her studies, and take the exams she needs to pass to be promoted to the next class, and be amongst her friends.

Kamuhanda Marvin – age 10

Kamuhanda Marvin is a 10 year old boy who has been a member of African Hearts for 4 years. He lives in the community with his grand mother and younger brother, and has had to stay home from school for a year due to a lack of school fees. Marvin is an orphan who is always cheerful and has worked hard in school previously. He is plays side drum in the band and is learning to play a trumpet. Because a Brighter Smiles Africa team member has recently agreed to sponsor his education Marvin is now able to go back at school and follow his dream of one day training to become a pilot.

Umaru – age 12

George Lubega – age 14

“I like school because I can learn. I don’t play any instruments yet, but I like music and want to learn drumming. I came here [African Hearts] to have a good life. The good life is “bulamu bulungi”in Buganda. Life is “bulamu bulungi” at Ssenge. I have friends in here, and we have the things to play like football.”

Davis Livingstone – age 16

“The leaders [at African Hearts] are so friendly, so loving and so helpful. Some people are very corrupt -they take houses and land for their friends. I want to be a lawyer when I grow up. To be a great lawyer in the world [is to have] the capacity to help orphans. Because in this world, I am an orphan – I am sad because I don’t know where my brothers and sisters are – and in the world, there are many orphans who need prayers and services. As a lawyer, I can help. First, I need to go to university and need to work hard [which is] everything I want in my heart.”

Musa Musoke – age 16

“Originally, I came here because I didn’t have school fees or a place where I could sleep. After my father left, my mother never had a job and there was not enough money to eat or pay rent. When we had lunch, we wouldn’t have supper. When we had supper, we wouldn’t have lunch. I went a week without food to eat. [African Hearts] took me as a son, and I started learning music. At first, I found it difficult because I had never played an instrument before. Soon enough, I started playing things that I didn’t know I could: trumpet, guitar, side drums and the stick. I am still learning everyday. I did not have happiness in my heart until I came here. I like living here because I get the opportunity to achieve my goals.”

Ronald Mukisa – age 18

“The one thing that my father did right was pay for my school fees. When my father lost his job, he could not pay for my school fees and I stopped school at primary 3. My mother and father had some problems… and I decided to go to the streets on my own. I was on the streets for one and a half years. One day I fell sick with Typhoid [Fever]. I was so sick; I thought I was going to die. Abby came and took me to the hospital. He told me that my life wasn’t good and that he wanted to take me to the African Hearts house. From that day on, I stayed here (7 years). Now, so many things make me happy. How can I tell you… let me think about it… When I see my brothers, they are alive, and I am alive and don’t have any problems. When I see Abby, I am happy. Studying hard makes me happy. When I am at school, I am happy when I am discussing things with my friends. Now, I am head boy at my school.”

Moses Awori – age 18

“I have you been living here for 9 years because I don’t have parents; the leaders take care of me. Life is so cool here… even more than good… so precious. My dad died of AIDS. My mum also died a few years later. I found myself living on the street. I was sleeping in channels, eating from the garbage. Some of the friends I had were using drugs and we were taken by the police–both the innocent and the guilty were taken. Now I am in Grade 9. I like school, and really like Physics because you can apply it to any situation. To be successful in life and to have a better life, you have to build knowledge in school. I feel that it is my right as a child to go to school. [When I grow up], I want to be able to earn money so that I can take care of myself and the family that I will have in the future.”

Samuel Ddibya – age 19

“I have always played music since I was young–it is how I express myself. Since coming [to African Hearts], I have learned to understand and love people. In the past, if you wanted to fight me, I would bring knives and fight you. Since then, I have learned to have self-control, because in life, fighting does not work. I have learned to be a good leader and I think I can lead people on the right road. I think I can show them that there is a good way and a good life. I have been able to understand that life is special when surrounded by people with different backgrounds. Through my experience here, I can have a brighter future, especially through music, because I love music. This is a family where we explore talents. Without my family, I am lonely and not here in the world.”

Peter Mutebi – age 20

“When I was young, I lived with my uncle because I didn’t know my mom and dad. When I watched television shows and saw a mom’s love and care for her children, I used to get sad and I didn’t know why. When I was 8, I didn’t have a home. I would eat leftovers just to survive and didn’t have a mattress or a blanket. On the street everything is so hard, and your friend is so poor that he doesn’t have food or clothes either. My friend is not around anymore. He was sick and there was no medicine or juice. I think that is why he died. Here, Abby is my father and all of the boys are my brothers. I have love and care; everything I have ever wanted. I love Abby because he responds to me and gives me hope. African hearts has helped me become a good man.”

Leaders:

Basher Isiko – age 22

“Firstly, I came here because of music. I love to play music. Secondly, I knew that there were many things I could achieve here to fulfill my happiness in life. For example, I really want to pursue education and music as a career. I want to become proficient in finance and accounting. It is a lot of work to keep track of the boys here (laughs).”

Kenneth Hoffman – age 25

“In 2004, I decided to leave [my parent’s home], because I was giving them a hard time and my dad was a drunkard. Abby and I rented a room together. We started African Hearts in 2004. 2008 was a big year for me. Junior’s family let us use their house for free to teach young people how to play in a band. We would rent the instruments and play music. I also decided to go back for adult education. Now I am Senior 4; afterwards, I want to study for my social worker certificate and diploma so I can be a social worker.”

Ronald “Junior” Ronald – age 26

“Initially, we had one trumpet and one trombone. My grandmother let us use her garage to set up the brass band and operations. Eventually, some of the boys starting coming early for band practice, and that’s when we started asking the boys why they came early. That’s when we heard their stories about not going to school. We choose certain boys to be part of our family, when we can provide them with school fees and their home environment doesn’t allow them to thrive. So they live here with us. After getting to know each other, we feel like a family now. That’s how our organization evolved and that’s how we started helping them.