Hope North is a 40-acre campus in northern Uganda where refugees, orphans and former child soldiers find a place to call home. It is a living and learning community with an accredited secondary school, vocational training center and full time Ugandan staff of fifteen. In northern Uganda, tens of thousands of children have been abducted to serve as soldiers in a brutal civil war. The war has made o
rphans and refugees of many others, with 1.6 million Ugandans forced into overcrowded camps. Doctors Without Borders named the conflict in northern Uganda one of the top ten most underreported humanitarian tragedies. Hope North was created to give education, vocational training, community and hope to some of these young victims, while preserving their Acholi heritage. Who founded Hope North? Okello Sam is a well-known Ugandan dance and theater artist whose family was directly affected by the war in the north. He and his brother Godfrey were abducted, and Godfrey was eventually killed by rebels. His home devastated, Okello Sam purchased a large tract of land to serve as a sanctuary for his community, and on which to build Hope North. Where is Hope North? Hope North lies an hour south-west of Gulu, in Masindi (see map to the left). The site of Hope North was carefully chosen to provide protection from unpredictable violence, while also preserving a connection to Acholi cultural life (all of Hope North's residents are from the Acholi ethnic group). By locating Hope North within an Acholi-speaking region, its founder aimed to minimize the sense of isolation and dislocation that comes with being a refugee. What do the youth do at Hope North? Hope North operates an accredited school and offers vocational training in carpentry, food production, tailoring, and programs in arts, music, dance and sports. With abundant acreage and a new tractor, Hope North plans to expand into commercial agriculture for both internal food consumption and revenue generation. What are Hope North's rehabilitation programs? Arts, music and dance based in Acholi tradition are an integral part of Hope North's culture, and the basis for healing the war's many emotional wounds. How many students are at Hope North? The school now has 210 students from ages 2-22. Hope North is seeking funding to expand capacity of the school to 250 students. How many teachers are at Hope North? There is currently a staff of 15 teachers trained to be sensitive to the special needs of Hope North's young population. What is a Hope North Mentor? Any person who commits to a monthly donation of any amount will become a Hope North Mentor. Hope North Mentors will receive quarterly newsletters filled with updates from Hope North youth about their new life, plans for the future, and events on the campus. Monthly donations are encouraged because they provide Hope North with a dependable source of income to cover daily costs of operation. One time donations of any amount are also warmly welcomed. Click here to donate. How can I support Hope North? You can become a Hope North Mentor (re-occurring monthly donations) or make a one-time donation. If you are interested in larger funding opportunities, Hope North is currently seeking a $50,000 grant to expand capacity of the school to 250 students, a $50,000 grant for Food Security and a $25,000 grant for additional staff with a focus on healing psychological trauma. Click here to contact Hope North about these funding opportunities. Hope North accepts US funds via The Mirembe Project, a registered 501(c)(3) public charity. Because Hope North is a Ugandan organization, it requires a U.S fiscal sponsor. The Mirembe Project was created to support organizations that need assistance accessing U.S donations. All donations are tax-deductible. How did Forest Whitaker discover Hope North? Okello Sam was Forest Whitaker's choreographer for a scene in The Last King of Scotland. Sam also played a role in the film and, indeed, members of the Hope North community are also featured on-screen. Forest learned about Hope North while working with Sam and felt compelled to support Sam's vision. When he returned to Uganda for The Last King of Scotland's premiere, Forest traveled to Hope North to meet the kids and learn more about the community.
