Support Poverty Eradication Mission Uganda

In June, I went to Jinga, Uganda on assignment for Photographers Without Borders to document the work of a local, grassroots organization, Poverty Eradication Mission Uganda (PEMU). There I met Brian, a young man who has dedicated his life to addressing poverty in his village, located just outside of Jinja along the shores of Lake Victoria.

Based out of the small village of Musoli in the Mayuge District of Uganda, PEMU’s primary mission is to empower and elevate women and girls in Uganda. Brian himself is close to his community, having been born and raised in Musoli by his grandmother, after losing both of his parents. It was from his grandmother’s struggles with poverty, and the additional barriers she faced due to her gender, that he developed a strong desire to help vulnerable women and girls.

Brian’s primary project at present is the Agape Children’s Home and Educational Center, and the 107 children under his care. This is where much of my assignment took place.

While efforts are underway to become self-sustaining, Brian is otherwise entirely dependent on donations to fund his operation and grow into the organization he envisions for the future. He wants to expand the Agape Center, so he can take in more orphans and start providing free education to other children in the community whose families cannot afford to send them to school. To expand is to continue to build infrastructure on the site, invest in an electricity source, acquire a consistent source of school supplies, provide uniforms, and the list goes on. With the money raised with this fundraiser, Brian will be able to make progress toward realizing PEMU’s vision.

There are limited to no options to set up this fundraiser in Uganda and have Brian receive your donation directly. I’ve created the GoFundMe to make the donation process easier for you and as funds are raised, I will send them to Brian via bank transfer. As this is done, I will post updates here (and screenshots). I will pay for all transaction fees (2.9% + $0.30), so 100% of what you’ve contributed will go to Brian and the children.

View a gallery of images from the Agape Educational Centre, taken during my assignment in June: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAQzqu

For more stories about PEMU and the challenges faced by the community, follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jetsuka/ or visit my website: https://www.jessicamarteinsonphoto.com/