Pastor George Omara,
Founder of Bethesda School

One pastor's vision to rescue and educate vulnerable children. A Christian ministry that addresses spiritual and practical needs in a region of poverty and deprivation

This is Bethesda Christian School,
Kotido, Uganda

In Uganda, many parents cannot afford even moderate school fees. Schools like Bethesda help many to begin their journey out of poverty to a productive life

Karamoja region in North-East Uganda is one of the most marginalised and impoverished regions in Uganda. According to a 2018 UN report, the literacy rate is the lowest in the nation.

  • Only 0.9 percent of children aged 6-12 years are enrolled in primary school
  • Primary Seven enrolments is 3 percent, far lower than the rest of the country, thus affecting both secondary and tertiary enrolment rates.
  • Only 3.5 percent of children complete primary seven.
  • Over 70 percent of the population aged 10+ in Karamoja has never been to school.
  • The overall literacy rate for Karamoja region stands at only 25 percent, compared to 94 percent in Kampala.

Location of Bethesda School in Karamoja Region

Pastor George and his wife cried out to God to enable them to rescue children from poverty and illiteracy - and He answered!



A "chance" meeting in 2008 at an international church conference in Kampala, Uganda's capital, led to a donation of enough seed-funding to enable Pastor George and his wife (a teacher by profession) to begin to fulfil their vision. In 2010 the first children's centre was opened in a rented house and 53 infants and primary age children became the founding students of Bethesda School. Bethesda means "house of mercy" and is taken from John 5:2 in the New Testament.



Thanks to Bethesda School these infants have an opportunity to break out of poverty and better their lives and those of their family members.



The infant classes kept growing and soon the school was able to open a Nursery section and a Primary section. Children don't stop growing and the next stage is a Secondary Section next year as the Lord gives us strength.



Developing Primary and Secondary departments gives all the children a foundation to move on to tertiary education and a route out of poverty!



"I am persuaded that any impactful development intervention should seek to reconcile people first to God so that any other intervention may follow. I am also fully aware that in order to change our region, we should target the young generation and give them the opportunity to know God and also to have an education. To that end, we labour to enable the young generation in Karamoja to know God and also to offer them the opportunity to learn and have opportunity to acquire employable skills."

Pastor George

These two girls now have
a great start in life.
You can support others
to be lifted out of poverty
into the education they need.



Whereas Bethesda is a school, its rationale is a drive to meet the social and spiritual needs of the vulnerable children in Karamoja. This, therefore, qualifies it for a ministry to children rather than just a school. Karamoja Region is the most marginalized region in Uganda which has been systematically left behind in terms of the various socio-economic developments in the country for several decades.



Bethesda Christian School is licensed by the Ugandan Ministry of Education and Sports and we have an EMIS number.

 

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