Breaking the Cycle of Poverty Through Education and the Word of God

As Dr. Rick Horne, Oakseed Ministry Liaison to Africa and the Dominican Republic, says, “It’s a cup of water in the name of Christ. It’s not just a cup of water, but it’s in the name of Christ.”

Rev. Sam Oluoch, Oakseed Ministy Liaison to Africa, says: “If we have to think in terms of posterity, those are the people we have to nurture: the ones that are dying of hunger, the ones that are dying of lack of proper healthcare, the ones that can’t go to school. You know, even in ministry, when we think of pastors in the future, they must be schooled to be able to read and understand the word of God.”

In an update to Oakseed about educational support, Bibian Baralemwa, Ministry Leader of Jars of Oil Mission Africa (JOMA) in Uganda, writes:

Thank you for supporting us with school fees for the vulnerable children who would ordinarily not have an access to education. School in Uganda is not free, and it is extremely difficult for poor families in Uganda to afford the cost of sending their children to school, and as a result these children miss out on a vital education and end up in casual labor and other odd jobs at a very early age, usually exposing them to a very risky lifestyle and a recycling of disease, poverty, and desperation. According to the UN, three out of every four children who enroll in primary school in Uganda will drop out, and only three out of every five of those who finish primary school will make it to secondary school. We in JOMA are praying that each of the children we support end up in a better place. A place where they can take care of themselves and their families, and, best of all, be able to testify and be living examples of God’s goodness. Although education is a basic human right and vital to breaking the cycle of poverty, it is still out of reach for so many children in Uganda!

Poverty is one of the leading causes of the lack of access to education in Uganda. The Ugandan government has made efforts to improve access to education by providing free primary education and infrastructure upgrades. Efforts have been made to make tuition free, but many families struggle to meet their basic needs and cannot even afford the costs associated with schooling, such as uniforms, textbooks, and other fees. This financial strain often forces parents to make difficult decisions, to choose between sending their children to school or withdrawing them altogether. Often, parents with limited resources opt to send their sons to school instead of their daughters, resulting in a higher illiteracy rate among women than among men. Lack of education then perpetuates the cycle of poverty, making it difficult for individuals to secure stable employment and provide for their families as adults. It also contributes to other social issues, such as violence and crime, as individuals without access to education may turn to illegal means of income generation. Addressing poverty and promoting access to education is essential in breaking this cycle and building a better future for Uganda’s children.