During the months spanning 2006 and 2007, we lived in Gulu, Uganda working as therapists (Haley and Abby) and a nurse (Autumn). We worked with children of the Acholi tribe who have suffered under a 23-year-long civil war between the Lord's Resistance Army and the Ugandan government.  The Rebel leader, Joseph Kony, believes this war to be a crusade of sorts.  This crusade has led to the abduction of over 30,000 children, whom are forced to live as child soldiers, sex slaves and laborers.

During our work there, we were stunned by the trauma and tragedy the Acholi people, but in particular the children, have lived through.  They suffer from extreme poverty, loss of culture, identity, and land due to a war that has forced them to move from their land into Internally Displaced Person's (IDP) camps. Most of the children we worked with were orphans either from the war, AIDS, or other diseases.  While what the children had been through was devastating, we were most captured by the beauty, tenacity and bravery shown in their intense desire to excel in school and have brighter futures.  

In the autumn of 2008 we returned to Uganda to introduce Autumn's husband Brendan to our friends. We were stunned to learn that many of the children we had worked with had lost their school sponsorships and were working instead of in school. We were inspired by their tenacity as many of them were laboring for small wages in order to pay for their younger sibblings to attend school. And so, through collaboration with the Acholi people, we started an organization by which to enable  these children to continue dreaming of bright futures. 

 

Through many supporters, Firelight Project was born and is now offering education to 27 children.