Kampala — Many people go abroad for kyeyo with themselves in mind. Edward Mugwanya had another idea on his return, Joshua Kato writes

HE spent years working in a foreign country, to make money to enjoy the good things in life. He made the money alright, but instead of sitting back to enjoy the fruits of his hard labour, as most people would have done, Edward Mugwanya chose to spend it on charity.

Bethany Christian Centre, a children's home in Kasangati is the result of that decision.

To understand Mugwanya's decision to give away his life savings to charity, literally, you need to go back into his childhood.

Orphaned at five, after his father died of suspected poisoning linked to his work, Mugwanya had to fend for himself at a very early age. Life was tough, often just surviving on the edge.

However, instead of giving up, Mugwanya vowed to work hard to improve his lot, and eventually that of other children a in similar situation.

"It was my childhood dream to help orphans, having gone through a lot of difficulty growing up, just surviving without a place to call home," Mugwanya says.

With support from a few relatives and friends, who were impressed by his determination to make it in life in spite of the odds, Mugwanya managed to go to school from Kisaasi Primary School, then on to City High School, then St. Henry's College Kitovu and finally Makerere University.

After school, he left for the UK, where he started earning a living doing odd jobs, popularly known as kyeyo.

The different jobs he did exposed him to different people and situations; experience that later came in handy when he decided to return home and set up a children's home.

One of these experiences was working with Yeldall Manor, a residential Christian Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre in Reading, Berkshire, UK.

"Working at Yeldall was an eye- opener. I saw lives transformed as people recovered from drug abuse and alcoholism," he recalls.

Like most big dreams, the children's home project had a very humble beginning.

On his return to Uganda in October 2005, Mugwanya straightaway started helping orphans and street children, offering them shelter and food at his home in Kasangati. They lived under his roof, offering them the father figure he never had.

"I first looked after five children in my home, however, as the number grew I realised I had to build them a home of their own."

In February 2006, he started Bethany Christian Centre Orphanage and Rehabilitation in Mukono. At the moment, the project supports 52 children from different backgrounds, who he refers to as his angels.

"I find it difficult to refer to them as orphans; they are my little angels; each of them different from the other. Like children in any other home; they go to school, play and also have sibling rivalries," he explains.

Overwhelmed by the task of looking after the children, Mugwanya sought help.

"I could no longer cope with the work single-handed, so I brought in other people who shared a common passion for children to help," Mugwanya admits.

The support team includes William Sebyala Mpungu, Mugwanya's close friend and roommate at university, Deo Iga, Robert Wasswa, the Kasozi couple plus the house mothers.

Whenever Mugwanya ran out of space in his home, the above people would step in and take up some of the children. Sometimes there are not enough resources to go round.

"It is a costly undertaking, but also satisfying to know you are giving orphans a chance to dream again.

"Once the complex under construction in Mukono is complete, I will offer holistic support and rehabilitation to about 200 orphans and youth.

There is no problem of space, as the land on which the complex stands is quite large. I took out all the savings I had made while working in the UK and bought 12 acres of land at Nakisunga near Mukono town. It cost sh60m," he reveals

The project is being carried out in phases. The first phase, which involved he construction of several buildings has been competed. It cost sh250m.

The project has four sub-projects namely: an orphanage, a rehabilitation centre, primary school with a vocational wing and health care centre. So far, the completed buildings can accommodate the orphanage and rehabilitation centre.

"We still need to put up class- room blocks, more dormitories, a health centre, chapel, staff houses, sanatorium, multi-purpose main hall, playgrounds and a gymnasium," Mugwanya goes through his rather long to-do list.

The entire project is estimated to cost around sh950m. So far, Mugwanya is financing the project using his savings from UK, plus part of his earnings from the work he has been doing since he returned home.

The children are happy at their new home. "I had little hope of surviving after losing both my parents. But now have a future at this home," says Charles, one of the children.

According to the Nakisunga LC3 chairperson, Wassajja Mawanda, the services offered by the orphanage are benefiting the entire community. "The centre is doing a wonderful job and as leaders, we appreciate their services and co-operation," he says.

Mawanda added that, many of the children who joined the home when it first opened in March 2007 have changed for the better.

Mugwanya, locally known as Man U, because of his red car being decorated with Manchester United colours, is a happy man, living his childhood dream; to make a difference in the lives of orphans.