Many communities in Uganda and South Sudan possess deep, unresolved emotional wounds. Favor’s trauma counseling focuses on people who have experienced highly stressful life events. Every person has a story of tragedy and fear. War has been a constant reality for numerous decades. 66,000 children in Northern Uganda alone were abducted and brainwashed into combatants and sexual slaves. Most people, in both countries, have had relatives murdered or maimed often right before their eyes. Many have been forced to kill or be killed. Due to the constant instability, millions of individuals were placed in camps, where many died due to horrific conditions. These experiences have left individuals with behavioral symptoms indicative of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and has made reintegration into communities difficult. Their negative behavior and inability to contribute positively to the community in turn perpetuates an ongoing cycle of hurt, anger and retribution.

Our trauma program provides counselors who have intensive training to provide transformational care. Our program has two parts. The first section focuses on developing emotional strength, and the second teaches about forgiveness. Throughout the program counselors show people how to connect to one another and counter stress with positive activity. In addition, stories and sharing time help the participants understand pain and trauma from another perspective while giving them the opportunity to discuss the events they’ve experienced. Trauma counseling is important for these people to find healing, gain strength, and develop skills to become successful in life.

A mother’s greatest desire is for her children’s well-being and success. However, in rural Uganda and South Sudan many mothers struggle daily to make ends meet. Gender inequalities entrap the women, who are viewed as subservient to men, and girls are not sent to school. Tragic losses, easily preventable by simple education and medical care, punctuate the struggle to break free from this cycle of poverty. Favor’s Women’s Empowerment Program ends this cycle by equipping women to generate their own income through training in skills, emotional wholeness, parenting and financial management. This income gains them a measure of respect and independence from their husbands and funds the medical and educational needs of all their children.

Favor leadership teams select women who have demonstrated faithfulness through regular tithing and attendance at church and Community Revitalization sessions. Every empowerment meeting starts with individual and community goal setting. Through conversation, the team helps the women discover solutions uniquely suited to their circumstances. Based on interest, skills and resources the women may choose from a variety of vocational projects: artisan training in beads and textiles; cows and plows farming; animal husbandry involving poultry, pigs or goats; tailoring; bread making. Once decided, our team helps the women form their own structure and accountability system. The women leave these meetings with a solution in hand and joyful in the newfound knowledge of their God-given gifts.

Favor is passionate about building churches. The church becomes a central gathering place for the communities and is one of the most effective means of reaching and transforming lives. A physical building communicates that the Gospel is here to stay, helping communities rebuild around the physical and spiritual construction of a healthy church.

The entire community is involved in the construction process by providing labor, food for workers and available resources. When finished, the structure houses not only Sunday services and prayer meetings, but also serves as a community hub for ongoing teaching and training in literacy, health and economic development. Ongoing mentoring also takes place on location as our staff walks with the new faith community throughout the following year to guide and sustain the village’s continued development.

There is a tremendous need for reliable and applicable community health information in Uganda and South Sudan. Access to formal education is severely limited and illiteracy rates are extremely high. Therefore, what most westerners would consider common knowledge about disease processes, germ theory and basic hygiene principles is widely unknown. Community Health Education is a vital and integral part of the Rural Education and Empowerment Program. During the two-month Portable Bible Schools, daily classes are taught on recognizing certain disease symptoms, preventing illnesses, and treating common disorders. Care is taken to respect village folklore and tribal treatments while ensuring proper medical knowledge is learned in order to build a healthy and productive community.

Favor strongly believes that every child should have the opportunity to survive and thrive in education. The children in Uganda and South Sudan face tremendous barriers that include extreme poverty, limited resources, and a lack of safe water and transportation. Public education does not exist in these countries as families are required to pay for their children’s schooling. Even those children fortunate enough to attend school face a 100:1 teacher/student ratio. Additionally, early marriage is prevalent resulting in females having even less access to education. To address this desperate need, Favor International opened a primary school in 2008 that serves over 400 students. We maintain a 30:1 student to teacher ratio. Along with traditional academic studies the students are also instructed in the Bible and Christian living. Our school has been recognized for outstanding academic achievement by the Educational District. Although we take great pride in what has been accomplished, it is only the beginning.  We are continually striving to expand our educational programs. Uganda has the world’s youngest population- 78% are below the age of 30 and has one of the highest youth unemployment rates. The median age of the population in Uganda is 15.8 years. Our approach is to increase access to quality education by expanding and building new facilities including secondary schools.

Favor also has an adult literacy program as part of the two-month Portable Bible School. Many are motivated to learn to read using the Bible as their instructional guide. They improve their reading skills using God’s Word. Literacy is a key factor in alleviating poverty. We train and support these adult  students and see them  increase in productivity, innovation, and renewed hope for the future. Education combined with spiritual growth is a life and nation transforming event.

Mobile medical clinics are a practical extension of the Community Health Education program. Access to reliable medical diagnosis and treatment in urban areas is substandard and nonexistent in rural villages. Individuals will not be productive nor will communities thrive with unhealthy and diseased people. Favor’s goal is to bring dependable and professional medical access to established villages.