18 years ago, in the early days of Amigos, Joseph Sabiiti joined the Uganda team to develop the charity’s child and family sponsorship programme. While the programme has grown and changed over time, we’re thankful that Joseph has remained as coordinator. Known simply as ‘Dad’ to many of the families he works alongside, it’s a role he still undertakes with joy, and in his words, “full love”.
As Joseph and his colleague, Catherine, travel around Uganda visiting sponsored families, distributing school materials and gifts, collecting letters and meeting new families, he remains as committed as ever to seeing the “journey of change” in people’s lives.
He loves to see families united and valued, and his advice and wisdom are often sought by those sharing their stories with him. “They come to me seeking guidance and counsel. Seeing change and transformation in them makes me feel proud,” he says.
Over the years, Joseph has had the opportunity to meet thousands of families and bear witness to this transformation in the lives of many. Some transformations have even led to overseas moves! He told us about Joel, who was sponsored as a child and is now a University Lecturer in the USA and completing a doctorate. There are many stories of lives changed because of the work of the Amigos Uganda team, and many families flourishing as a result of their work. Joseph shared one memorable story with us from a visit to a rural community,
“I have met many families but my outstanding story is meeting a young woman in Masindi. She had a deformed face, with a protruding false tooth in her nose. People in her village called her a ghost.
This lady, who was a choir leader, was identified during the commissioning of a community borehole. Every one of us in the group was touched.
It was recommended that this young woman was taken for an operation, so I identified a hospital in Entebbe where she had plastic surgery.
After her surgery, her face looked normal and her story changed. Today she is married with two children.”
Joseph and Catherine regularly travel around Uganda and see firsthand the impact of the programme on local families and communities. Joseph is very grateful to his wife Margaret who has supported him in this work over many years.
He tells us that he begins each day in prayer for Amigos, loves to drink spiced tea (no sugar please), jog near his home and read about development and community transformation. With a wide smile and a huge heart, he is committed to seeing children thrive, and we are thrilled he is part of the Amigos family,
“Train up a child, when they are still young, such that when they are old, they never lose direction. Life is about building someone’s confidence, education is the key to success.”