About

AAH is a volunteer, non-profit organization based in the United States that helps children in rural Uganda reach their full potential. By creating model schools and clinics, we provide education and healthcare programs, local development opportunities, and community outreach to improve the quality of life and transform poor villages into self-sustaining communities. We do this by engaging a caring community of volunteers, child sponsors, donors, partners and friends in the United States, Uganda and throughout the world.

AAH’s vision is to transform villages in rural Uganda into vibrant, self-sustaining communities through quality education and healthcare. Specifically, we seek to:

- Develop educational and healthcare models in each village where we have a presence.

- Set new standards of academic excellence and prepare the children for adult lives that contribute to the progress of their communities and the world.

- Local schools will perform better. Students will progress to higher levels of learning and professional careers. Through adult education programs, literacy will increase in local communities.

- Establish clinics and community health programs that provide children and their families with access to modern healthcare, medicines, and treatments. More people will live longer with a higher quality of life.

- Encourage villages with AAH programs to employ technology and provide services for surrounding areas. Building and farming techniques will demonstrate an increased environmental awareness.

Through shared learning experiences, AAH will foster greater cultural understanding on local, national and international levels.

John and Joyce Wanda grew up in the villages of Bumwalukani and Bupoto in rural Eastern Uganda near the town of Mbale. After winning a diversity lottery visa from the U.S. State Department, they came to the United States in June 1995 and quickly settled in Arlington, VA. Witnessing the experiences of their children in Arlington Public schools, John and Joyce wanted to provide a similar experience for the children in their native villages in Uganda. They began by providing tuition support to five village children in 1999. Soon their program was embraced by Bethel United Church of Christ and the American Chiropractic Association, where John worked. By 2002, John and Joyce had raised about $10,400 which went directly to 142 students to help support their education. Unfortunately, the scholarship program did not have the immediate impact on the standards of education that John and Joyce wanted.

On February 2, 2004, the Arlington Academy of Hope opened its doors to 78 students and became the only school in the region using American models of education, serving lunch and emphasizing the development of the child as an individual. Word spread quickly. Soon over 300 students attended AAH, with nearly 150 on a waiting list.

Both John and Joyce had grown up in remote villages in Eastern Uganda. And both had achieved something remarkable: they had graduated from a university – an accomplishment that less than 1% of Ugandans achieve. They valued their education tremendously and quickly realized the new advantages their own children would have in U.S. public schools. They dreamed that one day the children in their home villages would have the chance to attend quality schools and get a good education.

Givology is proud to support the work of Arlington Academy of Hope and its focus on delivering the highest quality education possible to enable each child's potential.