From her first exposure to the people of Kohondo, Uganda, Debbie Damron of Ottawa was called to combat the sometimes-horrendous conditions plaguing the region: lack of clean water, food, hygiene, education, medical care, and disease prevention.
Making matters worse, Debbie and her fellow traveler, Dianne Jamison, learned the only school in the region was no longer habitable. They returned to Ottawa searching for solutions to improve the lives of Ugandans.
They soon launched a months-long initiative to bake and sell thousands of cookies to students and staff at Ottawa Township High School.
The effort raised enough money, when coupled with other generous donations from individuals, churches and businesses, to rebuild the school that Debbie would rename “Glory Primary School.”
Debbie and Dianne partnered with the Ottawa Noon, Ottawa Sunrise and Rochelle Rotary Clubs for matching support for a Rotary Foundation Global Grant that allowed for:
- Completion and outfitting of the school.
- A well-stocked library and functional playground. And a
- Community-sustaining maize milling machine to feed hungry school children, families and even sell to surrounding areas.
The project was completed in 2013 and is still overseen by Debbie and her ever-growing team. Uganda’s Rotary Club of Kabarole also provides oversight.
Now, after countless hours of labor and tens of thousands of dollars invested, individuals and families in the region are thriving.
Debbie and her husband, John, along with Dianne and her beloved late husband, Scott, have contributed numerous days, months and years of their talent and funding.
Becky Cattani joined the leadership team and Believe in Uganda (BIUG), a field of interest fund, was established with the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation in 2023.
In 2024, Debbie worked for a month in Namyoya, Kahondo and Kamwenge. She even sky-dived with two supporters in the summer to raise funds before she and Becky led a group to Uganda in August.
A key partner in BIUG’s success is Innovations for Transformation Initiative (ITI), a non-governmental organization (NGO). The registered charitable organization is headed by Milton Tusingwire.
ITI empowers disadvantaged young people and poor families by boosting their economic capacity and living conditions through access to basic education, health care and alternative sources of income for sustainable livelihoods.
Another initiative to spring from Damron’s involvement is the Transforming Ugandan Farmers (TUF) Fund created by Nathalie and Joe Schmidt of Ottawa. The Schmidt’s first visited Uganda with Debbie and others.
For more information about TUF, visit Transforming Ugandan Farmers (TUF) (srccf.org).
