By Shivan Ayebare
Grace Villa, a home dedicated to rescuing, nurturing, and empowering girls, has officially broken ground for the construction of the Grace Villa Ubuntu Resource Center in Kabale Municipality.
According to the founder and director, Ruth Kendegye Ndyabahika, a child psychologist, the idea to start Grace Villa was inspired by movies that showed the suffering of children in Northern Uganda during the Joseph Kony conflict. She said she was moved to help the โinvisible childrenโ whose pain and struggles went unnoticed and wanted to create a safe space for them.
Grace Villa began with just six girls in 2013 but has since grown to support more than 300 children. Currently, 35 live at the home, 215 are enrolled in schools, and several have joined universities.
Ruth said the home trains girls in practical skills such as tailoring, music and dance, and mat weaving to help them earn a living and build confidence. However, she noted that limited infrastructure remains a major challenge. โSometimes when it rains or shines, the children have nowhere to shelter,โ she said.
She added that educating the 300 children costs about Shs 42 million per term and appealed to government and well-wishers for continued support to sustain the programs.
The homeโs president, Rev. Canon Grace Nyonyozi Ndyabahika, said Grace Villa is raising future leaders and mothers of the nation. The girls are taught responsibility through home activities such as cooking, cleaning, and tailoring, and they also grow crops for food sustainability.
Rev. Canon Grace noted that although the home initially planned to admit children aged six years and above, it now takes in even abandoned infants brought from the streets. โWe cannot reject them because every child deserves a home and love,โ she said.
Kabale District Probation Officer, Mrs. Monic Nzeirwe, commended Grace Villa for its strong collaboration with her office in protecting children. She said the home has greatly contributed to educating and empowering the girl child, adding that she receives between six and nine abandoned children every quarter, many of whom find refuge at Grace Villa.
Rev. Eng. Mulumba Mathius of Mulumba and Company Building Limited, the project contractor, said the new Ubuntu Resource Center, valued at Shs 995 million, will be completed in six months. It will include about 15 rooms on the ground floor and a recreation area on the upper floor. He acknowledged challenges such as water shortages and the steep terrain but assured that the work will be completed on schedule.
Presiding over the groundbreaking, Rt. Rev. Gad Akanjuna, Bishop of Kigezi Diocese, praised Grace Villa for its dedication to transforming childrenโs lives. โWhen you touch the lives of children, you touch the heart of Christ,โ he said.
He urged the girls to remain disciplined and hardworking even after leaving the home. โDo not forget where you came from. Use your blessings to help others, have a vision, and trust in the Lord who gave you this opportunity,โ he advised.
