Project provides hope for Ugandan families
by Amy Prazniak
Issue date: 4/17/07 Section: News
Living in a house with a dirt floor, no furniture and no indoor plumbing, cooking on an open flame outdoors and lacking the funds for education are some of the obstacles that the families of the Acholi tribe in southern Uganda must face on a daily basis.
However, many fortunate members of the Acholi tribe have recently received help through the program Project Have Hope.
According to its Web site, PHH is "a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives and living conditions of the families in the Acholi Quarter in the Band District of Kampala, Uganda" by having participants recycle used laser and ink printer cartridges.
Karen Sparacio, founder of PHH, is a professional photographer from Massachusetts who visited Uganda for a photography workshop and experienced the poverty first hand, inspiring her to help the people of the Acholi tribe.
"I don't know that I ever thought I could help them, I just knew I had to
try," Sparacio stated in an e-mail message. "The culmination of hearing the horrors which they lived through in the North and being graced by their grace and generosity despite harsh living conditions, I just knew I had to try to do something to help them."
Sparacio started PHH solo and runs the program with the help of willing volunteers, including her aunt, Anna Ciulla, who is the chairman of the Department of Medical Technology at the university.
"It's a one-man show," Ciulla said, speaking about her niece's program. Ciulla has been involved with Project Have Hope for the past year and has found herself dedicated to helping not only her niece, but the people of the Acholi tribe as well.
"The poverty over there doesn't measure up in any shape or form to the poverty you see here in the United States," she said. "It's hard to not help."
Ciulla said she gains support for PHH by word of mouth and collects boxes full of used printer ink cartridges from different departments of the university as well as other individuals interested in donating. Ciulla then sends them off to businesses such as eCycle and TonerBuyer who recycle the cartridges in order to raise funds for PHH, helping improve the lifestyle of Ugandan children at home and school.
However, many fortunate members of the Acholi tribe have recently received help through the program Project Have Hope.
According to its Web site, PHH is "a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives and living conditions of the families in the Acholi Quarter in the Band District of Kampala, Uganda" by having participants recycle used laser and ink printer cartridges.
Karen Sparacio, founder of PHH, is a professional photographer from Massachusetts who visited Uganda for a photography workshop and experienced the poverty first hand, inspiring her to help the people of the Acholi tribe.
"I don't know that I ever thought I could help them, I just knew I had to
try," Sparacio stated in an e-mail message. "The culmination of hearing the horrors which they lived through in the North and being graced by their grace and generosity despite harsh living conditions, I just knew I had to try to do something to help them."
Sparacio started PHH solo and runs the program with the help of willing volunteers, including her aunt, Anna Ciulla, who is the chairman of the Department of Medical Technology at the university.
"It's a one-man show," Ciulla said, speaking about her niece's program. Ciulla has been involved with Project Have Hope for the past year and has found herself dedicated to helping not only her niece, but the people of the Acholi tribe as well.
"The poverty over there doesn't measure up in any shape or form to the poverty you see here in the United States," she said. "It's hard to not help."
Ciulla said she gains support for PHH by word of mouth and collects boxes full of used printer ink cartridges from different departments of the university as well as other individuals interested in donating. Ciulla then sends them off to businesses such as eCycle and TonerBuyer who recycle the cartridges in order to raise funds for PHH, helping improve the lifestyle of Ugandan children at home and school.
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