Living In Uganda: Life in Jinja and at Home of Hope

Home of Hope is located in Uganda, which is a country in East-Central Africa. We know many of our supporters and those interested in our cause haven’t had the opportunity to visit Uganda themselves, so in this post we wanted to provide some context about what it’s like to live in Uganda and to offer a glimpse at life at Home of Hope.

Where Is Uganda?

Uganda is a landlocked country located in East-Central Africa. It is bordered by several other countries including South Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Uganda: Quick Details

Uganda has a population of around 35.6 million people. The capital of Uganda is Kampala. There are two official languages in the country, English and Swahili, as well as many other languages spoken throughout (32 in total). Lugandan is one of the major languages spoken. Primary religions are Islam, Christianity and indigenous religions. There are dozens of ethnic groups within the country. Although Uganda had a turbulent past, it’s currently known for its stability and prosperity. The geography is primarily a plateau, with a tropical yet moderate climate. Uganda’s economy is primarily based around agriculture.

Where is Home of Hope?

Home of Hope is located in Jinja, a town in eastern Uganda not far off from Lake Victoria. Jinja is about 50 miles from the capital of Kampala, and as of 2014 the population of Jinja was nearly 73,000.

Jinja: Quick Details

Jinja is home to the second-largest economy in Uganda, due in large part to the factories located in the area because of the power source from a nearby dam. One of the largest sugar factories in the region is also located in Jinja.

Jinja is known for being the source of the Nile River, as well as the “adventure capital of East Africa '' for tourists. There are several major universities and learning centers located in Jinja.

Home of Hope is located in Jinja, Uganda

What Is Life Like At Home of Hope In Jinja?

Many of the children at Home of Hope live onsite in the current facility. Hope of Hope Uganda is in the process of constructing a new building to house more children, and future expansion plans include onsite hospital and special needs school for the children. 

Children play in various rooms inside and outdoors. The children sleep in bunk beds and cribs in the home in our facility. Much of the public play time takes place on the floor, where it’s easy for our staff and children to interact and get around.

While some children are on special diets due to their unique needs, in general in Uganda meals include a lot of starches such as potatoes and beans and cornmeal. Other popular foods include bananas, plantains, cassava, greens and peanuts.

A Closer Look

Want to learn more about life for the children in Jinja? Check out our videos of Home of Hope and see what it’s like in the day-to-day.

Sources consulted for this post: Britannica, BBC, Uganda365, Wikipedia