A local fifth grade teacher, who travelled to Africa, returned in September to begin another school year. She returned, but her heart did not. Because of the profound impact of what she witnessed in Africa, she started an organization right in our backyard called Literacy of Love (LoL), which is now 14-years-old. Its founder, Cari Matejka, lives in Olean. Her true passion is educating children in need, especially those in Uganda.

LoL cares for and raises children who have been tortured, abandoned, orphaned, and who are surviving poverty so extreme that their basic needs are not met. LoL houses, feeds, clothes and educates these children whose families cannot. The bottom line: Literacy of Love builds community. Community in both Uganda and the United States, joined by universal principles of love, faith and hope. Some of the children come from rural villages where they live in mud houses, have no access to clean water, and fetch firewood for cooking. Through Literacy of Love, these children are gifted opportunities for themselves and consequently their families to be educated or start up small businesses. The organization ultimately raises Ugandan children to become responsible Ugandan leaders. Program graduates have risen above their circumstances and have become doctors, mechanics, welders, tailors, designers, medical technicians and developers.

“Failure is part of life and is certainly a challenge when working with society’s underbelly,” said Cari. “Our members are abused, thrown away, or orphaned. They have struggled with addiction, manipulation, and stealing. But, they have also become overcomers and resilient.”

Imagine growing up in a trench and eating from rubbish pits to survive. A now-graduate, Erick, is not only the Program Coordinator in Uganda overseeing all business there, he is also the director of one of Literacy of Love’s entrepreneurial program, North Star Tours and Travel, which leads safaris and missions trip for visitors.

Not only does Cari, work in both Uganda and here, she connects her American students with the children in Uganda. These connections open the minds and hearts of her students to appreciate their own lives as they learn about children growing up in a totally different culture and set of circumstances. “Sharing experiences and perspective ignited interest in many of my students, and three former children grew up, graduated, and traveled with me to experience life there for themselves.”

What plans lie ahead? Beyond sponsorship, Literacy of Love wants to extend its reaches. The organization plans to build a Learning Center that invites local vulnerable community members to learn a trade - a trade that could lift a person out of poverty and into individual independence.

“The Learning Center will have an impact far beyond the individual learning a trade, said Cari. “It will positively affect their family and generations to come. Changing one life can cause a ripple farther into history and change the trajectory of an entire family. The long-term goal is to build a school.”

So how can you get involved? Sponsor a child. Pray for their mission. Shop their one-of-a-kind, handmade products at Christie’s Boutique in Olean. Want to go bigger? Donate. Travel to Uganda with a mission or tourism team. Join in a life-changing adventure that will broaden your perspective. Like Cari’s first ever travel to Uganda, once you experience it, you’ll never remain the same. To connect with Literacy of Love, visit literacyoflove.org.

From Olean to Uganda