We are having a Beautiful Response board meeting on Sunday evening of this week.One of the things we’ll address is the shortfall between our expenses and donations for the first four months of the year. We’re almost $150,000 in the red for the year. We are always in the red at this point in the year, but the gap between income and expenses isn’t usually quite that large.
On a call yesterday with Patrick and William, Patrick made the point that no one really cares about numbers. People don’t give to help the numbers look better. People give if they know a life will be changed. Of course, he’s right.
The gap in our budget represents two stories. The first is a story of increased expenses represented by this picture of our Secondary School. Students without the prospect of going to high school are getting an excellent education. Aisha, Gorrett, and many others are getting a shot at a different life because we’re sending the budget to keep the secondary school going. The secondary school (and those kids!) are one of the reasons why our expenses are over budget.
The second story is represented by this picture of the Primary School. Inflation has forced RUHU to limit the portions of food they are able to feed the kids. The kids in this picture depend on the RUHU primary school for education AND for food. The porridge in the morning and beans and rice for lunch are often the only meal the kids will receive. Our budget constraints have not allowed us to increase the food budget.
With all of this in mind, our board will meet and think together about how to thoughtfully tell our story to invite new people to give to the work of Raising Up Hope for Uganda. We’re grateful for your ongoing support. It isn’t just changing the numbers, it is changing lives. Thank you!
-Caleb
