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Uganda

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Demographics

Population: 30 million
Ethnic groups: Baganda 17%, Banyakole 10%, Basoga 8%, Bakiga 7%, Iteso 6%, Langi 6%, other 46%
Religions: Roman Catholic 42%, Protestant 42%, Muslim 12%, other 3%, none 1%
Languages: English, Luganda, other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic
Economy: Agriculture products (coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, tapioca), Industries (sugar, brewing, tobacco; cement, steel production)

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About Uganda

Uganda was first placed under the charter of the British East Africa Company in 1888. Several other kingdoms and chiefdoms were integrated into the Protectorate till the final protectorate of Uganda was formed in 1917. From independence onwards, Uganda saw political unrest, and trouble began with Milton Obote in 1966, that ushered in a period of coups and counter-coups. Idi Armin seized power in 1971 and during his reign of terror, over 300,000 Ugandans lost their lives and decimating the economy during those years. His reign ended after the Uganda-Tanzanian war in 1979.

It was not until 1986 when Yoweri Museveni came into power, that Uganda saw peace return and stability return to the country.

Today, Uganda still faces many social and economic problems. Known for being the only developing country in the world to have been able to reverse its mounting HIV problems, Uganda still faces many economic problems today. More than half the population of the country lives below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day

In 1994, Pastor Aloysius came to Singapore for the very first time to attend a short term course. During that period of time, he met Pastor Yang and Pastor Samuel Wong. They spent 15 minutes talking and by the end of the conversation, Pastor Aloysius walked away with a burning vision.

Once he got back to Uganda, he began working on this vision that God had caused him to see. Over the next 15 years, he kept in touch with Pastor Yang via letters and email and often invited Pastor Yang to come visit Uganda.

It was not until the year 2000, when Pastor Yang and Pastor Daniel Chua went to East Africa for the first time. Up till then, we had no idea of the extent of the work the Pastor Aloysius had established. When the team saw the work, it so astounded them what Pastor Aloysius had accomplished from a vision that was planted through a 15 minutes conversation.

Since then, we have sent regular teams from Singapore to Pastor Aloysius to support them with the work in Kampala.

One of the key projects that we have assisted them on is in their church building project. When the team first went there in 2000, the church had no roof and was merely a collection of bricks placed around the plot of land that they were in. The floor was all dirt and the pews were crude planks nailed together.

Over a period of 2 years, we progressively helped them put in proper walls, metal beams and a roof, windows and cemented flooring. Today the building stands as a testimony of the transformation that took place in the work in Kampala.

At the moment, the schools are facing an urgent crisis to bring their building up to the standards of the new building code in Kampala. Once again, Cornerstone is privileged to be supporting them with this project and to-date, the school is functioning excellently with proper walls and ceilings.

One of the most exciting things that is happening in Cornerstone Kampala is that God has given Pastor Aloysius a vision to start planting churches beyond the nation of Uganda. In the year 2008, they planted a new church at the border of Uganda and Sudan, and from there, they are looking to begin planning for a church plant in the country of Sudan itself.

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Affiliate Churches: There are 16 Cornerstone churches in various parts of Uganda. The principal church is Cornerstone Community Church, Uganda located in Kampala. There are also 3 primary schools and a vocational institute under Cornerstone Community Ministries, as well as a Bible school (Zion Ministerial Institute, Kampala).

Leadership: Pastor Aloysius Ntege was trained as an educator and worked many years as a teacher in the schools in Kampala. In 1995, he began to pioneer a new work in Kampala to plant a church and to establish schools for the people. Currently, he has planted almost 20 churches, 3 primary schools, and a vocational school over the years, and he looks forward to starting a computer school and driving school as well.