Ndyabahika illuminates lives of unpriviledged girls in Kabale

Ruth Ndyabahika Kendegye, is a child psychologist whose goal is to give a chance to the girl-child to have access to education and have a place to call home. She established a home for unpriviledged girls in Kabale District that has turned into a haven for hundreds,
She had her last part of high school and university in Boston, in the US. This is where she lived for 20 years with her brother and mother. After her studies, she started working with children at a school in the neighbourhood. In the US, all schools have a child psychologist attached to them.

Growing up, Ndyabahika had seen many children suffering, something she confesses drained her emotionally and perhaps triggered her love for children.

Inspiration
“One evening, I hosted a movie night. The movie that my American friends chose to bring to my home was called “Invisible Children”, which showed the atrocities carried out by Joseph Kony on his own people in northern Uganda, highlighted the “Night Commuters” – children who would travel long distances every night to sleep in public spaces to avoid abduction by Kony’s soldiers. If caught, they would be forcibly made into child soldiers or child wives.”

“I remember being so shaken and moved that I called the number on the back of the DVD to see how I could get involved. That was my “aha moment” as Oprah puts it. I, who was terrified of speaking in public, but soon became an advocate, speaking out about the plight of the children of Northern Uganda. We spoke to whoever cared to listen, at schools, churches, on the streets and to our leaders. I was part of the team that lobbied former USA president Barrack Obama into signing the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act into law in 2009, ” Ndyabahika narrates.

In 2009, Ndyabahika says she started coming to Uganda and spent holidays in northern Uganda, working with former child soldiers.

In August of 2013, she permanently settled on the hills of Kigezi to build a sanctuary for abused, orphaned and abandoned girls. What started off as a simple home has grown into a multifaceted foundation that uses synergies with like-minded schools, individuals and organisations to rescue, care for and empower more than 200 vulnerable children.

How she started
Ndyabahika says she returned to Uganda in 2013, and started a home- Grace Villa, which she named after her mother.
She says: “I envisioned a home that would accommodate at least 20 children. While in Boston, I started construction. I sold my house and the car to fund the project. The first girl I registered was molested by a classmate. Three more joined the home. Today, the home harbours a total of 215 children.”

As we tour around the children’s home, she shows me where children have their meals, the kitchen, their bedrooms, washrooms, and living room.
Ndyabahika also shares some of the horrifying stories which compelled children to seek refuge at Grace Villa children’s home.
Humble beginnings
“There are two children whom we rescued, after they were found locked in the house, with nothing to eat. They decided to dig up the ground and eat the soil. Their father was a drunkard, who repeatedly beat up their mother. She decided to desert the home, leaving the children unattended,” she recollects.

Sometimes, probation officers rescue the children and hand them over to Ndyabahika to take care of them. She currently looks after girls only, whom she says are more vulnerable.

The girls are offered food, accommodation, an opportunity to obtain an education and engage in sports activities. She currently has three staff- an administrator, a cook and a security guard.

When children return from school, they prepare for the next day, do their homework, have dinner and prayer sessions. Grace Villa is a Christian founded home but admits children and staff from all denominations.

“Have you heard of stories where children are abused by their own parents, especially fathers or male guardians, and the whole village or community is aware but they are afraid to condemn them? Do we look on as children are abused and molested? That is why my goal is provide a home to vunerable and unprivileged girls in our community,” she explains.

Asked whether these children get an opportunity to reunite with the families, Ndyabahika says: “During Christmas, children reunite with their relatives. Those who do not have parents will at least go to visit their sisters, grandmothers, uncle or other relatives.”

Grace Villa home, with a slogan: ‘We Iise by Lifting Others’, pays school fees, scholastic materials, food, healthcare fees and provides accommodation facilities for the children.

And like any parent or guardian, Ndyabahika monitors and supervises the performance of the children under her custody. She says she also attends academic meetings in schools where these girls are studying to review their progress at school.

“I ensure that the teachers of my children know me. I intervene in the academic affairs and the welfare of these girls. I physically know where all of them study, be it in Kabale, Ntungamo, Rukungiri, or Kisoro districts.

Financial strategy
“At the start of the project, no one understood the vision of Grace Villa. I could not speak the local language- Rukiga, which made it difficult for me to cope.”

Ndyabahika set up a sustainability project, in Kwanzi Bistro, in Bugongi town to support the children’s home. The bistro sells coffee, snacks and food to people within the town, as well jewellery, clothes, bags, mats, crafts and sandals. All these are made by the children. It is also a community centre used for workshops, and club gatherings. The bistro has a guesthouse attached too, providing accomodation for people, far and near.

The school also offers a tailoring programme to keep children engaged during the holidays. She says: “Besides formal education, we are offering vocational skills to our girls to prepare them for employment challenges and empower them to start small income generating projects.”

Home to the homeless
Asked why she chose Kabale, Ndyabahika says: “This is where my home is. Working with girls requires trust from parents and guardians. Hailing from Kabale gave me a security blanket.”

Grace Villa is a sanctuary for orphans, abused, abandoned and vulnerable girls. They are brought to us by the police, probation officers, school counsellors, churches and concerned neighbours. Our vetting process for each child includes an LC officer, the child’s local church, the school that the child attended, the district probation office and neighbours (community).

Amidst the struggle to keep Grace Villa progressing, Ndyabahika says some good Samaritans have given her support in form of mattresses, food, money and other household items. “There is an organisation called Kingdom Rice which has been donating 10 sacks of rice each month and solar energy to enable children to read at night,” she says.

Nine pillars
A total of 215 orphans, abandoned and abused girls have been rescued, and more than 100 vulnerable families’ lives have been transformed. “We intervened through nine strategic pillars around which Grace Villa revolves. The pillars are; shelter, sports, counselling, academics, food, health, vocational skills, sustainability and advocacy”, she says.

Ndyabahika takes on children from two years to 21. She says: “This year, one of our Senior Six girls scored 19 points in the district and two more girls are at the university. We we had our first university graduate, Phionah Kirabo from UCU, who graduated with a second class upper. She is our current accountant at Grace Villa. Besides tailoring, our girls are skilled in making mats, baking and making pasteries, and are excelling in sports.”

Brief bio
Born in Chicago, US to Ugandan clergy parents - Rev Can James and Rev Canon Grace Ndyabahika, Ndyabahika led a nomadic childhood. She lived in the US, Scotland, Kenya and Uganda. She eventually settled in Boston - Massachusetts, US where she studied Child Psychology.

She found herself participating more in development and leadership in the African community in diaspora, leading to her election as the youngest and first female president of the cultural organisation - International Community of Banyakigezi (ICOB).

Ruth has been recognised for her philanthropic efforts by The Jane Goodall Institute, Oxfam International, the Diamond Awards, Rotary International, Lions Club International, and the Ugandan Diaspora Award for Philanthropy.She delivered keynote addresses at Harvard University and on Voice of America’s Straight Talk Africa about her journey, and received a letter of commendation from Senator Edward Kennedy.

Asked what the future holds for Grace Villas, Ndyabahika says: “We hope to expand and open a home for boys as well. More than 200 children in our care, we are planning to expand into is a Christian girls and boys boarding school with a sliding-scale school fees system. Students who can pay will cover the fees of those who cannot afford.”