Hudson Daniel Sempa started Street Fam Foundation Uganda, a Non- Governmental community based organisation, purposely to equip communities with entrepreneurial and life skills. He was driven by the desire to see every child afford basic needs, even without their parents’ help. Thus, he came up with an idea create an opportunity, from which children and the youth would be empowered. Sempa narrates his story to Lilian Ntege.
Inspiration
Sempa asserts that he was called by God to serve the needy. He says he felt the urge to leave his profession as an artist and pursue to contribute to the well-being of the vulnerable in society.
He quotes Proverbs 28: 27, as his major inspiration.
“He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will have many curses.”
He adds that he is also very prayerful and believes God has enabled him from the start of his ambition to date.
Starting
His kind-heartedness, stems from his childhood. While growing up, his playmates at school were always struggling with school fees and he would at times chip in to help.
“We had kids at school who were not well off, yet my grandmother used to give me upkeep of Shs 100,000. So, I used to give some of this money to my friends to complete fees,” he says.
Sempa graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion and Design at Pretoria University in South Africa, in 2014.
After graduation, he always mobilised resources from his friends and family to provide basic needs to street children in Kampala.
In 2018, with the help of eight friends, each contributing Shs 20,000 and Sempa rented an office in Kizungu zone, Makindye division, Kampala. In 2020, they officially registered their organisation as an NGO.
Skilling
Before reaching out to communities, Sempa and his team found the need to equip themselves first.
They went for trainings in social work skills and researched more about creative craft skills.
“I always visited YouTube and learnt various skills like making bottles, designing and glass cutting, making lamp shades, baking and also learnt different ways of art painting,” he says.
Learning these skills gave him more knowledge on how to equip his target people.
They move to communities, where they mobilise people and train them in different skills.
The skills include: tailoring, baking, making re-usable sanitary wear, liquid soap, carpentry and painting.
They also recycle beer and wine bottles to make glasses.
These trainings are conducted in schools, play grounds and town centres.
Sempa says, the foundation markets the products made by the trainees, because some of them struggle to sell them on their own.
The foundation also encourages the beneficiaries to venture into business after equipping them with skills. Fortunately, this has improved the lives of many.
Alongside the Bible Society of Uganda, Sempa and his team also carry out Bible study and teach the Word of God to his beneficiaries.
Achievements
Sempa prides in the fact that through his projects, many people have had their lives changed.
“Some have become better fathers, mothers and sisters, and generally live improved lives because of the social and business skills acquired from the foundation,” he says.
He adds that many of them have given their lives to Christ and have developed a better relationship with God. This is through the Bible study sessions.
In total, the foundation has trained over 500 people in technical, business and social skills.
Jordan Kabanda, 14, is excited to thank the Street Fam Foundation for funding his education, as well as equipping him with technical skills in carpentry and glass cutting.
“I have learnt a lot of life and business skills from the foundation. I have also met genuine friends there, who have taught me how to handle life and its consequences,” Kabanda says.
Challenges
The biggest challenge the foundation suffers is inadequate financial resources to cater for the increasing number of people willing to learn.
Also, they have few materials, especially baking items, so they spend a lot of time training in batches. This is time consuming.
In addition, their office working space is small to accommodate many people.
Due to the financial struggle the team faces, Sempa decided to establish side business, from which he gets money that he tops up from donor funds and contributions from well-wishers to fund the projects.
He has chapati, chips and pilau stalls in Makindye town council.
Future prospects
Sempa plans that Street Fam Foundation Uganda will be having a home of their own, as he hopes to mobilise funds to construct a big training facility.
He also hopes to include HIV/AIDS prevention programmes because this is still a big challenge in society, especially among the youth.
He advises parents, to train up children to work hard and sustain themselves financially.
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