A home for Namu, 90
A safe house was built for 90-year-old Namu, thanks to Beth Minadeo, Judy Davis Walker and Laurie Tune.
Hope in Action
Transforming Lives in Rural Uganda
Empowering orphans and vulnerable children with education, dignity, and a future worth dreaming of.
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About BCEF
Rooted in Immeri Village. Reaching across Eastern Uganda.
Byonabyangu Community Empowerment Foundation (BCEF) is a registered non-profit community-based organization founded in 2016 in Immeri Village, Nkondo Sub-County, Buyende District, Uganda, established with the generous support of Mama Mary Ober of Cleveland, Ohio.
We walk alongside the most vulnerable members of society: orphans, street children, single mothers, widows, and marginalized communities, providing long-term, sustainable solutions to poverty through education, agriculture, health, clean water, and socio-economic empowerment.
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Year founded
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Focus areas
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Lives touched
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Powerful mission
Education
School fees, supplies and scholarships for orphans and vulnerable children.
Clean Water & Sanitation
Boreholes and rainwater harvesting tanks for safe drinking water.
Healthcare & Nutrition
Mosquito nets, immunization, HIV support and balanced meals.
Women & Youth Empowerment
Skills training, seeds and tools for income generating groups.
Child Protection & Care
Safe shelter, counseling and rescue of children at risk.
Our Mission
To transform the lives of the unreached.
We empower helpless individuals, orphans, vulnerable children, and marginalized communities by providing capacity building, quality education, healthcare, clean water, and economic opportunities.
Our Vision
A poverty-free Uganda.
Where every child has access to education, healthcare, and a bright future, and every community has the tools to lift itself with dignity.
Core Values
Transparency
Accountability
Justice & Fairness
Professionalism
Community Participation
Meet Our Director
The Heart Behind BCEF
Brian Byonabyangu
Founder & Director
Immeri Village, Buyende
"Poverty stole my childhood, but it also planted the seed for a calling. Every child we lift up today is a future I once prayed someone would give me."
Born and raised in Immeri Village, Brian Byonabyangu grew up surrounded by the very struggles he now devotes his life to ending: orphaned classmates, dry wells, and girls forced out of school. With unwavering support from Mama Mary Ober of Cleveland, Ohio, he founded BCEF in 2016 to turn that lived experience into lasting change.
A passionate community organizer, mentor, and advocate for child rights, Brian has spent nearly a decade walking door to door across Buyende District, listening to widows, encouraging students, and rallying international friends around a single belief: that no child should be defined by where they were born.
10+
Years of service
5
Villages reached
100+
Lives changed
What We Do
Our Impact Programs
Eight integrated programs tackling poverty from every angle, from a glass of clean water to a sponsored education.
Most needed
Child Sponsorship Program
Provide education, nutrition, medical care, clothing and beddings. Build a personal connection through letters and photos.
20+ children waiting for sponsors
Clean Water Project
Drilling boreholes and installing rainwater harvesting tanks. Goal: clean water within 1km of every village.
Borehole $8,101 • Dug Well $6,308
Girls Menstrual Health
Reusable sanitary pads and education to reduce school absenteeism for adolescent girls.
Supported by Shantay Bullock (UK)
Women Empowerment
Income generating activities, seeds and tools for women groups (GEKUDA & TWDA).
Multiple groups supported
Elderly Care
Food, blankets and shelter for the elderly, including a house built for 90-year-old Namu.
Dignity in old age
Health Initiatives
Mosquito nets, immunization drives, and ongoing HIV support for the community.
Nets $15 • Immunization $20
Skills Training
Tailoring and hairdressing programs for girls and young women to build self-reliance.
Practical livelihoods
Safe School Transport
Planning a second-hand van to protect children from the risks of long, dangerous commutes.
Goal: $6,000
Impact & Stories
Making Real Impact
Numbers we are proud of, and the human stories behind every one of them.
20+
Children Awaiting Sponsors
3
Rainwater Tanks Installed
2
Women Groups Supported
3
Girls Now Safely Transported
Dignity for girls in school
Adolescent girls supported with reusable sanitary pads through Shantay Bullock, keeping them in class every day of the month.
Bridget, Joan & Loy
Three girls who once faced dangerous walks to school are now transported safely every morning.
Our Story in Pictures
Faces of Hope
A glimpse into the lives, smiles, and small miracles your support makes possible.
Get Involved
Be The Change | How You Can Help
Every contribution, large or small, becomes clean water, a uniform, a school desk, or a safer tomorrow.
Most prominent
Sponsor a Child
Make a monthly or annual commitment and receive photos, letters and updates from the child you support. Change one life, transform a generation.
- Education & school supplies
- Nutrition & medical care
- Personal letters & photos
Make a Donation
One-time or recurring gifts of any amount go directly to programs serving children and families in Buyende District.
Donate Now Option 3
Fund a Specific Project
Choose the cause closest to your heart; your gift is tied to a tangible outcome you can see and celebrate.
Borehole
$8,101
School Van
$6,000
Dug Well
$6,308
Mosquito Net
$15
Immunization
$20
School Fees & Supplies
Varies
Garden Tools & Seeds
Varies
Partners & Testimonials
Trusted Supporters
We are profoundly grateful to friends from around the world who walk this journey with us.
Mama Mary Ober
Cleveland, Ohio
Founding Supporter
Shantay Bullock
Birmingham, UK
Girls Menstrual Health
Teresa Rhoads & John
Cleveland, Ohio
Long-time Friends
Beth Minadeo, Judy Davis Walker & Laurie Tune
Canada & USA
Elderly Care