Sunday, January 15, 2012

RODI Founder Pays It Forward

The story of RODI founder and Executive Director Johnson Lwondo is similar to the story of so many youth in Rakai. Johnson was orphaned due to HIV/AIDS at age 11, charging him with the enormous responsibility of raising his five younger siblings. With support from a sponsor in Florida, he managed to attend school as well as continue to support his siblings. Today Johnson holds a bachelor’s degree in Arts and Organizational Studies as well as a master’s degree in Public Administration and Management. His five younger siblings also had the chance to attend school and all possess degrees in different disciplines now.

Today Johnson and his wife Agnes have two children, Rodney Richie and Whitney Catherine. Starting RODI was a no-brainer for Johnson who says, “Knowing that I have survived and succeeded because someone reached out a hand of help to me…how can I turn away from those children who are now in the same place I was as a child? The dollars that my sponsor sent helped make me who I am today. If every orphan can get a chance like I got, there can be more Johnsons in the community to move it forward.”

African Children Today recognizes that it is thanks to individuals like Johnson’s former sponsor that young children are rising from tragic circumstances to become empowered.

Be part of the change happening in Rakai.

Contact ACT to learn more.

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