Vincent used to live near Gulu. In 1995, his 13-year-old son was abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army. Vincent has never seen or heard from him again. To this day he does not know whether that son is dead or alive.  

He left his land and moved the rest of his family south and across the Nile River to the village of Aqueche. A Ugandan military post guards the bridge crossing the Nile giving security to the whole area surrounding RG. Restoration Gateway is near his village and now Vincent works as a builder at RG. His income from work provides for the needs of his family.

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.  Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."  

Probably you have heard this proverb before. It represents empowerment: helping people develop the ability to help themselves...for life. Empowerment is more than a handout. It involves taking the time to teach, train or instill new ideas, skills or concepts.

The people of northern Uganda need help rebuilding and bettering their lives and Restoration Gateway intends to help through job creation in an employment-poor market. Unemployement is high and most people barely manage subsistence living, cultivating a garden to feed their family. By employing a man or woman, RG can help provide for his or her household.

Restoration Gateway's vision for empowerment includes the development of skills training programs so that Ugandans can learn vocational and other skills that will enable them to get good jobs. An agriculture and fishery demonstration farm will be created to teach more efficient and productive techniques. Additionally, the older orphan boys in the orphan homes are being taught carpentry skills as well as their school studies.

A first class resort will be built along the Nile, which will provide many jobs for Ugandans and be a training ground for our orphans in the nation's fast-growing tourist industry.

Though many empowerment programs will be developed in the future, RG currently employs more than 70 Ugandans. Many of these men and women have never been employed before. This provides opportunity for many to develop new job skills and provide for their families.