The Idea Behind the Lights Masaka Foundation The idea for the Lights Masaka Foundation was born out of the personal life story of its founder, Julius Lule. From a young age, Julius grew up in an environment where community, compassion, and mutual support played a central role. His father often opened the family home to neighbors and people in need — they shared meals, danced together, and helped one another. After his father’s early death, his mother continued this tradition, sharing the little she had with the poorest families and supporting young people in her community. While playing football with other children, Julius often met street children. After each game, he returned home, while they returned to the streets. This deep inequality left a lasting impression on him and awakened his desire to one day make a difference. After completing his teacher training, Julius worked at a Canadian project school in Tekera Village, where he was committed to giving children from poor families access to education. Inspired by this experience, he decided to take action himself: he left his secure position and began working five days a week as a teacher and spending two days meeting street children in Nyendo. Together with his brothers Barnabas Kaggwa and Nicholas Mukasa, he created a weekend program: playing football, sharing meals, showering, washing clothes – simple but meaningful steps to build trust. Soon, they took the first six children into their care and helped them attend boarding schools. Building the Children’s Home As the number of children grew, they soon reached their financial and spatial limits. Because landlords refused to rent to a group working with former street children, Julius decided to sell part of his father’s land. With the support of his Canadian friends, including John Cherry and Emma Dow, a plot of land was purchased and the first small house was built — the “Emma Dow Home.” In 2016, the project became more professionalized, establishing structured programs such as the Children’s Home and Foster Care Program, Street Kids Outreach (night walks and weekend program), School Support, and Village Outreach. Connection with Germany In 2017, during a night outreach, Julius met Jessica Gohlke, who was volunteering in Uganda. She was deeply moved by the work and began sponsoring one of the project’s children. From this encounter grew a close personal and organizational relationship. Jessica returned to Germany, started fundraising campaigns, and in 2019 founded the German support association Lights e.V. together with her friends Carolin (Caro), Alessia, Barbra, Rebecca, and Nora. A Shared Vision Today, people from Uganda, Germany, Canada, and the USA work together to give homeless children in Masaka a home, education, and a nonviolent future.