127 Partners
GEOFFREY
127 Partners
GEOFFREY
Geoffrey grew up an orphan in war-torn northern Uganda and today extends compassion and care to orphans at Acres of Hope, a children’s home and school in Nebbi, Uganda.
Welcome to Acres of Hope!
In 1995, Geoffrey attended a Bible college, and after finishing his courses, felt an increasing conviction to help those experiencing circumstances similar to his own difficult childhood. He bought a small, barren field in Nebbi with the dream of building a children’s home and school. People laughed at him and doubted that he would ever be able to accomplish this lofty goal with no financial support. Despite the opinions of others, Geoffrey knew that God cares for the vulnerable and that if it was God’s will, there would one day be a children’s home and school on this field.
Through God’s gracious provision of funds and partners, Geoffrey was able to buy more land and develop his dream for what is now Acres of Hope, a children’s home and school in Nebbi, Uganda. Today, Acres of Hope’s large plot of land boasts pod houses, school buildings and sustainable agricultural projects that provide for the children’s home and help stimulate the local economy.
Meet Geoffrey Odongo
Odongo Geoffrey Keronga was born at a tumultuous time in Uganda during the mid 1960’s. Growing up shortly after the country’s liberation from British rule was incredibly difficult for Geoffrey as his early life was riddled with trauma and oppression in the form of family scandals, abandonment, homelessness, and even attempted murder.
When Geoffrey was an early teenager he was homeless and lived along the Nile river where he would catch fish to survive. After a series of events that only God himself could master, Geoffrey found himself in the right place, at the right time and with the right people. He made the decision to follow the Lord one night after being asked to translate an evangelical video from English to his native language. His multilingual skills caught the attention of a missionary, who eventually sponsored the rest of his education. Geoffrey was able to finish high school and go on to attend Bible College.
During this time, Geoffrey felt a strong desire to help young people who faced similar circumstances. He wanted a better life for them and so he started fishing to help provide school supplies for local children to attend school. This school-supply ministry was the beginning of Acres of Hope before Geoffrey even knew it! Not long after finishing college he purchased a plot of land that is now the home of Acres of Hope Uganda. Today Geoffrey is the Director and a pastor, husband, and father.
127 Partnership Highlights
Animal Feed Machine
One of Geoffrey’s visions for Acres of Hope is that the organization be totally self-sustaining. This requires creative thinking and solutions that are unique. This project is no exception. When Geoffrey saw a threat to his aquaponics project through covid he immediately went to work to find a long term solution. Feed became scarce and largely unavailable unless Geoffrey agreed to pay incredibly high prices due to the monopoly and demand of the only supplier in northern Uganda. The cost of feed alone put many fish farmers out of business. After a lot of research, Geoffrey applied for a partner grant to purchase a high quality and industrial grade animal feed machine so that he could make his own fish feed, along with other animal feeds. Not only was his plan to supply his own feed, but to also sell feed to local farmers as well. God has exceeded Geoffrey’s initial plan as the government took an interest and visited the site. They have now recognized Acres of Hope as the supplier for the West Nile region in Uganda. We are excited to partner with Geoffrey on this empowerment focused project and look forward to seeing the impact this has on Acres of Hope and the surrounding community.
Biodigestor
During covid lockdowns in Uganda, Geoffrey installed a biogas system on the property at Acres of Hope. This system takes methane gas from cow manure, stores it in a tank, and pipes it to different areas for cooking and heating water. And the cow manure can still be used for fertilizer. Together, they are saving $500 per month by reducing the amount of charcoal and firewood they need. We love to participate in projects that emphasize using available resources to maximize productivity.
