When Hope Steps In: Annet’s Story

“I felt hopeless.”

Annet was just 4 years old when she lost her father and a future that seemed secure.

Even so, her mother was determined to provide for Annet and her eight siblings. So she worked tirelessly, hired to dig people’s gardens. Additionally, she grew just enough food on a small plot of land for her family to survive.

But even the strongest resolve can’t always overcome the hurdles of poverty. And in challenging circumstances like these, parents must often choose between providing food and sending their children to school.

Annet shares—

“A family member told me I would never attend school.”

In Uganda, education is a lifeline—the path to a hopeful future.

For many children around the world, going to school is about far more than learning to read and write; it’s about breaking free from the cycle of poverty that has gripped their families for generations.

For Annet, being told she would never attend school wasn’t just heartbreaking; it was a declaration that her future would be over before it even began.

In Uganda, the stakes are especially high for girls. Without an education, girls like Annet are more likely to face early marriage, limited job opportunities, and continued poverty. A good education—and even better, a Gospel-centered education—represents hope and the chance to achieve more than society says is possible.

“We didn’t have a permanent house.”

The tiny place where Annet and her family lived was surrounded by graves and the constant reminder that evil spirits were alive and well.

Annet and her family could feel the oppressive presence of spirits all around, and it created ongoing, tangible fear.

Worst of all, in Annet’s words—

“I didn’t know God.”

But this is when hope stepped in.

After years of uncertainty and unimaginable hardship, Annet learned about our team in Uganda. She was invited to become a student at the Christian school, and in her words, “My life changed a lot.”

Today, she attends school regularly—an opportunity that once seemed totally out of reach.

Through the generosity of givers and ministry partners, she is not only thriving in her education but is also experiencing stability.

“I accepted Jesus when I was 16 years old. He changed my life. He became a Father to me, a great Friend to me. Jesus has given me hope.”

Annet now firmly believes Jesus is greater and more powerful than the evil spirits that once troubled her family. She eagerly talks about her love for Jesus and shares this Gospel hope with others.

And her plans for the future are as bright as the sun—

“My dream after university is to become a midwife.”

In Uganda, childbirth is often filled with significant risks, making it one of the most dangerous moments in a woman’s life. Despite advances in healthcare, maternal mortality rates in Uganda remain alarmingly high.

Having experienced firsthand the impact of help and encouragement in her own life, Annet now feels a deep calling to extend that same help and hope to others.

Annet’s dream of becoming a midwife is both a reflection of her gratitude and a response to a critical need in her community.

She hopes to share the love of Christ with women and children in need.

“I share this story to give the glory back to God.”

Today, Annet is 18 years old and in her final year of secondary school.

Her story continues to be a beautiful example of how God can take a life once marked by hardship and transform it into a source of blessing and hope for others.

Through the partnership of ministries

like Global Hands of Hope and the generosity of givers like you, Annet’s future—and the futures of the women she hopes to serve—are being rewritten.

Unfortunately, once our students complete 8th grade, they must find a new school or stop their education. Neither of these options builds on the Gospel foundation laid so carefully by our teammates.

So after years of praying and planning, our team would like to build a high school.

By the grace of God—and with your help—we have the opportunity to provide these young leaders with the tools they need to transition into adulthood with confidence in the Lord and practical skills for a more promising future.

Together, we can continue to support young people like Annet as they pursue their dreams of making a difference in the world for the glory of God.

Thank you for being part of this story.