TRUE Africa
  • Home
  • Sponsor a Child
    • Become an Humanitarian Sponsor
    • Children Who Need A Humanitarian Sponsor
    • Become an Education Sponsor
    • Children Who Need an Education Sponsor
    • Child Sponsorship Renewal
    • Meet Currently Sponsored Children
  • Send Care Items
    • Send Care Items
    • Send support to children in immediate need
    • Urgent COVID-19 Care Needed: August 2020 Fundraiser
    • Send Holiday Chicken Dinner
    • Textbook Drive
    • COVID-19 Fundraiser Complete: April 2020
  • Development Projects
  • What is TRUE?
    • Board and Team
  • Donate Now
    • TRUE Africa Ugandan Paper Bead Necklaces
    • Centennial School's Penny Power
    • GEA COVID Fundraiser for Maria Goretti Voc School

TRUE Africa Board

Dr. Steven J. Hite
President and Founder 
Chairman, Board of Directors
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Dr. Steven J. Hite received his doctorate (with Distinction) in Educational Program Measurement and Evaluation in 1985 from Harvard University. He is an Emeritus Professor of Educational Leadership at Brigham Young University in the USA.  For nearly 40 years, Dr. Hite has done extensive humanitarian and research work in education in multiple countries in Africa, as well as participating in education projects in Nepal, India, Poland, and The People’s Republic of China. 

He served for one year as the U.S. Fulbright Distinguished Research Chair in Education in Dublin, Ireland and as a Fulbright-Nehru Senior Scholar in Delhi, India.  View a current  View a current Curriculum Vitae for Dr. Hite.

Dr. Julie M. Hite
Vice President, Finance & Operations
Member, Board of Directors
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Following the creation and operation of several successful entrepreneurial endeavors, Dr. Julie M. Hite received her Master's degree in Organizational Behavior from Brigham Young University and her Ph.D. in Business Strategy (focusing on entrepreneurship) from the University of Utah.  She is an Emeritus Professor of Educational Leadership at Brigham Young University in the U.S.A.  

Her research focused on strategic educational leadership in Uganda, with an emphasis on on social networks between school administrators and how these professional networks are created, maintained and used to share and exchange critical educational resources in environments such as Africa where all important resources are scarce. She also served as a Fulbright-Nehru Senior Scholar at the University of Delhi in Delhi, India.   View a current Curriculum Vitae for Dr. Hite.

Dr. Christopher B. Mugimu
Vice President, Uganda
Member, Board of Directors
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Dr. Christopher Byalusago Mugimu was born to peasant farmer parents in a small rural village in Uganda. He showed high academic promise early in his village primary school and performed extremely well on national examinations. Consequently, he won full scholarships to prestigious schools in the larger town of Mukono. From there, his academic excellence won him scholarships to Makerere University (the top university in East Africa). He received his Master's and Ph.D. degrees in Educational Leadership from Brigham Young University in the United States. 

Dr. Mugimu is now a Professor at Makerere University and is widely known in Uganda for his work on behalf of the education system of his country, and children from impoverished backgrounds like his own. Dr. Mugimu’s own life is an illustration of many of the principles on which TRUE Africa is built, and he provides powerful insight and influence for TRUE’s programming and operations. View a current Curriculum Vitae for Dr. Mugimu.

Melissa Seager
Vice President, Website & Child Welfare
Member, Board of Directors

Melissa Seager has a degree in Elementary Education and TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language).  She joined TRUE Africa in 2009 as the Director of Public Relations, with a focus on website development and publicity.  Her belief in the power of education to lift families out of poverty, her own experiences traveling internationally, and her background in education all support her in the work that she does for TRUE Africa and the lives it impacts.

Rachel Eng
Vice President, Marketing & Social Media
Member, Board of Directors

Rachel Eng is a professional photographer with a degree in Family and Child Development.  She has lived in Uganda working with schools.  She joined TRUE Africa in 2009 as the Director of Photography and Visual Arts.  Her love of children, and international travel experience, enhances her ability to visually capture TRUE Africa's spirit and purpose.  She believes that visual communication provides a powerful venue for developing educational opportunities for  children and families in Africa. 


TRUE Africa Team Members

Barbara & Larry Luke 
California
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​Dr. Larry S. Luke received his DDS degree from U.C. San Francisco in 1965.  He received specialty training at the University of Michigan, Eastman Dental Hospital in London and at UCLA.  He taught in the Dental School at UCLA for 34 years where he was head of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry for many years.   He was co-author of a book on Pediatric Dentistry that was used in many countries around the world and was invited to lecture in China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea as well as other countries in Europe and Latin America.   Dr. Luke also had a Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics Practice in Simi Valley, California for 25 years.
 
Barbara Luke has been a professional seamstress for 50 years.  She practiced Real Estate for ten years.  Barbara received her R.D.A.  (Registered Dental Assistant) degree and worked with Dr. Luke in his private practice for 15 years.  She has been involved in charity work, especially for children, for 50 years.
 
Upon retiring they teamed up with Dr. Julie and Steve Hite’s True Africa Foundation to assist Mr. Steven Ssenyonjo with his Child 2 Youth Foundation in Uganda.  They work to raise funds for True Africa and their great adventure has turned into a full time mission for them both.



​Our Ugandan Partners 

TRUE Africa believes in working closely with local social entrepreneurs 
who have already made a significant impact in their area.  

We value and respect the cultural knowledge and experience 

that these individuals and organizations 
can share with us in our efforts.  

Partnering with local organizations allows us to maximize our impact, as we work hand in hand with the people we are helping.  
​Purchasing only locally made African products supports the local businesses and economy.

Child2Youth Foundation (C2Y)
​
Mukono, Uganda

Phot of Steven Ssenyonjo
Steven Ssenyonjo
Founder & Director
Child2Youth Foundation

​
C2Y is our key strategic partner in uganda.  C2Y works with village councils and headteachers to locate orphans and vulnerable children in need of sponsorship.  

C2Y forwards the information for children in need of educational sponsorship to TRUE Africa.  TRUE Africa then locates and matches a sponsor for each child.  

After a child is sponsored, the C2Y social workers watch over these sponsored children, meeting with them at home and at school, providing school uniforms and supplies (see full list), and delivering additional care items.

C2Y 2016 Annual Report (with photos)


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Suzan,  Head Social Worker


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Susan, Field Social Worker,  
Najja Office
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Joel,  Programs Coordinator
& Social Worker

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Teddy, Head Nurse
Sisters of St. Joseph Clinic, Kyambogo 
Provides Medical Needs for Sponsored Children 
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Ritah, Community Projects Coordinator,
Ajijja Office

Additional Staff:

  • Gaita, Mid-wife, Sisters of St. Joseph Clinic, Kyambogo 

  • Ephrance, Head Accounts Assistant

  • Ronnie, Field Social Worker

HOW YOU CAN HELP
  • DONATE NOW
  • Sponsor a Child
  • Send a Child Care Items
  • Textbooks for Children & Teachers
  • Development Projects​​
LEARN MORE ABOUT TRUE AFRICA
What is TRUE?
Board & Team
Financial Accountability
Contact Us
​See Currently Sponsored Children



RESOURCES FOR SPONSORS
Renew Your Sponsorship

Send Your Child a Letter
Send Care Items or Textbooks to Your Child
CONTACT US
Send
  • Home
  • Sponsor a Child
    • Become an Humanitarian Sponsor
    • Children Who Need A Humanitarian Sponsor
    • Become an Education Sponsor
    • Children Who Need an Education Sponsor
    • Child Sponsorship Renewal
    • Meet Currently Sponsored Children
  • Send Care Items
    • Send Care Items
    • Send support to children in immediate need
    • Urgent COVID-19 Care Needed: August 2020 Fundraiser
    • Send Holiday Chicken Dinner
    • Textbook Drive
    • COVID-19 Fundraiser Complete: April 2020
  • Development Projects
  • What is TRUE?
    • Board and Team
  • Donate Now
    • TRUE Africa Ugandan Paper Bead Necklaces
    • Centennial School's Penny Power
    • GEA COVID Fundraiser for Maria Goretti Voc School