Philip’s Story

As a child orphaned by civil war, Opio Philip Moses tells how the generosity of an adoptive family, and sponsorship through Global Care, changed everything.

“Greetings to everyone in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am Opio Philip Moses, one of the alumni of Global Care Uganda – Soroti Branch. I am humbled to share with you my life story.

Back in the 1980s, there was a war in Eastern Uganda where I fell a victim. Rebels attacked and killed my parents and relatives, I was picked from amongst dead bodies by government soldiers and flown by helicopter to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital for medical attention and nutritional support. Being a little kid at the time, I stayed in the hospital nursery for some time and because no one came to claim me; the hospital director at that time adopted me as his son.

He was such a God-fearing and loving man that he took care of me like his own child. He was blessed with five children – two boys and three girls – and had other dependents. He offered me the opportunity to study but unfortunately he died when I was just in primary six in 1996. My life became turbulent from that moment; some of the doctor’s clan leaders wanted me to be handed over to government but his widow (my foster mother) refused and said that before the doctor died, he had instructed her to take care of me like any other child.

Being a housewife, she didn’t have much to offer in terms of school fees and this prompted me to work at construction sites during holidays in order to raise fees for senior one to senior four.

I passed in my senior four exams, but couldn’t get the money for advanced level of education. I learnt about Global Care Uganda in 2003 and visited the Soroti office. I explained my situation to the then manager; Anne Emuron; she was such an understanding and compassionate person who restored hope in my life by her kind words. She encouraged me to look for a school for my advanced level studies as she tried to talk to UK-office to get me a sponsor. Within a blink of an eye she informed me that I had got a sponsor and that was a turning point of my life. At advanced level I did physics, chemistry, biology and agriculture.

Philip and Anne today, at Global Care Uganda’s 35th Anniversary Celebration, in Soroti, August 2018

In 2006, I joined Soroti school of Comprehensive Nursing for a diploma in Nursing and qualified in December 2009. In August 2010 I started working at Cure Children’s Hospital of Uganda, Mbale as a registered nurse. I have also tried to advance my career by doing a higher diploma in anesthesia in 2012 – 2014 and currently am working with Uganda public service as an anesthetic officer, as well as some part-time nursing at Cure Children’s Hospital. This is how far the Lord has bought me.

As I conclude my story; I would like to thank the almighty God for the protection he has given me since I was a baby.

I also would like to thank everyone working with Global Care and my sponsor for the support that has made me whom I am now; I am now the main breadwinner for the family. My sincere appreciation to my foster mother for working tirelessly to raise me up after the death of her husband.

Words cannot express how much I am grateful; God bless you all.”

Opio Philip Moses

Children's names are changed and their photographs obscured for reasons of protection.