About us
An African Dream exists to educate, equip and transform the community of East Kasese.
We see it as a privilege to work in partnership with the people of Ibanda and Kyanya, impacting the community for the gospel and seeing lasting change.
Who
An African Dream is a Christian Non-Profit Charity based in Uganda, East Africa. The charity was set up in 2006/2007 following a work that began 10 years before that. We have both a UK based team of volunteers and a team of people working in Uganda.
AAD started from two God given dreams across the nations which began as a friendship and became a partnership of both faith and vision between Mark Wynter and Rev Lumika.
Where
An African Dream seeks to provide, education, health care and micro enterprise opportunities for the people of the Kyanya and Ibanda districts, and the surrounding area. We particularly want to serve and resource the most vulnerable in the community.
The original dream was to equip and train local church leaders, a task that we are still involved in and provide through a 3 year training programme for pastors.
St Mark’s primary school opened in Jan 2007. The school provides education for local children, about a third of whom are orphans. Since then we have expanded and currently work with the community as a whole providing opportunities to start local businesses amongst other initiatives.
We also work with young people in the community through our Teen Development Ministry and the older generation through our work in supporting widows.
The community has very limited access to healthcare and so we are working hard to provide the community with education and basic health provision.
Our story
An African Dream (AAD) dates back to 1997 when Mark Wynter heard and obeyed a call from God to go to work in Western Uganda. During the following five years Mark visited annually to preach at a Bible teaching conference. Over these years a strong relationship was built with Rev Lumika, who is responsible for the East Kasese District of the Full Gospel Church (FGC), and his wife Rebecca.
In 2001 Mark and his wife Sophie bought a piece of land on which they planned to build their home and mission base with the intention of settling and working in Kasese District. In 2002 they were based in Kampala for six months to learn the Luconzo language and to prepare for their future life. Whilst back in the UK in 2003 for the birth of their first son Noah, Mark was rediagnosed with cancer. In October 2004 their second son James was born, and sadly Mark died in January 2005. At this point Sophie realised that the calling to work in Uganda would develop in a different way.
After Mark’s death, Sophie returned to Uganda to visit friends and to strengthen previous relationships. Following discussions with Rev Lumika as to what the land should be used for, it became clear that a primary school would be of most benefit to the local community, which led to the building of St Mark’s School. AAD now exists to support St Mark’s school, orphans, widows and pastors in the local area.
Sophie remarried in 2010, and is permanently based in the UK. She is still actively involved in the charity as a trustee and enjoys making regular trips to the Kasese region to continue building relationships and support the work.