Julius Ssentume

Julius is the visionary behind the New Hope for Children Organization. He decided to establish this organization based on his childhood experiences. Julius grew up in abject poverty, making it incredibly difficult for him and his family to obtain basic necessities. He is the eldest of ten children born to the same parents.

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They all endured extreme poverty, to the extent that at the age of nine, Julius walked eight miles to sell produce on the streets of Masaka town to support his family. He would return home with only three dollars.

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Julius was fortunate to encounter Professor Geoff Goodman, who was a professor at Long Island University of New York at the time, and his wife Valeda. They sponsored Julius to pursue a degree in Information Technology, providing him with everything he needed. Through their support, Julius was exposed to opportunities to lift himself out of poverty.

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Julius established the New Hope for Children Organization as a way to give back to those who had helped him during his impoverished upbringing. Prof. Geoff Goodman and his wife Valeda are also sponsors of the New Hope for Children Organization.

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While in New York, Julius met Dr. Karen Lojeski of Virtual Distance for the first time on the Jamaica train station platform. They were both heading to Port Jefferson, and Karen was keen to learn about Julius's background. They discussed his dream of starting a charity organization to aid poor children and communities in Masaka. Karen embraced the idea and has been providing ideas and support for the organization ever since.