Sister Rose’s Story
In 1972, during the midst of Idi Amin’s brutal dictatorship (a regime characterized by rampant human rights abuses, political repression, ethnic purging, extrajudicial killings and widespread corruption), Sister Rose started the Daughters of Charity home for orphaned, poor and homeless girls. She ultimately opened three orphanages throughout Uganda and cared for thousands of vulnerable girls and boys who had been devastated by civil war, extreme poverty and the AIDS epidemic.
Sister Rose remained poor throughout her life – giving everything she attained (food, clothing, bedding, money for school fees, etc.) to children and young women in need. As much as she gave, she never allowed them to be complacent. She pushed them to be independent and resourceful. She taught them invaluable life skills, encouraged them to study hard and instilled in the children a strong sense of their personal and cultural identity through Ugandan music and dance.
A group of these orphans under Sister Rose’s leadership travelled to the United States for the first time in 1993 to compete at the Wolf Trap Children’s Festival where they performed East African cultural music. Taking first place in their American debut, the children went on to perform around the country in what later became known as the Tour of Light – a music, dance and storytelling tour of the U.S. to raise money and awareness for AIDS orphans in Uganda. The Tour of Light troupe traveled every two years in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 and was later revived in 2012 and 2014 respectively.
As a result of receiving this critical and loving care, many of these young people grew up to lead successful and productive lives. They became doctors, teachers and professionals – all giving back to their beloved homeland – because Sister Rose believed in their potential and sacrificed everything so that they could reach it.
Children of Uganda proudly partnered with Sister Rose and the Daughters of Charity to aid in supporting hundreds of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) with access to education and livelihood support. Together, we forged a bond that enabled us to care for youth who may have otherwise fallen between the cracks. Sister Rose Muyinza passed away on October 6, 2009 at the age of 74 after bravely battling Alzheimer’s disease. She will always be remembered and her legacy lives on.
