Promoting moral values, spiritual growth and positive behaviour among children and teenagers is the focus of a three-day camp organised by the Irene Gleeson Foundation in Kitgum District, which is targeting 10,000 participants from Acholi Sub-region and beyond.
The camp, scheduled for December 11–13, 2026, at the foundation’s premises, will bring together children aged between six and 20 years for Christian teachings, mentorship, games and indoor and outdoor activities. The organisers say the initiative is intended to equip young people with biblical values and guidance to help them navigate challenges affecting their upbringing and behaviour.
Pr Alfred Komagum, the lead pastor of Christian Community Church at the foundation, said this year’s camp will run under the theme “The Wisdom of Holiness and Purity,” drawn from Psalms 119:9, which addresses how young people can keep their lives pure. Komagum said the foundation is organising the event in partnership with supporters in the United States, including Feed the Hungry.
He said the organisers had also secured two large play equipment installations, which will be housed at the foundation and opened on December 11 to provide recreational facilities for the children. “We want the children to get somewhere they can play, where they can laugh again. For at least three days, they will come to meet the presence of God, where God can touch and change their lives forever,” Komagum said.
He appealed to parents and community leaders to support the initiative, adding that participation would not be restricted to children from Christian families. Komagum encouraged Muslim, Catholic, Anglican and other religious communities to allow their children to attend, arguing that positive upbringing and moral development were important across religious boundaries.
Dennis Olanya, the Executive Director of the Irene Gleeson Foundation, said the camp was part of efforts to sustain the legacy of the foundation’s founder, the late Irene Gleeson, who dedicated her work to supporting vulnerable children. Olanya said the foundation’s work is built around four pillars: education, medical care, feeding and spiritual development, which he described as essential in preparing children for responsible adulthood.
“Our children’s world is full of problems. It is full of war, sickness and abuses. As the Irene Gleeson Foundation, based on four major pillars, we provide education, medicine, feeding and the word of God,” Olanya said. He said combining the four interventions would help address challenges affecting children and contribute to transforming communities.
Olanya also expressed concern about what he described as the growing influence of harmful behaviours among young people, calling for joint efforts by parents, religious institutions, community leaders and other stakeholders to guide children.
Godfrey Toolit, the LCIII chairperson of Kitgum Central Division, welcomed the initiative and urged parents to bring their children for the December camp. Toolit said the target of 10,000 participants was achievable because the camp was expected to attract children from communities across the region. He added that the programme would allow them to learn biblical teachings and other life values.
He pledged support for the foundation’s efforts to strengthen the legacy of its founder through community participation. Denis Onekalit Amere, the Kitgum Municipality Member of Parliament, said investing in children’s moral development was important in preparing them for responsible adulthood.
“It is easier to build pure children. It is easier to build mature and great children for the country than to mend them when they are spoiled,” Amere said. He urged parents across Acholi to encourage their children to attend, saying the teachings and mentorship would help shape their character and prepare them for future responsibilities. Amere also commended the foundation’s leadership for organising the event and called for collective responsibility in nurturing children. Pr Simon Karunji Okot, the chairperson of the 2026 children’s camp, said the initiative began in 2022, with the first camp held in 2023.
He said the second edition took place in 2024 under the theme “My Identity in Christ,” while the 2025 edition was not held because of logistical challenges. Okot said the organisers had progressively increased their target following growing participation, from 1,000 children at the inaugural camp to 7,000 at the third edition.
He said children were expected from Kitgum, Lamwo, Agago, Gulu and other parts of Uganda, and that parents would not be charged a participation fee. However, parents will be expected to provide basic personal items for their children, including mosquito nets, basins, clothing and light shoes to facilitate their stay and participation in the activities.
Okot urged parents to prepare their children early and take advantage of the camp to expose them to mentorship, recreation and spiritual guidance-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
