“Front row, from left: Hildegunn Kittang, Liv Vitols, Vinita (‘Auntie Vi’) Gilbert, and Edith Senoga. Back row, from left: Gunnar Lange-Nielsen, Pixie MacCallum (Canadian lucky guest), Victoria Thoresen, Arne Kittang, Tom Gossen, and Michael Vitols.”
As we have now entered 2026, it seems appropriate to point out that UPLIFT, still an actively driving force, has existed for 25 years. At our last Friends of UPLISFT board meeting, we agreed to post a couple of pictures every month from our annual UPLIFT visits since 2007. That would make 25 pictures – to honor the anniversary! – even though we cannot cover all the years back to 2001.
Through all member letters and reports, also before the last 3 years of financial support from Fokus and NorAD, we, who are friends of UPLIFT, have been kept continuously updated on the progress of the work since the FUP foundation in 2012 – that is, half of these 25 years. In this January letter, we think it is a good idea to provide a short historical summary.
Tom Gossen og Hizzaya Hissani – without whom UPLIFT would never have existed.
So how did it all get started??
Let us begin with a few words, to supplement the opening texts under ABOUT US on the Friends of UPLIFT website, about UPLIFT’s ‘two fathers’: Tom Gossen (Uganda/Canada) and Hizzaya Hissani (Uganda/Kenya). As initiators, they brought with them a group of Baha’is in Uganda, all with a solid background in social and economic development and motivated by the principles of the Baha’i faith: the elimination of extreme poverty, equal rights for men and women, freedom from any prejudice, and not least, knowledge-based education for all. It could not be more in line with the UN’s Millennium Development Goals!
Together with key people in a geographically designated target area, these enthusiasts spent a year creating and testing the UPLIFT program. That is, to facilitate an educational system of functional adult literacy (FAL) to accommodate locally defined needs in poor villages in the West Nile region, to be practiced through voluntary efforts throughout and financial and professional assistance from UPLIFT.
Hizzaya was ‘the man in the field’, with innovative teaching methods and inspiration for voluntary community service. Tom was the creative force and systems organizer, with insight into government policy for adult literacy and contact with key actors at that level.
And Hizzaya is still going strong’ as advisor, motivator and “chief trainer of trainers” focussed on the literacy training. Tom continued to uphold and monitor administrative and bridge-building functions until he had to move back to Canada in 2011 for health reasons, where he passed away in December 2018.
The first Norwegian ‘delegation’ in 2007. Names: Front, from left: Hildegunn Kittang, Liv Vitols, Vinita (‘auntie’ Vi) Gilbert and Edith Senoga. Behind, from left: Gunnar Lange-Nielsen, Pixie MacCallum (fortunate Canadian guest), Victoria Thoresen, Arne Kittang, Tom Gossen og Michael Vitols.
So – what about Norwegian efforts?
For some, the UPLIFT family has become half a lifelong family membership. As early as 2002, there was talk in the Bahá’í community in Norway – and with encouragement from the Bahá’í World Center – of supporting UPLIFT, initially with financial assistance. At the time, our Bahá’í development agency (NorSED – Norwegian Bahá’í office for Social and Economic Development) had 13 years of cooperation with the New Era Development Institute in India behind it. Through four project periods, the National Spiritual Assembly received grants from NorAD for these projects, while the NSA paid the recipient share which was then customary. And while they were ‘waiting for’ an opening in Uganda, NorSED carried out a three-year cooperation (2003-05) with NorAD in Zambia – then led by none other than ‘VUP’s own’ Michael Vitols.
In 2006, the application for cooperation with UPLIFT was ready, which was granted by NorAD for a three-year project, 2007-08-09. In the next two years, UPLIFT managed ‘on its own’ with some few large private contributions – even from the precursor to VUP, an informal group consisting of former NorSED members and two others. A NEW agreement with UPLIFT was signed, and with the establishment of Friends of UPLIFT in August 2012, the cooperation was resumed, from then on based solely on individual contributions!
Now turn the clock forward to 2024. A five-year support program (2024 – 2028) – once again funded by NorAD, now through the Norwegian umbrella organization Fokus Women – enables UPLIFT to reach new heights of influence and results in West Nile. Thousands of women and children (and many men) have gained new hope and a clearer meaning in life, become literate and have gained better health and a vision of what is possible to achieve when people come together in unity and sharing clear goals.
And so, the story continues…
UPLIFT 2007 – mentor and learners. On the blackboard: ‘development’ in the local Alur.
With optimistic greetings and a prayer for humanity, on behalf of Friends of UPLIFT (Norway)
Gunnar Lange-Nielsen
(secretary)