New Land for BLI!
We are excited to share and celebrate some wonderful news with you. In addition to the land that we own and have been cultivating for the pase four years, through the generosity of the Kasana Luweero Diocese (KLD) we have been offered an additional 160 acres on which to build our campus! We have entered into a 99-year lease with KLD for the new acreage, and plans are underway to break ground in early June. The campus will consist of the same dormitories, common spaces, and student farms as our original plans. We see many mutual benefits to this additional location and partnership, among them:
- The theological vision behind BLI, and the KLD’s inspiration from Laudato Si, fit in very well with the BLI vision and KLD’s efforts to fight poverty among the youth and in rural communities.
- Kasana-Luweero Diocese’s structures and leadership up to the village level and extensive school networks are easily available avenues helping to advance BLI’s vision and mission.
- KLD can promote and advocate for BLI in the surrounding local communities.
- KLD can ensure BLI’s long term viability and continuity beyond the founding members through partnership and connectivity with a long-standing and respectable institution.
- KLD’s existing ecumenical links with other Christian churches and with the Muslim community can advance and deepen BLI’s ecumenical commitment and status as a religiously inspired, but public initiative, open to people of all beliefs.
- KLD has realized that the vision, mission and programs of BLI can help the diocese to respond to the invitation of Pope Francis to listen to both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor – thus making BLI and KLD a model Laudato Si Diocese in Uganda (and in Africa).
BLI’S campus will be situated geographically within KLD, 2 miles from the diocesan headquarters. The land includes 20 acres for campus development, 80 for agricultural purposes and 60 acres of forestry.
Our current land will continue to be cultivated for the future needs of BLI and the BLI Caretakers.
Please join us in celebration and thankful prayer for this wonderful gift!