Tumaini is a Swahili word meaning “hope.” In 2004 Colleen Stevenson, long-term Church of God missionary in Uganda, created TAPP (Tumaini AIDS Prevention Program). That same year a national office was opened in Kampala.

TAPP Uganda was birthed out of a great need to care for all people in a place that left no one unaffected by the HIV virus. Colleen invited David Wafula (TAPP National Coordinator) to be a key leader as they both saw how so many factors were contributing to the HIV-led crisis. They committed to breaking down stigma and showing love to people who were being pushed away from society.

A program that started as a local grassroots movement still keeps that spirit in 40 districts of Uganda. Even now TAPP has crossed over into Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Burundi. “It continues to grow everyday,” David says.

“Need does not determine call, however this time it did,” David said. “  The need was obvious. TAPP creates awareness through its local training and creates hope in those affected and infected with HIV and AIDS through a number of programs.”

In 2006 a group of Anderson University students went on a short journey to Uganda through the Tri-S (Study.Serve.Share) program at Anderson University and discovered TAPP as a program and as a people.

The TAPP members in Uganda were rapidly teaching each other the paper bead making craft, but were without access to a market to sell them. In the summer of 2006 The Stevensons (long-term missionaries with Uganda) carried a small bag of beads back to the Anderson students. At a local high school in Ohio the beads sold out. Returning to Uganda, the team of students handed the first sum of necklace money totaling $300.00 to the TAPP program with a passion to continue the work together.

TAPP USA started shortly after that second trip. Many students gave their time and energy to making this a reality. TAPP USA wouldn’t be alive today without each of them.

TAPP USA expanded through word of mouth grassroots efforts. As they grew there was a need for office space. Park Place Church of God in Anderson, Indiana, generously offered TAPP USA a youth room on the second floor of their church to be used as the TAPP USA National Office.

The heart of TAPP USA still lies in the red dirt of Uganda among the people who changed them years ago.   The role of TAPP USA is to lift up, empower, and give voice to the TAPP stories that changed everything for them.  Hopefully, this life together will last for a very long time.

(Additional photography provided courtesy of Daniel Hayduk - www.danielhayduk.com)