Rescue One More has launched a new Community Action Team in Jinja, Uganda, bringing local leaders together to protect children, strengthen justice, and support survivors of sexual violence.
Three young girls received justice after a 35-year prison sentence for their abuser. Learn how child protection and legal advocacy are helping keep children safe in Uganda.
When we think about healing from trauma, it’s easy to imagine a single breakthrough moment: a counseling session, a court victory, or a dramatic turning point.
But healing rarely happens that way.
More often, it begins with something much simpler: love, safety, consistency, and people who faithfully show up.
I’ve always been amazed by the impact these ordinary gifts can have in the life of a child who’s experienced trauma.
Scott and I first witnessed this with our own adopted children. Family dinners, predictable routines, and bedtime prayers were unfamiliar to them.
I remember gently guiding one of our children back to the dinner table after he wandered away every few minutes. Sitting together for a meal simply wasn’t part of his world. Yet before long, he found comfort in the routine. Family dinner became his favorite part of the day.
That experience taught us something we’ve seen repeated countless times since: while healing from trauma often includes professional counseling and evidence-based therapies, recovery usually begins by restoring what trauma has taken away—a sense of safety, stability, and belonging.
Every day at our Rescue One More Centers, children arrive carrying the weight of child sexual violence, exploitation, and profound betrayal.
Many are frightened, overwhelmed, and unsure whom they can trust.
Yet within days, and sometimes even hours, we begin to witness remarkable change.
Children who were once withdrawn begin laughing with their aunties. They make friends, join morning devotions, help prepare meals, and complete everyday chores. Slowly, they settle into predictable routines.
These moments may seem ordinary.
For a child recovering from trauma, they are extraordinary.
Each consistent act of kindness helps rebuild trust. Each safe relationship reminds a child that the world can be different than what they have experienced. Little by little, fear gives way to hope.
This month, Scott, Vanessa, and I had the privilege of watching that transformation unfold during a four-day camp hosted by a mission team from St. Andrew’s Church in San Antonio.
For many of the children, it was their very first vacation.
They splashed in Lake Victoria, hiked to waterfalls, played games, created arts and crafts, worshiped together, and simply enjoyed being children.
The campground itself was simple, but to these children it felt magical.
Their joy reminded us that healing isn’t found in extravagant experiences. It’s found in knowing you’re loved, creating joyful memories, and discovering that life can be safe and beautiful again.
On the final day, each child came forward to thank the team. One young girl knelt before them: a traditional Ugandan expression of deep gratitude and respect.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
While one team poured into the children, another mission team from First Presbyterian Church of San Antonio spent the day caring for nearly 30 members of our Ugandan staff.
Together they prayed, laughed, worshiped, played games, shared meals, and found something that’s often in short supply for those working in child protection: rest.
Every day, our staff carry the weight of heartbreaking stories while walking alongside children on their journeys toward safety, justice, healing, and hope.
To care well for children, we must also care for those who serve them.
Their encouragement, spiritual renewal, and well-being strengthen the ministry that makes healing possible.
June is recognized as PTSD Awareness Month, reminding us that trauma recovery is rarely defined by one life-changing moment.
Instead, healing grows through thousands of small moments of safety, consistency, and love.
Sharing a meal.
Bedtime prayers.
Conversations with a trusted caregiver.
Splashing in the lake with friends.
A team willing to travel across the world simply to remind children they are deeply loved.
Because of the generosity of our supporters and the faithful service of these mission teams, children who once knew only fear are discovering joy again. Families are finding hope. Our staff is being refreshed for the work ahead.
One child at a time, healing is taking root.
We are deeply grateful to the teams from St. Andrew’s Church and First Presbyterian Church of San Antonio, and to every partner who makes this work possible. Together, we are helping children discover that while trauma may be part of their story, it does not have to define their future.
When we launched Rescue One More, we thought our mission was clear: rescue children from sexual violence, help them heal, and pursue justice on their behalf. Economic empowerment for survivors never crossed our minds.
But it didn’t take long to realize that healing and justice are often just the beginning.
For many of the teenage girls in our program, the challenges don’t disappear when a court case ends. As they approach adulthood, many face an overwhelming reality: interrupted education, limited job opportunities, fractured family relationships, and no clear path toward independence.
Without meaningful opportunities, survivors remain vulnerable to poverty, exploitation, and future harm.
That’s why the work of Rescue River matters.
Survivors of sexual violence often face barriers that make it difficult to build stable, independent lives.
Some have fallen years behind in school. Others cannot safely return home. Many have never had the opportunity to develop marketable job skills or earn an income.
One of those young women was Anna.*
After disclosing sexual violence by a neighbor, Anna was rejected by her family and forced to leave home. She began her healing journey in one of our shelters, but as she grew older, a difficult question remained:
What comes next?
Anna had left school around the equivalent of sixth grade. She had no vocational training, no income, and no safety net.
Like many survivors, she needed more than healing. She needed an opportunity.
Around that same time, God began bringing together people and resources in remarkable ways.
A generous donor in Wyoming provided tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of fly-tying materials.
Lucas and Hannah Rowley arrived in Uganda with a passion for fly fishing and a calling to create meaningful employment opportunities for vulnerable young women.
Out of those connections, Rescue River was born—a social enterprise dedicated to creating dignified employment while producing premium handcrafted fly-fishing products.
Today, Rescue River employs seven Rescue One More survivors who have become skilled artisans, crafting premium fishing flies purchased by customers around the world.
Every product represents far more than craftsmanship.
It represents a survivor learning a skill.
A young woman earning her own income.
A person rebuilding confidence and discovering her worth.
A future shaped by opportunity rather than trauma.
For survivors who have experienced trafficking, exploitation, and abuse, dignified work provides something powerful: the ability to make choices about their own future.
When customers purchase flies, apparel, and other products from Rescue River, they aren’t simply buying outdoor gear.
They are helping create sustainable employment opportunities for survivors in Uganda.
Every purchase supports training, skill development, discipleship, and meaningful work for young women who are building independent lives after abuse.
Most importantly, it demonstrates that survivors are not defined by what happened to them.
They are talented, capable, resilient individuals with gifts to share and futures worth investing in.
At Rescue One More, we believe every survivor deserves more than a way out.
They deserve healing.
They deserve justice.
And they deserve the opportunity to thrive.
Through Rescue River, young women like Anna are gaining the skills, confidence, and economic independence they need to build brighter futures.
Because true restoration isn’t just about helping survivors recover from the past.
It’s about helping them create a future filled with hope.
*Name changed to protect privacy.
My name is Suzan Nantaba, and I’m a Community Education Officer with Rescue One More in Kampala, Uganda. I help run our child abuse prevention and awareness program in Uganda.
I want to share a moment from last month that I’m still carrying with me, because it represents exactly why we walk into schools in the first place.
In April, our team spent a morning at Progress Junior School. We sat down with over 1,000 students to talk openly about child protection—sexual abuse, exploitation, and violence.
We named what should never be a secret. We taught every child how to say no, how to report abuse, and how to seek help.
And then we listened.
A young girl stood up, took the microphone, and said:
“My advice to young girls out there is that you should not be scared to report something bad. Just be audible. Report to elders and run for help.”
She is already braver than many of the adults around her.
That is the work. That is the reason we walk into a school in the first place—so that one day a child will have the language for the unspeakable, and the courage to use it.
But a child’s bravery is only the beginning.
For a disclosure to lead to safety, the adults around that child must be ready to receive it.
That’s why Rescue One More doesn’t only teach children. We also train teachers, school administrators, parents, community leaders, and other adults on how to prevent, recognize, and report child abuse.
Creating safer communities requires everyone to understand their role in protecting children.
For parents, safeguarding starts at home. We encourage them to use correct names for body parts, know every adult who has access to their child, have regular conversations about safety, and believe their child if they disclose abuse.
Teachers learn how to identify warning signs, create safer learning environments, respond appropriately to disclosures, and follow reporting procedures that protect children.
Local leaders, including LC1 officials, receive training on Uganda’s child protection laws, their legal responsibilities to report abuse, and the dangers of settling cases privately instead of pursuing justice through the proper legal channels.
The little girl who stood up to speak that day reminded me of something important:
Children are often ready to tell the truth long before adults are ready to hear it.
Our job is to change that.
Every school we visit, every parent we train, and every community leader we equip brings us one step closer to a future where children are believed, protected, and supported when they speak up.
Because child protection is not only about teaching children to find their voice.
It’s about making sure someone is ready to listen when they use it.
At Rescue One More, we are committed to building that culture of protection across Uganda—one school, one family, and one brave voice at a time.
March is a big month for us, marking 5 years since Rescue One More officially launched. This year, we’re celebrating 5 years of impact, made possible by you.
It may sound cliché, but it feels like just yesterday I was boarding an international flight, navigating COVID protocols, carrying a one-page Community Action Team diagram, and trusting God to open doors with local leaders.
Since then, Rescue One More has intervened in over 900 cases of child sexual violence, leading to more than 600 perpetrator arrests.
We’ve also reached over 100,000 people in person with our prevention and awareness trainings.
The Uganda Police Force recently released its 2025 annual crime report, and we were encouraged to see a 14.8% decrease in sex-related crimes against minors. While there may be a variety of factors behind that decline, we genuinely believe the faithful, consistent work of our team is helping move the needle.
It’s hard to put into words how grateful I am for our team, partners, and supporters. God has truly knit together an army of faithful people who care deeply about His children.
Your prayers, generosity, and belief in this mission have made this impact possible.
I recently made a quick trip to Uganda to celebrate the five-year milestone with our team and to help expand our program into our seventh location – Jinja District.
As I interviewed job candidates, looked for new shelter and office space, and laid the groundwork to expand our program, I was reminded of just how much God has done, and how much work is still ahead.
Here’s a short video from our celebration day. Check it out!
We give God all the glory for bringing hope and restoration to all the children we’ve been able to serve over the last five years.
And we thank all of you who’ve supported this ministry with your time, treasures, and talent. Truly, we couldn’t do this without our incredible family of friends, supporters, and advocates.
With gratitude,
Scott Lambie
CEO & President,
Rescue One More
In April 2025, a 14-year-old girl in Kampala was moments away from throwing herself into oncoming traffic when a security officer intervened and rescued her. That moment changed everything.
We’ll call her Clara*.
Clara’s story reflects both the devastating realities facing vulnerable children in Uganda, and the life-saving power of timely intervention, coordinated justice, and long-term care.
Clara had been living alone with her stepfather while her mother was temporarily away due to marital challenges. Her stepfather was sexually abusing her.
When Clara courageously reported the abuse to school authorities, he withdrew her from school, and the abuse continued. Desperate and seeing no way out, Clara ran away and tried to end her life.
Thanks to the quick action of a concerned security officer, Clara was brought to the Central Police Station, where Rescue One More’s Central Community Action Team (C-CAT) was immediately notified.
Within hours, a Rescue One More social worker arrived to provide support and help conduct a child-friendly interview. Clara disclosed the abuse, and her stepfather was arrested. He later admitted to the crime.
A home assessment determined that returning Clara to her mother’s residence was unsafe. Child Protective Services (known as the Probation & Social Welfare Office in Uganda) referred her to Rescue One More’s safe house, where she received care, counseling, and protection.
This swift, coordinated response is exactly why Community Action Teams matter. When police, child protective services, legal advocates, doctors, and counselors work together, children don’t have to navigate trauma or the justice system alone.
Clara’s case moved quickly through the justice system because it was actively followed and supported.
When the perpetrator applied for bail in the Magistrate’s Court, our C-CATs legal advisor and administrator were there to successfully oppose his release. The judge denied bail after learning the case was being closely monitored.
The case later advanced to Uganda’s High Court. Although the perpetrator sought a plea bargain with a 15-year sentence, our legal advisor and administrator pushed for a sentence that better reflected the severity of the crime. The judge ultimately sentenced him to 22 years in prison—the longest sentence Rescue One More has seen to date.
Because the perpetrator accepted responsibility, Clara was spared the trauma of testifying in court.
Justice, in this case, was not only punitive, it was protective. It ensured Clara’s safety and reinforced that children are believed and valued.
Today, Clara is emotionally stable and actively engaged in counseling. She participates in mentorship, connects with other children at the shelter, and is no longer living in fear.
Rescue One More has identified extended family members who are prepared to provide Clara with a safe, loving home. As part of the reunification process, our team is providing counseling and psychosocial support to ensure Clara’s long-term well-being.
None of this is possible without supporters who believe that children deserve safety, justice, and the chance to heal. Thank you for standing with vulnerable children like Clara and giving them the chance at the life they deserve.
Name changed to protect identity.
In honor of National Human Trafficking Awareness Month
At 13 years old, Eva* had already seen too much.
Growing up in a small village in Bugiri District near the Kenyan border, she understood the crushing weight of extreme poverty. She watched friends leave school early to work in the rice fields. She saw the trucking corridor that ran through her town—and witnessed the dark trade that came with it.
When educational opportunities dried up and economic survival became desperate, some youth in her community had little choice but to enter the sex trade to help their families survive.
Eva’s parents didn’t want that future for their daughter.
So when a woman offered to employ Eva as a housemaid in Kampala, they said yes. It seemed like hope. A chance at something better. A way to protect their daughter from the dangers they saw around them.
Instead, it became a nightmare.
The woman’s husband began to rape her. He threatened her into silence.
But Eva found courage she didn’t know she had. The child told her employer what was happening.
And her employer—against all odds—believed her. She took Eva to the police and reported her own husband.
That’s when Rescue One More stepped in.
Because we work alongside the police and other local authorities, we can quickly mobilize an effective response:
Today, Eva is home. She is safe. She is healing.
But here’s the truth we need to share: we can only do this work because of people like you.
Every rescue and arrest. Each child reunited with their family. All the moments of healing — they all depend on people like you who refuse to look away from this crisis.
Right now, there are more children like Eva. Children trapped in exploitation. Kids waiting for someone to believe them. Minors who desperately need safety, justice, and healing.
When you support Rescue One More, you support:
All children deserve what Eva’s parents wanted for her: a better life. A future free from exploitation. The chance to simply be a child.
Thank you for standing with us in the fight against human trafficking.
*Name and identifying details changed to protect the survivor’s identity and safety.
If you’re in the U.S., contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888
For those of you in Uganda, call the Uganda Child Helpline at 116 or the Police Toll-Free Number at 080-019-9195.
If you’d like more information on human trafficking in Uganda, see the Human Trafficking Institute.
By Sarah Lambie, Co-Founder & President
I love my job. In fact, there’s nothing I’d rather do than prevent another child from experiencing sexual violence in Uganda. But if I’m honest, there are days when the heaviness can feel overwhelming. Today was one of those days.
During a call with our Mukono team this morning, I learned about a case that left me feeling angry and frustrated.
14-year-old Rose* had been raped and impregnated by a neighbor. While her perpetrator was convicted, my heart broke for this girl whose childhood had been cut way too short.
The heaviness of her story—and so many others like it—weighed on my heart all morning.
Sexual violence against children in Uganda is a crisis. More than one-third of all girls experience abuse, along with one in six boys. For years, resources for child survivors were limited, costly, and often out of reach for the families who needed them most.
Then, a text notification from our program manager lit up my phone. I opened it to find dozens of photos of artwork created by the children at our shelters.
Little handwritten messages of hope were taped all over the walls. Many included Genesis 50:20-21, our guiding verse: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
These sweet little love letters are poignant reminders of the progress being made—not just in court convictions, but in the hearts of children who are learning they are safe and loved.
Less than five years ago, children like Rose had almost nowhere to turn.
But today, thanks to supporters who refuse to look away, fear is being transformed into safety, pain into healing, and despair into hope.
Together, we’re shining light into the darkest of places. And when we do, everything changes.
With your support, Rescue One More has been able to:
Our approach to ending child sexual violence in Uganda is comprehensive:
1. Prevention Education: We educate hundreds of children, parents, and teachers every week on how to recognize warning signs, prevent abuse, and report incidents safely.
2. Safe Shelter: Children who’ve experienced trauma receive counseling, medical care, and a loving environment where they can heal.
3. Justice: Our community action team works tirelessly to build strong cases, ensuring perpetrators are held accountable.
4. Economic Empowerment: We provide survivors with opportunities for education and skills training, giving them hope for a brighter future.
As we enter this season of gratitude, I can’t help but thank God for our remarkable family of supporters.
Children like Rose can rebuild their lives — not just survive, but thrive — because people like you refuse to let darkness have the final word.
Your support brings light to the darkest situations, transforming lives and protecting vulnerable children across Uganda.
Thank you for being a light in the darkness.
Ready to make a difference? Learn how you can support child survivors in Uganda →
Download free child protection resources to help keep children safe in your community →
*Name changed to protect privacy
About the Author: Sarah Lambie is Co-Founder and President of Rescue One More, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending sexual violence against children in Uganda by providing a pathway to safety, justice, and healing.
When CBS approached me about doing a news story on Rescue One More, I was skeptical. Would their producers think it was a story worth telling?