At Stickney Research, we encourage our clients to focus their energy on the things they are the most passionate about, and Dr. Paul Eun is no exception. In addition to his medical practice, Paul’s passion lies in the charitable work he does in Africa.
Paul initially got involved in 2014 after visiting Uganda and seeing the lives of the people in villages there. The first order of business for Paul’s newly founded non-profit organization, Fountain of Life, was to build a school in Uganda for all of the kids in the village who don’t have any form of education.
“Certain parts of countries in Africa are experiencing the same systemic issues when it comes to money” said Paul when discussing what brought his volunteer work to Uganda. “The poverty is so severe in these villages. Nobody has any money, and so there is no education. But with no education, the people living in the village are not equipped to combat poverty like some people are in other parts of the world. Providing these kids with education is hopefully breaking the cycle so that newer generations of people can be better equipped to deal with poverty.”
In order to solve the problem, they built a school accommodating 240 students, ranging from kindergarten to 7th grade, as well as 10 volunteer teachers. The students are in school from 8:00am to 4:00pm, and are taught the same basic subjects we are taught – math, science, English, social studies, etc.
Another issue facing a poverty-stricken area is the lack of healthcare, which is incredibly rare for most people living in Uganda. Addressing this need, Fountain of Life funded and built a medical clinic on the school property. Today there is access to medical care, dental care, and ongoing treatment through the clinic.
The foundation provides numerous ways for people to contribute to the cause, such as donating to help fund a project, or sending food and/or school supplies to low-income families in need by attending one of the foundation’s local food distribution events. Through the Child Sponsorship Program, you can help to provide education, medical care, food, clean water, clothes and even school supplies to children in Uganda who need it most.
Back when Fountain of Life formed their primary school in 2014, the first batch of students they had were first and second graders.
Now, those second graders are finishing up their last year in primary school and ready to move on to the next stage of their life. To ensure the continued education of these children, the foundation has built a secondary school for kids in grades 8 through 13.
The new high school comes complete with a science lab, faculty office, library with computer workstations, and several additional teachers’ housing units. With nearly all of the buildings finished, the school opened its doors in February, 2020. There are currently 90 students enrolled in the high school, and 6 volunteer teachers.
In the years to come, Dr. Eun has some ambitious ideas for his foundation. “Down the road I would like to create a self-sustaining business to go with the school, and possibly even open a commercial farm that can actually help bring in revenue to the school.”
Although most of the physical work Fountain of Life does is within the borders of Uganda, Dr. Eun has been heading a medical outreach division of the foundation for years. So when asked if he thought the work his foundation does has a reach past Uganda,
Dr. Eun gave an insightful answer. “I’ve been working with medical professionals in several other countries, including Bolivia, Guatemala and Kenya. The foundation has also been looking at addressing social-environmental issues in Uganda and other countries nearby.”
Paul Eun has been a client with us for nearly 14 years. We are thrilled to share the outstanding, selfless work he does, and honored he is a member of the Stickney Research family.