Our Story
A Journey of Compassion, Now a Global Movement
From a small Island in Uganda to communities across the United States and around the world, our stories show what can happen when people refuse to let anyone face life’s hardest moments alone.
Our Beginnings
Our story begins on the Ssese Islands of Lake Victoria, in Uganda’s Kalangala District. For many families in these island communities, life has been shaped by the uncertainty of fishing livelihoods, poverty, limited access to essential services, and the challenges of reaching opportunities on the mainland. These barriers can make education, healthcare, and economic security difficult to access, especially for families already living with very few resources. During the 1990s and early 2000s, HIV-related deaths took a painful toll on many families.
Jjajja Magatto’s Compassion
Among the people who embodied the spirit of compassion on the Ssese Islands was Jjajja(Grandpa) Andronico Magatto. The now 110 years plus grandpa as he is famously known, saw vulnerable children in his community and chose to respond with care. Through shelter, guidance, and educational opportunities, he helped children whose circumstances might otherwise have kept them from imagining a different future. Richard Tusabe and his brother Patrick Talemwa were among the children whose lives Jjajja Magatto touched on the famous Buggala Island.
Education Opens Doors
With Jjajja Magatto’s support and the encouragement of people in the community, Richard persevered through primary school and secondary school. Education became more than a classroom experience: it was a pathway toward possibilities that had once seemed far away. Step by step, he continued despite the difficulties that had shaped his early life. Richard later joined Makerere University, one of Africa’s leading universities, with the support of government sponsorship.
Compassion in California
When Richard came to the United States in 2024, having fled from persecution in Uganda because of his social affiliation, he entered a new chapter of his life. Through his experiences in California, he encountered another expression of the Samaritan spirit: people showing concern for others, offering support during difficult circumstances, and finding ways to stand beside those facing challenges they could not easily overcome alone.
From one community to many
From the Ssese Islands to the educational opportunities Richard encountered, and then to his experience in the United States, one truth became clearer: when people come together, lives can change. The communities were different, the needs were different, and the systems of support were different, but the importance of human dignity and practical assistance remained.
A Global Movement
Today, The Global Samaritans is being built around a simple commitment: bring people, resources, and organizations together to identify genuine needs, mobilize practical support, and deliver compassionate assistance. The movement aims to connect people who want to help with meaningful opportunities to make a difference, while respecting the dignity, choices, and circumstances of the people and communities receiving support.