What we are doing
We provide a matron for these orphans so that they can stay in their family home instead of being dumped into orphanages. We believe that whenever possible, the family unit should be kept intact. While these children do not have parents, they do have land that belonged to the late parents and that inheritance needs to be safe guarded. We also provide them with food, medical care, clothes, school fees, and the basic necessities of every day life. However, it is our vision to construct a well equipped orphanage facility to house all these Orphans and Vulnerable Children.
Overview
Due to the tragic HIV AIDS epidemic, there are many children orphaned with limited resources to help care for them. We aim to help some of these children. With your help we can ensure that they have a matron to care for them, food to eat, clothes, medical care, educations, and the basic needs of day to day life.
The problem we are facing is that with the AIDS epidemic and the basic hard lifestyle of life in rural Africa, there are a lot of orphans who do not have extended family willing to take them in. These children have been dealt a hear hand at life, but we can help make it better.
We provide a matron for these orphans so that they can stay in their family home instead of being dumped into orphanages. We believe that whenever possible, the family unit should be kept intact. While these children do not have parents, they do have land that belonged to the late parents and that inheritance needs to be safe guarded. We also provide them with food, medical care, clothes, school fees, and the basic necessities of every day life.
By investing in the children, we are creating intelligent, sustainable adults who can and will contribute to society. Instead of being trapped in the circle of extreme poverty that the less fortunate often fall into.
Orphans And Vulnerable Children In Uganda
It is estimated that there are more than 2 million orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC) in Uganda. These children face multifaceted challenges in their lives including poverty, conflicts, poor health and lack of food, housing, sanitation, and education.
While there has been increased funding dedicated to OVC in recent years, policymakers and program implementers have limited information regarding the cost of programs to serve these children.
Life is extremely difficult for children who have been orphaned in Uganda. Part of Sub Saharan Africa, Uganda shares the issues that all of the other countries in that region face. In addition to extreme poverty and high incidences of malaria and AIDS, there is the ever-looming history of conflict in this part of Africa.
The country has experienced hardship in the past as thousands of children left their families to avoid abduction and recruitment into the Lord’s Resistance Army, acquiring for themselves the title of “Night Commuters.”
Despite Uganda’s history and extreme improvements over the years, Uganda still faces an orphan crisis. There is still an estimated 3.5 million children in Uganda who were orphaned due to either AIDS or violence. These children, at no fault of their own, face discrimination and are often marginalized because of the culture’s stigma that blames AIDS orphans of committing witchcraft or sorcery. Many live in extreme poverty, and as a result, many children are abandoned or are forced to work. Orphaned and abandoned children are extremely vulnerable to dangers such as trafficking, child labor, and abuse. These children rely on homes such as Mayambala Orphanage Center for immediate relief from the harsh realities they would otherwise face.”
The problem of orphans is serious in sub-Saharan Africa and has been increasing with the deaths of both parents from AIDS. A study of six districts of Uganda conducted in 1992 investigated the problem. Almost all the orphans are cared for by their extended family members who made the decisions to do so. It is recommended that more assistance be given to the family to enhance its capacity to cope with increased orphans expected in the future.
Excess mortality due to AIDS is causing the number of orphans and proportion of orphaned children in sub-Saharan Africa to grow daily. Uganda's 1991 population and housing census identified 1,037,228 children under age 18 years who had lost at least one parent, comprising 11.6% of all children in the same age group. 48,962 boys and 47,886 girls had lost both parents. Findings are presented from the analysis of survey data collected during 1992-93 in Iganga, Mbale, Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, and Hoima districts. There were 4502 orphans under age 18 years in the districts, for an overall orphanhood prevalence rate of 42.7%. Masaka had the highest rate at 64.0%, while Mbarara had the lowest at 21.9%. The average number of orphans per household in the sample was 2.8. Almost all of the orphans are being cared for by their extended family members. More help should be given to families to enable them to better cope with the increased number of orphans expected in the future..