The lives of orphans & widows in Uganda, Africa

 

Orphans are typically just holding their head above the survival line. They either live on the street, with another family, or with a widow. The typical orphan goes barefoot ( as do a large percentage of children ), has 1 pair of dirty, ripped clothing, and maybe a school uniform if they are lucky enough to be in school.

 

Where orphans are taken in by another family or relative - they are often last in line for food - clothing - school. Most of the time they receive very little of these basics. Many will already be infected with Aids.

 

Widows carry the dual burden of supporting many children and the scorn and loneliness of having a spouse having died of Aids. This is accompanied by anger at the infidelity and very often the widow contracted aids from their spouse prior to their death.

 

Widows will not usually be married again unless they belong to a church and the members testify to her healing. The widows must find a way daily to provide food and shelter for their children and usually someone else's children.

To then find clothing, a job, and educate their children almost becomes an insurmountable obstacle.

 

These widows are shamed and persecuted daily by both men and women. Many have to fight this battle while they are fighting aids in their own body. There are many aids-free widows in their 70's taking care of 5-15 orphan children who must also farm for sustenance.

 

These cause and effect statements mentioned herein were personally witnessed by me in October 2002 during my mission trip.

Sincerely,
Mark S Disbrow

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Accountability

I have personally visited these ministries and witnessed their activities as reported below. This was during October 2002.

Bringing Hope To The Family / KaihuraFullGospel.org

Activities: Supports orphans, widows suffering from Aids or having lost relatives due to aids with clothing, food, medicine. Training orphans and widows in tailoring. I personally visited a number of the orphans and widows in their huts in the jungle. I witnessed the living conditions and home settings.
Financial Integrity: Very high. Very little money is lost to admin or facilities and expenses. Staff is full time and supported by faith donations.
Facilities: Spartan. 1 home / office in Kampala and small office and training center in the village. Most residential care is done in relative or friends home.


Makerere Full Gospel Church

Activities: Large church and bible college.
Financial Integrity: High. Money is not spent on lavish items and is spent only when raised.
Facilities: Church with expansion partially completed but in use. Bible college is operating. Much care has gone into long term planning.


Busoga Churches of Christ

Activities: Innovative ministry. They operate a coffee shop and internet cafe as a ministry to draw in tourists, locals, and serve pastors. They conduct a bible school and church as well as act as a regional headquarters for the Busoga area Churches of Christ. They are training many leaders in the area and having a large impact.
Financial Integrity: High to Very High. They benefit from having outside supported missionaries working full time on staff. Many of the activities support themselves financially.
Facilities: Front of the building is an internet cafe and coffee shop while the rear is a church meeting room with classrooms and apartments.


Vic View High School

Activities: Primary Educational school run as ministry supporting many orphans in the area. Levels P1 - P7. They run a boarding school as well as a day school. Evangelism.
Financial Integrity: Very high. They have been supported by contributors and the community in innovative ways. They are very hands on in making things happen with little money. They have included income generating activities such as a wood lot. I personally visited their wood lot and met some of the orphans and widows in their homes as well as visiting the school and observing the teachers. I heard personally testimony from local government officials praising the school.
Facilities: Reasonable and suitable. They are in need of expanded facilities due to growth and in features such as water storage tanks.

 

Bethesda International - Shalom House

Activities: Orphanage for aids affected children. Evangelism.
Financial Integrity: High. They do not appear to waste money on unnecessary expenses and receive much free help. I met many of the children that are being cared for on site. I did not meet any of the off site children. They do not have any paid staff in my observation. I stayed in the home for 3 nights.
Facilities: The children are provided a modest home to live in. It is crowded but suitable. It is reasonably healthy and sanitary.

Busoga Development Association

Activities: Care and treatment of aids orphans, widows, infected patients. Community education and infrastructure improvements. Financial assistance for schooling of many orphans. Community mobilization. Evangelism.
Financial Integrity: Very Very High. They have a highly trained dedicated volunteer team of 8 people. Each one is skilled in a unique area. Funds are donated by the team, outside donors, and the community itself. They get much leverage with the funds. I visited their office and many homes of aids orphans, widows, and infected patients. I visited and many of the orphans at their schools. I visited many of their community improvement projects such as the spring protection project, school building construction, and water tank projects.
Facilities: Small office. Most work is done in the field.

El Shaddai World Ministries

Activities: Church, church planting, medical clinics
Financial Integrity: High. I visited the church and the pastors home. Did not note any extravagences or improper use of money.
Facilities: Basic concrete and brick meeting structure.

AOET - UGANDA

Activities: Core activity is supporting the aids orphan. Many related activities are carried out since they support the orphans. A small primary school has been started in addition to paying school fees for many orphans. A computer and tailoring school is operated from their office for the aids widows to gain skills. A pharmacy and mobile medical clinic is onsite. A music ministry outreach is used for fundraising and awareness. A community based outreach into the villages serving the aids orphans, widows, infected patients. Community education. Many innovative programs.
Financial Integrity: High. The organization is the most professionally run I've seen in Uganda. They have great vision and management. They strive to create self sustaining programs and people. They successfully conduct income generating activities. High standard of living was noted for management. No inquiry made on how that was achieved. The organization appeared to making a large impact. I visited and toured the administration and training office, and the primary school. I did not visit the village homes.
Facilities: Professional yet not extravagant. They have every corner being used and much of their work is mobile in the villages.

Busia Full Gospel Church / End Time Ministries

Activities: Church, ministry to aids widows, street children, aids orphans, outreach to other churches.
Financial Integrity: Very High. Well managed and effective. Making due with spartan facilities yet being effective. Very efficient use of funds.
Facilities: Tin roof open walled church with dirt floor and benches.

Christian Unity Fellowship

Activities: Church, school, orphan assistance, local pastors association.

Financial Integrity: Very High. Expenses are made out of money directly raised or contributed materials and labor. Far sighted purchase of land provided much land at extremely low prices. I inspected their school / church, church under construction, and vacant plot for future school. I stayed in pastors home for 3 nights. I met a significant number of the local pastors and leaders in the minister association. I attended the church service.

Facilities: Small meeting room in downtown Kigali, small tin roofed hut high up a dirt road on Mt. Kigali for the mixed use of school and church. The church under construction is solidly built with bricks.