26 GIRLS
11 DOUBLE ORPHANS
ORPHAN CRISIS IN UGANDA
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 Born Like Others for immediate relief from the harsh realities they would otherwise face.
BORN LIKE OTHERS
Founded in 2011 by 19 year old Ugandan Robert Twinomujun, Born like Others is a program that cares for the most vulnerable children and youth of Uganda. It’s registered under the name ‘Let’s Serve Christ Ministries’ which is a nonprofit Non-Governmental Organization. Today, Robert runs the organization with a supportive team and Board to ensure the best quality of care for all of the children served by the home.
Born Like Others currently provides for the needs of over 40 children at their full time residential home. This program also provides assistance with school fees, school supplies and clothing for an increasing number of needy children within the community.
Born Like Others takes on a holistic approach in their care for the children which includes housing, food, clothes, education, medical care and socialization to help them become well balanced members of the community. A core belief within their organization is that the holistic care goes beyond providing for our children’s basic needs. They aim to empower their children and build their confidence by helping them discover what they really enjoy, whether that be singing, dancing, or painting . The staff and volunteers support these skills, especially during the holiday programs and outings.
Serving Orphans Worldwide travels to every orphanage we partner with to ensure needs are legitimate and 100% of funds distributed goes to the livelihood of the children.
PROMINENT ISSUES
HIV/ AIDS
UNAIDS estimates that 1.4 million people in Uganda are living with HIV/AIDs, with 190,000 of them being children. They also reported that nearly 1.1 million children have been orphaned by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Uganda.
Armed Conflict
UNICEF estimates that nearly 20,000 children have been abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda in the past two decades. These children face unimaginable atrocities, forced to fight and work as slaves.
Destitution
For orphaned and abandoned children in Uganda, poverty makes them even more vulnerable to exploitation and disease.
HOME
Born Like Others, located in a suburban area, provides a comfortable space for the children to live and play. Potable water is accessible 24/7 on the property, so the children do not have to worry about water borne diseases on site.
EDUCATION
Born Like Others believes in the life changing power of education and ensures the children in their care have access to it. All the children attend private and public school and are equipped with tuition, uniforms and supplies.
FAITH
Born Like Others fosters an environment of love and restoration, seeing to the children’s spiritual needs as well. The children attend church every Sunday as well as participate in weekly devotionals.
HEALTH
The children go to a nearby hospital and clinic when a medical issue arises and receive health checkups as needed. They are provided with three nutritious meals a day to ensure optimal growth and development.
HELP RAISE SUPPORT TO FINISH THEIR NEW BUILDING THIS YEAR.
New Home for BLO – Uganda
$109,275 of $150,000 raised
Thank you for learning more about this Born Like Others fundraiser. We are very grateful for any support towards the completion of a new building in Uganda to build a permanent home for the children at Born Like Others. Up to this point we have used rented spaces to house the children. We have outgrown our existing space and finding a space large enough to house a large number of children is very challenging, if not impossible, to come by. In addition, the government has informed us that we will need to move to a larger space. It’s a very challenging time, and yet there is something very exciting about having more stability and a space to be more self-sustaining.
Our goal is to raise $150,000 USD which will allow us to own our own land and build a permanent home for the children. This past year, property has been purchased and construction has started thanks to your generous support already!
We anticipate the completed home will provide enough capacity to accommodate over 60 children and multiple staff with room to expand in the future. We also have plans for the property that include sustainable farming to provide a reliable food source for the children as well as chickens and other animals. Long term we envision opening a school for the children at Born Like Others and children in the local community.
I thank you and the children thank you for coming out to learn more about Born Like Others. Your support allows us to ensure a bright future for these vulnerable children.
Blessings, Robert
SPONSOR THIS HOME
SPONSOR BORN LIKE OTHERS – UGANDA
This year, we have a goal to help improve the quality of care for these amazing children, and we need your help. Your gift will help provide education, a safe home, health, and adult mentors who can share the Love of Christ. Our promise to you is that 100% will go directly to the home.