PROJECT TITLE: 
Hope For Vulnerable Children Ministry

LOCATION OF THE PROJECT:
Uganda, Africa
DISTRICT: Kasese
COUNTY: Busongora south

IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION:
 Hope Church Of Christ

PHYSICAL ADDRESS:
 Hope For Vulnerable Children Ministry
 P.O.Box 319 Kasese Uganda

EMAIL ADDRESS: hope4vulnerablechildrenministry@yahoo.com

At the beginning of 2002, some of the concerned men and women of the Hope Church of Christ carried out a quick situation analysis regarding the plight of orphans and other vulnerable people.  

Realizing that the orphan’s challenges were big, a decision was made to initiate “Hope For Vulnerable Children Ministry” by Hope Church Of Christ, So as to educate and treat them well. This is to advocate and lobby for the assistance of the orphans and other vulnerable people like people living with disabilities, women, and widows, people living with HIV/AIDS to offer assistance.

Some of the orphans and other vulnerable people’s challenges discovered and indicated that despite government efforts to integrate these people in the development process, orphans and other vulnerable people in Kasese District remained vulnerable to the pending of poverty, illiteracy and ignorance. These vulnerable people have experienced disasters ranging from civil wars, (ADF 1996-2002), cholera, malaria and HIV/AIDS. These calamities have claimed quite a number of people lives. Hence many orphans left. 

 Rukoki in Kasese town council in Busongora county found in Kasese district in the western part of Uganda is highly populated with many orphans and other vulnerable people where Hope For Vulnerable Children Ministry is located along the Kasese- fort-portal highway just on the foot hills of the Rwenzori Mountains. 

Kasese District would have been fair in economic development had it not experienced insurgency of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) which attacked the District from 1996 – 2002. As a result of the insurgency many people lost their lives and properties and the survivors about 50% of the population lived in protected camps. 

Now that peace has returned to the region, the district leadership with the support from the central government development partners and civil society organizations continue to support all innovations and projects for poverty eradication in the district. As much as government is trying to help orphans and other vulnerable people, the orphans are too many and suffering in terms of lacking basic needs that the Government cannot afford satisfying their needs all together. 

As a result, most of these vulnerable people have ended up being victims of HIV/AIDS, thieves, drug abuse, street children and more seriously, the fear that they may be hired to join rebel groups like ADF etc. 

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 PROBLEM STATEMENT

Kasese District has suffered a massive displacement in the settlement partners. This was caused by the ADF armed conflict, which swept off the District from 1996-2002.  There were frequent troop movements in the area who developed sexual relationships with most people leaving their lives endangered. Also redundancy precipitated most people particularly the youth to include them selves in sexual promiscuity that exposed them to contracting HIV/AIDS hence many orphans and other vulnerable people. Other calamities that led to many orphans and other vulnerable people include among others; frequent cholera out break, malaria fever in the District that has killed many people leaving many orphans helpless.

As a result, most of the children became unruly and independent from their guardians because they missed parental guidance in different aspects of life.  Many of these children have indulged in immoral acts such as drug abuse, early marriages, which have resulted into the contraction of HIV/AIDS. 

The Universal Primary education (UPE) programme, which is being implemented by the Government of Uganda to provide basic education to all age undergoing school children. However, other social funds requested at UPE Schools like, construction funds are still a failure for orphans and other vulnerable people to attain education.  This necessitated the well to do parents and guardians to have better access to UPE schools.  Thus needy children have had no chances of this programme and have been left there to suffer locally. That is why the “Hope Church Of Christ” came out with an idea of initiating a nursery and primary school for the orphans and other vulnerable children to address their problems. 

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          VISION:

To preach a complete gospel of Jesus Christ, which will care for the spiritual, health, physical and emotional needs of the people in our community and beyond, be a leading education and sustainable development service provider.

(a)               Man has a need to know Jesus Christ and accept Him as a personal savior

(b)               Man has a need to live a healthy live.

(c)               Man has a need to have shelter, food, education and clothing.

(d)               Man has a need to have a good relationship with God and others in the community.

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         MISSION:

To win many souls to Jesus Christ and help them achieve the increased household incomes that would lead to access of social services, so that they may prosper in all things and be in health just as soul prospers as they prepare to do what God called them for.

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PLANNED PROCESS:

The planning for the year 2008 – 2013 undertook a long process, which began right from the community level, local churches to the head office of Hope For Vulnerable Children Ministry.

The steps taken include, village constitution, local church consultation followed by District or Community meetings and last by the executive of Hope For Vulnerable Children Ministry, planning team which merged all Districts and community working groups plan into Hope For Vulnerable Children ministry five years rolling development plan. 

The plans in churches grouped together, then at the head office were documented after discussion and were approved by respective councils.

The implementation of Hope For Vulnerable Children Ministry activities and projects are based on Hope For Vulnerable Children Ministry for five years rolling development plan, which is a legal requirement by all Hope Church Of Christ Churches.

This shall be in line with accessing donor funds and programs as well as a location of the sources to the community as a whole. The intention of documentation of this plan therefore is to have a guide for proper location of resources and implementation of organizations and Government activities.  Different stakeholders have taken part in the development of this plan including the born again Christian community and the Non-Christians, marginalized groups, a song on the objectives started below.

HOPE FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN MINISTRY PROFILE:

Hope For Vulnerable Children Ministry is a Christian NGO which a Non-profit making organization with CBO. Certificate No. 365 CBO.

ORGANIZATION PROPERTY:

Wherever derived shall be used salary for the promotion of the organization objectives as shown below.

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FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY:

Hope For Vulnerable Children ministry executive committee sets guidelines to be followed and will administer the funds and oversight the projects. The project director is the overall accounting officer of the organization assisted by projects officers. The project director will help the executive to see the goals are scored. Finances before given out shall be in hands of the treasurer, later on it shall be handed over to the project director who will implement projects.

STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE SITUATIONS:

These programs shall be emphasized in the community where projects shall be established.

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GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION:

Kasese town is located in the western part of Uganda, lying of lake George. It originally grew around the copper mine in Kilembe, while attention later turned to Cobalt mining.  The town lies at the western end of the Uganda railway to Kampala and Tororo and it’s also a home to an airport. The city is known for its nightlife and lies near the Rwenzori Mountain and Queen Elizabeth National Park and it is also the chief town of Kasese District. It borders districts of Kabarole District and Bundibugyo District in the North, lake George and Kamwenge District in the East, Lake Edward and Bushenyi District in the South and Democratic Republic Of Congo in the West. It lies between latitude 0⁰ 12S and 0⁰ 12N, longitudes 29⁰ 42E and 30⁰ degrees 18W.

RAINFALL.

There are two major rainy seasons throughout the year with an average rainfall ranging between 9000 - 1600MM annually between March to May and August to November. The temperatures are usually high ranging between 23⁰ C and 30⁰ C as a result of the equator that passes the Southern part of the District.

INHABITANTS:

Kasese District has an approximate population of 890000 people. It is a multi-ethnic District with many different ethnic backgrounds.   The Bakonzo dominate the area. The other includes, Batoro, Basongora, Banyankole, Bakiga and some distinctive Northerners that came during the mining period among others.   Lhukonzo is the dominant language used. However, some other languages like kiswahili, Lutoro, Luganda, English and French mixed with some Lingala due to the Congolese interactions are used.    

VEGETATION:

The vegetation includes thicket grasslands and other physical and artificial features such as rivers and mountains among others.

 ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES:

Kasese is endowed with a variety of social economic resources that is minerals such as salt in Lake Katwe, Copper in Kilembe, Cobalt in Kamaiba, Cement in Hima and Lime in Muhokya among others. Despite all these, Kasese is predominantly agriculture relying on farming for employment and income. Cash crops, food crops and livestock are all practiced at small and large scale. Cash crops in the area include cotton and coffee; food crops include cassava, Bananas, maize and beans among others while livestock includes, goats, cattle, pigs, sheep and poultry among others. Fishing is also common as given the number of lakes and rivers in the area. Agriculture and trade are the major activities in Kasese District.

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CHRISTIANITY:

Hope for Vulnerable children Ministry realized a need to reach the community with a gospel of salvation in a holistic way that will bring transformation in changing the spiritual and social economic problems such as poverty, diseases (Malaria, HIV/AIDS etc.) ignorance, street children, alcoholism, drug abuse, pornography, sexual promiscuity and other unchristian practices like ancestral worship, child abuse, earlier marriages for girl child, orphans among others. Hence calling to save the love and passion of our master and savior Jesus Christ to our community and have realized a need to share the gospel of good new in a holistic way. Due to the stated problems, the traumatized, the helpless, the rejected, the wounded, the depressed and the broken hearted tend to reject the love of God. Hence a need to reach these people through evangelism. Due to poor conditions they live in, the community members cannot support they pastor who have a burden to preach to the next villages. The high levels of illiteracy in the village are a challenge hence pastors need training because many lack theological education, so seminars and crusades are helpful to such villages.

The number of families with formal education in all Districts in the western part of Uganda is the ones doing well in education. But the ones from poor families, which are the majority, are failing due to the economy, which is not favoring the poor. Parents have no income yet school fees are increasing. Even universal primary education is not free as this started. The born again Christians population in these Districts are poorest groups in the community hence a concern for education. Some of the potters stopped in lower primary while others have never steps in lower primary schools. The churches to these potters serve are unable to serve these potters hence are they are unable to support their children’s education.

 4. FOOD SECURITY.

Most households in the western part of Uganda are vulnerable to food security compared to their sister Districts where they grow cereal crops, which can be preserved for good months. However, the annual crop yields depend on the labor force at household level, convenience of weather conditions per season, good health of farmers and reverse of all the above-mentioned ways lead to food insecurity.  

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PROGRAMS OF THE ORGANIZATION:

1. NUTRITION

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    2. POOR HEALTH

Malaria and other killer diseases cause frequent sickness among the community members to almost 90% of the sick people. This displaces sick people, therefore reducing household labor force inputs leading to reduced yield, poor health due to poor nutrition.

    3. REDUCED SOIL FERTILITY

This has been limited for instance deep in the villages of Kasese District and some parts where the few farmers who have been involved practice poor farming types, cannot attract the business men from big towns. Also due to poor roads, it is not easy to attract buyers.

PROJECTS SUSTAINABILITY

Hope For Vulnerable Children Ministry will work with other development organizations in provision organizational, technical as well as financial support. However; the emphasize of partnership will be focused on developing the organizational capacity building to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate activities that leads to environmental management and sustainable development.

This with the effective organizational set up in place, the Hope For Vulnerable Children Ministry will utilize such capacity to net work, mobilize resources and fundraise else where for continued existence; as other development organizations (NGOS/CBOS) fund the project for the capacity building as far as construction of the project premises, payments of salaries and other programs in the institutions are concerned. 

The skills given to these children will be self-sustainable

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SPECIFIC AND RELEVANT INFORMATION THAT LED TO IDENTIFICATION OF PRIORITY PROJECTS.

-         There were several factors put into consideration in identifying projects as follows:-

-         A call to preach a complete gospel of Jesus Christ, which care for spiritual, physical and emotional needs of the people.

-         Frequent sickness and death among the people especially due to malarial and HIV/AIDS epidemic.

-          Increased number of orphans and vulnerable children as a result of killer diseases such as HIV/AIDS, who need education counseling and rehabilitation.

-         A lot of broken and wounded families, social immoral and self-rejection within the community.

-         Reduced people income at household levels.

-         Crop and animal production yields decline seen from increase insecurity at household level.

-         Realized high levels of illiteracy in adults and elderly were a big concern and a benchmark for selection of projects that would address people needs basing on the strength and opportunities they are endowed.

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The project will be to care for orphans and vulnerable people; the project area will be in Kasese District in the western part of Uganda.

The objectives of the project are:

The proposed project implementation will be five years April 2008-2013 and shall be renewable. The project will be accomplished through trainings, caring for children’s fees and spiritual needs. The project is undertaken to improve the economic social and spiritual lives of the community.

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EXPECTED OUT COME.

Ø      1500 children will be accessed with formal education.

Ø      The level of illiteracy in the western Uganda will be reduced.

Ø      Children involved will be healed from traumatic pain caused by the death of their parents and the suffering they have passed through.

Ø      Children will receive salvation and the love of God.

Ø      The rate of people infected by HIV/AIDS will be reduced.

Ø      There will be improved nutrition status amongst the children and their families.

Ø      Improved household incomes.

Ø      There will be maintenance of soil fertility and prevention of soil erosion.

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PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY STUDY.

During our Gospel outreach mission as well as door-to-door evangelism, we identified that there were many orphans and other vulnerable people left out by parents who died due to war insurgency, HIV/AIDS and other killer diseases like, Malaria and cancer.  They were not catered for their education and other needs like, food, shelter, medical care and clothing.

Through our community based training workshops, people identified provision of education support as the best way of helping such kind of helpless children who cannot support themselves.

It was realized and appreciated that Kasese District is blessed with talented and clever children who would become useful to the nation. Also those children can help in a measure of preventing such killer diseases through performing music, dance and drama. 

However, the prevalence of poverty, illiteracy and lack of care has caused many of them to become street children.

It is therefore believed that a church as a family of God can extend the love of God, to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to these children that will care for their spiritual health, physical, mental and emotional needs. And this will eventually help to improve on their living standard of the community as a whole.

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ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT.

The existing structures (staff, children, welfare office, children Sunday school, youth choir, youth outreach team and executive committee) will mobilize and sensitize children about the projects objectives. The children will be organized into groups and two groups will be formed at the start, which includes nursery section and primary section.

The projects coordinator will be at the forefront of projects implementation until the steering committee capacity is fully built through trainings.

The performance of the first beneficiaries will be used as a basis for subsequent interventions.

IMPLEMENTING METHODOLOGY:

§         Hope for Vulnerable Children Ministry shall establish a status for recruitment and registration.

§         Mobilize and sensitize the guardians and parents to form active groups.

§         Training will be done in counseling, voluntary testing, biblical knowledge skills development, performing music, dance and drama.  

§         There will be participatory approach. Both community members and Hope For Vulnerable Children Ministry staff will work hand in hand to achieve the objectives of the projects. This will be through establishment of one demonstration school.

§         Procure and give assistance to beneficiaries children. The most active group of guardians and parents will select trusted members who will represent parents in forming a steering committee to work together with administration of the projects. The management and performance of the first beneficiaries will determine the continuity of the projects. 

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WORK PLAN 2008-2013
See chart

ASSUMPTIONS AND RISKS

·        Opportunities that will encourage participatory approach

·        Support from the District education officials and community leaders

·        Political good will and support from Government, District and local council levels.

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MONITORING AND EVALUATION

The executive committee members will frequently monitor the projects. However, it is expected that each project stakeholder will monitor he/her activities and report monthly to the executive committee.

Stakeholders and committee members will do evaluation once every year. But partner organizations, personnel or officials will be welcome to visit the projects and assess the performance and impact on spot whenever they feel like.  

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT POOR AFRICAN CHILDREN.

VOICE OF STREET CHILDREN - WHY ARE CHILDREN ON THE STREET

Here in Africa mostly Uganda many people produce children and dump them along side the roads, around pits/holes, latrines, market places and around banks of the river this is why you find children suffering and begging around streets, for this reason the Government fails to bring them together because they are many

-         Horrors of previous wars and insurgence in conflict areas.

-         Separated families and child abandonment

-         Loss of parents guardians, close relative. Poverty and deprivation of basic survival needs

-         Increased pressure on parents and children to earn a living

-         Lack of positive parenting and a caring community

-         Discrimination, insecurity, physical, mental, sexual abuse and child labor at the hand of their family community and society.

-         An inadequate system for child protection, welfare and family guidance.

-         These children share the leftovers with dogs, cats, flies and the long beaked karoli

-         They have no home to turn to mother or father to care. There is no where they can lay their heads when night falls.

-         When it rains they are soaked like a boat

-         Police always beat them along the street ruthlessly.

-         Their wounds attract no sympathy

-         They are rejected and lonely

-         They are insure ob streets around the town

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ANSWER

We can’t ignore the plight of the street children any more. Its time to accept our responsibility as a caring community and work to make a positive change in the lives of street children. Each one of us has a role to play.

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CHALLENGES ON THE STREET

-         Lack of food

-         Lack of shelter

-         Lack of clothing

-         Lack of education

-         Living in fear

-         Lack of friends and relatives

-         Lack of medical care

-         No love and care

-         Exploitation

-         Conflict with law enforcers

-         Sexual abuse and defilement

-         Begging around streets

-         Abuse from community.

Today the very fast pace of HIV/AIDS scourge has ushered in trauma, stigma leaving many people, especially the elderly breaking down with stress and pressure of the increasing burden of proving for their children, relative and other dependants orphaned by HIV/AIDS. As a church we have taken a responsibility to care and look after an orphan.