Uganda

Although known as the "Pearl of Africa", Uganda is one of the poorest counties in the world. Ugandans live with a legacy of genocide and abuse, perpetrated by its own native leaders as well as colonial powers.

Just as the nation was recovering from the violent horror of Idi Amin's blood-soaked regime (1971-1979) that ended in a period of guerrilla warfare, the HIV/AIDS pandemic struck a whole generation of adults in the early 1980s. Today there are an estimated 1.3M orphans living in poverty and want.

In the region of the Namadhi Orphanage 89% of the population is illiterate. Only 8% of Ugandans have access to electricity: those living in Kampala, Jinja or Iganga, all the rest of the population use paraffin lamps if they can afford them and cook over wood fires outside. Very few have running water, most have to walk to fetch water in plastic Jerry cans.

In 2010/1 Uganda suffered a long drought. The water butts never filled up and so our children at Namadhi have had, once more, to walk 4KM daily to get polluted water from Lake Victoria.

Although their suffering is thousands of miles away, we are making a difference. Our prayers, encouragement and love bring hope of a better future to the children.

To be a part of Hands of Love, please sponsor a child or provide a Gift of Love.