OUR Rescue Units & TEAM OF facilitators

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Bukedea K.I.D.S. is our “farthest-out” unit. Located some 70 miles from Kenya, but north of Iganga, it is every bit a 4 hour drive from Jinja where our in-country National Co-Director resides. At least monthly, all of our facilitators must travel to that location to deliver weekly reports, balance monthly expenditures, and receive funding to pay for school fees and materials, requisite meds,  (for example malaria, typhoid etc), food, clothing, shelter and other life-enhancing supplies for both orphan and care giver. 
All but one of our Rescue Units is without electrical power, so any needs for lighting, cell phone charging or other power requirements are gotten from either limited solar cells or, “done without”. Because most units are located essentially on the equator, sunrise and sunset are both consistent and predictable. Consequently, any kinds of outside chores requiring lights (like feeding chickens or goats or pigs (If that unit in fact has them) are done with candles or small kerosene lanterns. Small solar Luci-Lights continue to be a priority need for most of our orphans in this area, since both candles and kerosene represent no small expense. Average family daily income for Uganda is around $1.00 per day.

Iganga is located just 50 miles west of Kenya in the south central region of Uganda, Iganga K.I.D.S. is situated in a rather unique environment: it is located on the campus of SonShine Christian Secondary School. It is a 60 minute drive to the small town of Iganga along small, mostly unimproved roads that, during the rainy season, are nearly impassable to any vehicle other than  motor cycles. Kids, both orphan’s and students regularly must walk 5-10 miles each way to the facility. It is one of the most remote sites that we manage. It therefore presents unique challenges for our facilitators and care givers. While the normal transportation mode is “one step in front of the other," insuring that our orphan kids are being both seen and cared for is challenging. Perhaps more than anything else, a small bus was purchased to serve both orphans and students to improve both care and consistent attendance. Hopefully one day, we'll have a second or larger bus.

Kaliro K.I.D.S. resides in the Kamuli District of Uganda located half way between Lake Victoria (the worlds second largest body of fresh water…only Lake Superior is larger) and Lake Nakuwa (which is little more than a water reservoir used by bordering villages). It is some 35 miles north of Iganga where a “sister unit” and SonShine Christian Secondary are located. It’s topography, is very similar to most other units; land is farmed by the people in the region primarily for their own personal family needs. Rice, Maize, Cassava, Sweet Potatoes, Peanuts, and Sugar Cane are major crops grown to sustain life in this region, though other vegetables are also grown (if seeds can be purchased by the farmer for his family). 
Like most countries that rely heavily on local food production, Uganda is at the mercy of the weather. Under ideal conditions, two major growing seasons occur each year. However, much of Uganda, Kenya and S. Sudan are experiencing extreme drought conditions which is creating a famine crisis that has not been seen in decades. Because of shortages of rain, crops planted have failed on and off over the years and now with Covid lock downs, hardships for the people have multiplied. Very difficult decisions will have to be made relative to the funds sent to Uganda via our Orphan Sponsorship Program. While education is at the top of our priority list for children…if there is no food for survival, there is little need for school fees, pens, notebooks and school uniforms. With a Kids in Uganda theme  of “From desperation to hope," undoubtedly, PRAYER needs to be added to our slogan.

While each of our six Rescue Units are unique, Koboko perhaps represents the most challenges to our kids, and to our Facilitators/Care-Givers. Located directly on the Borders of Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, Koboko is a “hot-bed” of conflict due to active Civil Wars being conducted in these neighboring countries. Mostly tribal in nature, one thing remains a constant: those who suffer most are those who are most dependent: children. Kids in Uganda defines an orphan as a child who has lost either one or both parents. The causes are varied, but in areas like Koboko, Civil War plays a major role. At this writing, there are some 150,000 refugees located just inside the borders of Northwestern Uganda. Most are women and children; many husbands and fathers are either fighting in their homeland or are in fact deceased. With an increased demand on food, potable water and shelter, costs to survive there are on the increase affecting both resident and displaced personnel. Currently, there is scant indication that these neighboring conflicts will end anytime soon

Luuka District is bordered by Buyende District in the north, Kaliro District to the northeast, Iganga District to the southeast, Jinja District to the southwest and Kamuli District to the northwest. Our unit there is located approximately 33 kilometres (21 mi), by road, northwest of Iganga, the nearest large town. One could say Luuka is at the center of just about everything we do in Southeastern Uganda. It is supervised by Martin and Faith and their 3 children. You may be wondering why the 6 Rescue Units we manage are so far apart and why we don’t concentrate in one particular area which would doubtless make much of the work more efficient. The answer is really more strategic than perhaps thought.
While there are likely enough orphans in any given centralized region to care for some 1,000 plus, (each unit extends orphan sponsorship over a 100 square mile region; the 5 units in Southeast Uganda extends its influence over some 500 square miles). But, reaching into some areas a bit more than 5 miles from each unit…(especially with a school that has some students walking 10+ miles a day each way), and by connecting the outlying units in a semi-square pattern, we really have access and influence over some 3,000 square miles. In Matthew 28, Jesus commands his followers (then and now) to “go into ALL the world and make disciples of the nations”. Spreading our units apart strategically expands the influence of our students, our orphans and our unit facilitators. Our task is clear; make disciples of the nations, teaching them to do as Jesus himself commanded. Our priority is to provide education opportunities, and to care for orphans and widows as if they were our own children and parents. By actively serving the nation of Uganda, we earn the respect and right to proclaim the gospel message in both word and deed.

Currently we sponsor orphans who attend SonShine Christian High School who are from the Namutumba unit even though their Rescue Unit is not fuctioning at this time. We also provide them with medications. We look forward to our future partnership.