News Archive 2009

This month our Site Visitor, Bertha Chieng (photo: left), visited the sewing school in the Kibera Slums run by one of our Kenyan partners, Young People of Purpose. YPP operates in a high-risk environment and OFA has provided funding to help set up this initiative.

"I was at the slum area of Kibera. Most of the houses in Kibera were burnt to ashes by the angry youths... The situation was so bad, there was no food. I saw business premises and houses being burnt. The situation is now better because we can walk and do our normal daily duties. Praise God I passed my tailoring exam. My prayer is that as I continue with my course at YPP, I will be able to get a sewing machine of my own to start my own business."

H., Kibera Slum (after post-election violence)

Our Child Sponsorship Program links individuals and families in the USA and around the world with orphaned children being cared for by our partner organizations in Africa. Three of our partners have now reached our goal of having 10% of the children in their care matched with child sponsors. Limited though this is, the resulting funds are providing food to feed all of the children in these partners orphanages 2-3 meals a day - truly a miracle of blessing! This means that 278 children are now eating regular meals. On behalf of our partners we would like to say thank you to all our sponsors! For more details, see our child sponsorship page.

In a step of faith, Orphans for Christ in Africa has moved into a new facility in Tororo which will house their planned Children's Center and School, as well as the relocated Tororo Computer Training Center. The project will focus on orphans and destitute children aged 3-11 from the Tororo area, who have no homes to live in or adults to care for them. Anthony Onyango Yakobo, OCA's Executive Director, describes the center as "a safe and secure living and learning environment for the children where they will receive love, care and genuine support, have their needs met, attend school and build self esteem".

OCA's new center will offer housing, bedding and at least 3 meals each day as well as nursery and primary school education to an initial 50 orphaned children. It will also be equipped to provide medical care, recreational and sports programs, spiritual teaching, life skills training, counseling, care and support to the children.

On April 25th, Young People of Purpose hosted an event for 259 widows and orphaned children. They gave basic HIV/AIDS training to attendees and were also able to provide a meal (despite initial concerns that there was not going to be enough food for everyone!) and hand out clothing. A number of trees were also planted in an effort to conserve stocks and encourage a sustainable approach to the making and selling of charcoal – an enterprise that provides for the livelihood of nearby villagers.

In other news, Orphanages for Africa would like to welcome two new volunteers! Jacqui Jo Fahrnow, Child Sponsorship Coordinator, and Stephanie Jordan, Administration Assistant, will both be volunteering for all three charities.

Kenya and Uganda are facing an escalating food shortage and famine conditions. The demand for food has increased as a result of wars in neighboring nations (Sudan, Somalia, and Democratic Republic of the Congo). In the West Nile District of Moyo, Uganda, many people are surviving on raw mangoes. "Our worry is that the mango season is running out and what next for the people, no one knows!" said Dr Thomas Anyanzo, Moyo District Coordinator. Many of our partners in Kenya and Uganda are really struggling. Please join us as we pray for them and the children to whom they minister - for God's provision during these difficulties and for good harvests. We are thankful that our Child Sponsorship Program is able to provide food at this time for the children at CHSG (Kenya).

Shelter for Orphans Ministries, our partner in Zambia, are planning to open a new school next month. The school will offer free education, in a country where many cannot afford the fees to attend school. "Our vision is to establish a school which would be able to provide an opportunity for orphans and vulnerable children to acquire education for a better future life. We strongly believe that without education, it is not so easy for a person to prosper in life, as education is the key which unlocks a number of opportunities." says Rev Lewis Chiwaya, Executive Director of Shelter for Orphans Ministries.

SOM have rented a building (right) and are renovating it with the help of funds provided by OFA. The school will initially be staffed by volunteers and aims to provide 30 places offering education at pre-school level. Pupils will also be given a meal as many come to school on an empty stomach. In the future, SOM hope to expand the school and offer classes for Grades 1 through 12.

Law and Joy Primary School (LJPS), one of our Ugandan partners, has started a microenterprise business to grind maize. Income generated by the project will be used to provide for the orphans at LJPS. OFA-USA sent a start-up grant for the business in June and LJPS received their first profits this month. According to LJPS Headmaster, Lawrence Kimuli, business has been good. Join us in giving thanks to God for this initiative as we pray for its continued success. The income generated so far has been spent on food for the orphans at the school.

Our partner in Sierra Leone (identity kept confidential due to religious persection in that nation) has started a rice and groundnut farming project to help provide for the orphans in their care. The photo to the right shows some of the children weeding their new groundnut garden. Our partner also runs a goat rearing business, the profits from which they use to pay school fees for the orphans. Please pray for both these initiatives as they fulfill a vital purpose in meeting our partner's needs and at the same time giving dignity and a positive example to the children.

Orphans for Christ in Africa are expanding their Kampala and Tororo facilities. Our partner has three initiatives that focus on teaching orphaned children new ICT skills.

Kampala Computer Center
OCA has started a new class with 25 students this month. The group will be completing their course in mid December. Future plans for the Kampala Center include relocating to more spacious premises so as to enable the program to expand and start an Internet café.

African Child in Need Center Weekend Computer Training
This initiative provides care to children in one of Kampala's poorest slums. OCA provides ICT training to 12 former street boys from the African Child in Need Center. The program runs at the weekends when the boys are not in regular school.

Tororo Computer Center
A new class with 20 students was set up this month, also planning to complete in mid December. OCA hopes to set up an Internet café alongside their computer training facility that will generate additional revenue to support the project and meet other needs.

Join us as we thank and praise God that one of our partners in Uganda, Law and Joy Primary School, currently has enough food to eat, despite the ongoing famine in Uganda.

In other news this month, OFA-USA has passed a financial review of its 2008 records by a Certified Public Accountant. 90% of all targeted donations are sent to the respective programs in Africa with 10% used for administration.

With the opening of its primary school last August, SOM has ended its Street Outreach Program and will now focus on the sixty children, aged between three and seven, attending the school. The building was renovated and supplies purchased with the help of funds from OFA in the UK and USA. The school offers nursery, pre-school and reception classes covering a range of subjects.

Many of the young people SOM has worked with through its Street Outreach Program over the past few years have now grown up and are able to take care of themselves. We thank God for the difference SOM has made in their lives.

Students at Young People of Purpose Community Center's Tailoring School were able to sit government trade exams due to funding provided by OFA. All the students entered successfully passed the examinations. These qualifications will enable them to seek employment in the tailoring trade.