“It’s not about how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.”
- Mother Theresa
Why Choose Us?
Education is vital in fighting poverty in Uganda. Without an education, it is very hard to get a job. Many children at the Project have parents who weren’t lucky enough to receive an education and cannot find jobs. Sadly, they are suffering for it as they don’t have access to sufficient food, clean water, and health care.
It’s not unusual to find children in the village suffering indefinitely from dangerous and progressive illnesses due to their families’ inability to afford any medical care. In Uganda, most medical clinics will refuse to treat you if you can’t pay for your treatment upfront. These families have to farm their own food, get their drinking water from a river which makes them sick, and commonly die from various treatable/preventable illnesses. We asked Bruno why families don’t boil the water from the river and he said it is because they aren’t taught that it is important and that, culturally, they don’t mind it.
Most families live in impermanent mud houses that become damaged by rain, they sleep on dirt floors, and often only eat one meal a day - including the children. Many students at the Project still live with their families in the village and they’ve reported that one of the biggest contributors to their bad days is going hungry at home. These children might only have a few articles of clothing, of which are very old, dirty, and/or torn. Additionally, the stress of poverty often causes a myriad of dysfunction within family units. Parents often view their children as burdens and neglect or mistreat them. Sadly, many children are very afraid of their parents.
In Uganda, girls who are unable to attend school due to unaffordable school fees, or other reasons, are more likely to be given up by their families. This either forces the daughter into an early marriage or to try to find a job in an already suffering economy. The choice between the two is up to the parents. While early marriages are illegal, they are dishearteningly common - as is neglect in general. Girls forced into early marriages can be as young as 14 years old and typically, once married, they lose their ability to ever earn an education again. The biggest motivators for parents who force this are the dowries they would receive in exchange and the relief of the financial burden of supporting their daughters. While sometimes these parents aren’t caring for their daughters (sadly, this is common), other times this happens because they are truly just too poor to support them anymore. Bruno says being forced into early marriages makes girls very sad and feel very betrayed by their parents. They are usually compelled into sexual activity with their husbands - whether or not they are physically matured - which poses potentially severe health consequences for them. They are also more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth, more susceptible to sexual abuse and domestic violence, and are at a higher risk of being divorced by their husbands. On the other hand, if a girl were forced to get a job, she would still not be allowed to live at home anymore. The jobs available to these girls sometimes provide them with food and a place to live, but they either pay very little or don’t pay at all.
This cycle of poverty only continues as the children born to these situations face the same obstacles. These are all things that are happening in Uganda RIGHT NOW. Providing free education is one of the most powerful tools to combat them. Additionally, the Project offers free food and medical care for their students which relieves families enormously of the financial struggle to provide these things for their children.
Children’s Transformations
The images below are, frankly, hard to look at. Please view them at your own discretion. We felt it was important to offer just a small glimpse into the struggles children in Uganda face. Bruno, at times, gets the opportunity to help other local children and families - thanks to the supporters of The Kafunjo Community Project. Your support has saved many lives.
Jonathan
Below is a baby named Jonathan. Bruno stumbled upon his family and found them to be struggling tremendously. Their house was falling apart and there were several sick children who were suffering greatly - of whom the parents couldn’t afford medical care for. Jonathan was one of them. He didn’t have adequate clothing and suffered from malnourishment, poor hygiene, and severe malaria. He spent many days without sleep because he was in so much pain. Jonathan’s parents had said that, prior to Bruno paying for his medical care, they were just waiting for him to die. Thanks to Bruno and his supporters, Jonathan was treated and had a full turn around. Bruno also helped to rebuild a more permanent home for this family.
The first picture shows the condition Jonathan was in when Bruno first found him, the middle photo is after starting treatment, and the last is of Jonathan almost fully recovered. Also, here is a link to a video of Jonathan when he first started smiling again:
Jonathan Smiling
Isaac
The first and middle photos show the badly infected feet of a four year old little boy named Isaac. As shown in the first video link below, Isaac had a terrible limp whenever he walked. His parents, unfortunately, were never able to afford to take him to a clinic for treatment. It was heartbreaking. Thankfully, Bruno was able to step in and pay for the necessary treatment and Isaac’s feet fully healed. Prior to this treatment, he would walk around wincing. Post treatment, Isaac was smiling again and walking with ease (see last photo).
I am also including links to videos of Isaac before and after treatment below:
Emmanuel
This boy’s name is Emmanuel and he was 14 years old at the time these pictures were taken. He was brand new to the Project. When he arrived, he had already been suffering from a bone infection (Osteomyelitis) on his arm for six years. Sadly, his family also couldn’t afford to take him to a doctor for an evaluation or treatment. The entire six years Emmanuel had this infection, he was in so much pain and was nothing short of miserable. Bruno said he never smiled. Additionally, due to the extent of his pain, Emmanuel’s education had come to a complete stop. Thankfully, again with the help of donors, Bruno was able to take Emmanuel to the hospital where he received two life saving surgeries. He is doing so well now, is no longer in pain, smiles often, and is so grateful for his life. He has since joined the Project where he is receiving free food, medical care, and is continuing his education once again! Bruno says he is finally able to be a kid again.
The first picture shows the state of Emmanuel’s infection when he first arrived at the orphanage, the second picture is of many days post surgeries - his smile says it all, and the last picture is after a full recovery.
Anatori
This boy’s name is Anatori. Similar to Emmanuel’s story above, he had been suffering for 9 years (more than half his life) with a debilitating bone infection, Osteomyelitis, on his leg. He was found living with his family in the village in this condition. His parents were too poor to ever take him to the doctor. He was miserable, in excruciating pain, and was believed to die soon. He never smiled and the suffering he had been experiencing was etched all over his face. The sponsors of the Project came together and allowed him to receive a life-saving operation in early 2021. He has since completely recovered and is so incredibly happy to be alive and well. Anatori joined the Project for a couple years following his recovery and Bruno said he had blossomed into a very sweet and funny boy who smiled all the time.
The first picture is of Anatori’s leg prior to his operation, the second photo is while he was recovering at the hospital post operation, and the last photo is of him almost completely recovered.
Meet Rachel!
Rachel’s home is at the orphanage at The Kafunjo Community Project. However, she is currently attending a nearby secondary school to further her education. Rachel says the Project has taught her life skills and supplies her with everything she needs. She says being a girl in Uganda is very difficult because girls often deal with neglect from their families and a lack in education. Lastly she shared that had the Project not existed, she would have either been forced into an early marriage or would have had to get a job as a house maid - or something similar - that pays insufficiently or not at all.