Who are you trying to help? What issue are you trying to address?

Hope Children’s Centre is a rural community initiated educational institution established in 1994 by the community Bukasa Parish on realization of the growing number of helpless children who had no help and future assured education as most of them were regarded to be with no value at all in their families.

The centre offers formal and vocational / technical education to orphans and vulnerable disadvantaged children.

Hope Children’s Centre has 553 children. It should therefore be noted that the centre was created through community mobilization on a self joint venture and was able to put up temporary structures which to date have turned to permanent ones after the community’s concerted efforts. The community has therefore been involved from the onset and has greatly contributed to the development of the centre through provision of locally available materials.

What is your project and how will it help?

Hope Children’s Centre offers education to 553 children who are mainly orphans and is home to some of the most marginalized segment in terms of access to education and basic services.

Although a lot has been achieved over the past years in areas of skills acquisition in formal and informal education, water, hygiene and sanitation for the current limited intake, malaria prevalence at the centre is the greatest emergency obstacle.

According to a recent report from the World Health Organization, Uganda has the world’s highest malaria incidence, with a rate of 478 cases per 1,000 population per year. Malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Uganda and is responsible for up to 40% of all outpatient visits, 25% of all hospital admissions and 14% of all hospital deaths (Uganda Ministry of Health). The overall malaria-specific mortality is estimated to be between 70,000 and 100,000 child deaths annually in Uganda, a death toll that far exceeds that of HIV/AIDS. A 1995 Burden of Disease study indicated that 15% of life years lost to premature death was due to malaria and that families spend 25% of their income on malaria (Uganda Ministry of Health). Poor school performance and absenteeism due to malaria reduce chances of escaping from poverty.

In light of the above better health through better care and prevention of malaria prevalence at Hope Children’s Centre can be achieved through provision of insecticide-treated mosquito nets to 553 orphans and vulnerable children.

How can other people partner with you on your project?

Other people can partner with Hope Children’s Centre through donations and giving references, making recommendations globally.

Please detail the resources that you need.

1 mosquito net costs UGX 14,500 (US$ 6)

Total = UGX 8,018,500 (US$ 3,200)