A sustainable development project.
|
|
HISTORY AND MISSION
Located near the source of the world's longest river—the Nile,
what began as the quaint fishing town of Jinja, Uganda, was colonized in 1907
by the British as an industrial center for the country defined by its access to
waterways and the railroad. The lush and arable land lent itself naturally to
an abundance of crops such as tobacco, sugar, cotton, and tea. In the 1950s,
engineers transformed the area once again by building the Owens Fall Dam making
Jinja the main regional source of hydroelectricity. Today, the city of Jinja,
in the Busoga District, has a population of approximately 110,000. A major
commercial and industrial hub with fertile soil, abundance of water and access
to waterways and railroad, the city is also a mecca for tourists due to its
geographic amenities popular with water thrill seekers. Despite this, the
Busoga District is the 2nd poorest in Uganda. Without adequate infrastructure
for the people, access to potable water, insufficient housing, healthcare, and
education is almost impossible creating a situation of extreme poverty in the
outlying rural areas of the city.
Even with a richness of natural resources, Uganda is a country besotted by poverty, disease, and civil unrest. According to the Foundation for Sustainable Development, the country is one of the 20 poorest nations in the world and approximately 50% of the population lives below the global poverty level. Health issues are extremely prevalent in Uganda and HIV/AIDS rates among young adults have been rising again. With a total population of 33 million, Uganda has approximately 2.5 million orphans of which 40-45% of these are due to loss of parents from AIDS. [1]
Amidst all the economic and developmental struggles in this region lies a beacon of hope—the COSIER (Community Initiative for Self-Reliance) Orphanage. Home to approximately 25 orphans, at any given time, ages ranging from 4 to 15 years old, the orphanage is a mecca for children who have lost their parents to AIDS. Many of the children are also suffering from this ravaging disease. Since opening its doors in 2008, COSIER has struggled with providing the basic necessities of adequate housing, food, clothing, education, and medical assistance to the children. Jeremiah Mikenga, Project Manager and Director, realized that getting by on donations was not going to sustain his dream of providing a home for these children who are often left on their own to survive once their parents have passed. So, in 2013, he “hatched” an idea to make the orphanage financially self-efficient. Based on similar successful models utilized throughout Africa, Mr. Mikenga asked for the assistance of the Brighter Brains Institute out of San Francisco, California, to aid in raising funds to build a sustainable poultry farm. The orphanage will begin their project with 200 chickens and plan on selling the eggs at market to pay all expenses for the orphanage. Active participation by the children will teach entrepreneurial skills and self-efficacy that will enable them to achieve later in life as they “age out” of the orphanage. Their goals are two-fold: 1) generate sufficient income to cover annual expenses of running the orphanage, and 2) generate overages to expand production over the next couple of years.
[1] http://ugandaorphans.com/about-us/
Even with a richness of natural resources, Uganda is a country besotted by poverty, disease, and civil unrest. According to the Foundation for Sustainable Development, the country is one of the 20 poorest nations in the world and approximately 50% of the population lives below the global poverty level. Health issues are extremely prevalent in Uganda and HIV/AIDS rates among young adults have been rising again. With a total population of 33 million, Uganda has approximately 2.5 million orphans of which 40-45% of these are due to loss of parents from AIDS. [1]
Amidst all the economic and developmental struggles in this region lies a beacon of hope—the COSIER (Community Initiative for Self-Reliance) Orphanage. Home to approximately 25 orphans, at any given time, ages ranging from 4 to 15 years old, the orphanage is a mecca for children who have lost their parents to AIDS. Many of the children are also suffering from this ravaging disease. Since opening its doors in 2008, COSIER has struggled with providing the basic necessities of adequate housing, food, clothing, education, and medical assistance to the children. Jeremiah Mikenga, Project Manager and Director, realized that getting by on donations was not going to sustain his dream of providing a home for these children who are often left on their own to survive once their parents have passed. So, in 2013, he “hatched” an idea to make the orphanage financially self-efficient. Based on similar successful models utilized throughout Africa, Mr. Mikenga asked for the assistance of the Brighter Brains Institute out of San Francisco, California, to aid in raising funds to build a sustainable poultry farm. The orphanage will begin their project with 200 chickens and plan on selling the eggs at market to pay all expenses for the orphanage. Active participation by the children will teach entrepreneurial skills and self-efficacy that will enable them to achieve later in life as they “age out” of the orphanage. Their goals are two-fold: 1) generate sufficient income to cover annual expenses of running the orphanage, and 2) generate overages to expand production over the next couple of years.
[1] http://ugandaorphans.com/about-us/