Uganda AIDS Orphan Children Foundation

The Uganda AIDS Orphan Children Foundation (UAOCF) is a non-profit charity that helps vulnerable children and those orphaned by AIDS in Uganda. UAOCF received 501 (c) (3) charity status in 2003; subsequently, the Internal Revenue Service granted permanent public charity status in 2006.^[1] The foundation's mission is to provide support to orphans in foster homes and to support Hope House, the Kabale Diocese residential facility/technical school for orphans.^[2] As of April 2009, UAOCF supports over 50 children at Hope House and over 350 all together.^[3]

Based in Los Angeles, California ^[4] and with operations in four Ugandan districts: Kabale, Rukungiri, Kisoro and Kanungu, UAOCF was formed in 2004 in response to the far-reaching repercussions of the AIDS epidemic. The Sub-Saharan African nation has more than 2.3 million children orphaned due to AIDS-related deaths. With a total population of more than 30 million, Uganda has the highest proportion of AIDS orphans of any country in the world.^[5] The organization is dedicated to draw attention to the plight of these orphans.

History

Uganda has been greatly impacted by the devastation of HIV/AIDS. Recent statistics from the World Health Organization show that AIDS has left a long-lasting effect on Uganda’s population, most notably children and families. As a result, AIDS has caused over 2 million children of Uganda to have been orphaned since the epidemic began – losing one or both parents to AIDS.^[6]

Proceeds

Uganda AIDS Orphan Children Foundation provides care, support and education through the following targeted programs:

• Foster Home Children / Adopt-An-Orphan – Provides care, support and education through High School for AIDS-orphaned children in foster homes.
• Special Education Support Fund – Supports post-secondary school education for gifted children graduating from the Foster Home Care Program.
• Hope House Orphanage / Vocational School – Hope House is a residential and technical school for children who have no one to support them.
• Hope House Development Fund – Provides for expansion of “Hope House” residential and vocational training facilities according to its master plan.
• Orphan’s Extraordinary Medical Care Fund – Provides additional support to children who require out-of-the-ordinary medical care, especially those who have AIDS.
• UAOCF General Support Fund – 100% of the money donated to the Orphan Support Funds and Hope House Funds go directly to the needs of children; the General Support Fund provides for administrative expenses in Los Angeles and Uganda.^[7]

Goals

The UAOCF aims to provide assistance to orphaned and vulnerable children in rural southwestern Uganda by:

• Supporting a home for orphaned and vulnerable children
  • The project Hope House seeks to initially house and train 20 students (ages 13 to 17), with plans to increase this number annually. This long-term commitment eventually will house 65 children and will include a polytechnic institution to prepare the children to provide for themselves.
• Supporting orphans and vulnerable children in individual foster homes
  • We have met out initial goal to support 200 children (ages 4 to 17) from the four districts in the Kabale diocese, and we plan to increase the number of children by at least 50 each year.

External links

• Uganda AIDS Orphan Children Foundation Website

References