Have you been passionate about stretching a helping hand or work orphans and homeless kids in Uganda? Milele Foundation Uganda is here for you. Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa.

It is where the source of the longest river in the world – River Nile is found. The country is also a home to climbing lions, mountain gorillas, Lake Victoria (largest lake in Africa), Murchison Falls (world’s strongest waterfalls), to mention but a few.

Much as Uganda is considered to be a developing country, for quite a number of years stretching from 1962 – the time when she got her independence, Uganda has faced challenges related to orphans and homeless kids. This is not just a hindrance to economic growth but also a barrier to social and political transformation.

Why does Uganda have many orphans and homeless kids?

Like in any other country in Africa, Uganda faces a problem of ever-increasing number of orphans and homeless kids because of the following reasons;

• The outbreak of HIV/AIDS in the year 1982, Uganda was hit to almost her knees. The National Resistance Movement government which has been in power for over thirty years has registered tremendous success in fighting the virus. However, it still remains a big challenge. On a daily basis Ugandans are tested positive with HIV/AIDS whereby some people do not easily adapt to positive living. Parents end up succumbing to the disease hence leaving behind orphans and homeless kids.

• Poverty in Uganda is still a prevailing problem which causes children to be orphans and homeless. It is not news that some Ugandans in different parts of the country are still living below the poverty line. They struggle to get what to eat and what their families should have for a living. This results into hunger and loss of lives to those who cannot make it. This means nothing else but leaving behind children as orphans and homeless kids.

• Low levels of education amongst Ugandans also contributes to the rising numbers of orphans and homeless kids. Much as the government of Uganda has worked hard to ensure that all Ugandans get access to education. For example through the introduction of Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE), a number of Uganda’s children have managed to access schools. However, these children do not continue to higher institutions of learning because of factors like poverty. The end result is forging life at home. They end up becoming teenage mothers and parents at a tender age. Some of them resort to drugs and the end result is death. The death of a parent means that the child is left homeless and an orphan.

How can I work with orphans and homeless kids in Uganda?

Much as we have seen a number of factors behind the increasing number of orphans and homeless kids in Uganda, we believe that a solution can be sought and effected.

Below are some of the ways in which you can work with orphans and homeless kids in Uganda;

1. Paying school fees and buying them other scholastic materials.
2. Supporting the families that have already adapted the homeless kids and the orphans.
3. Volunteering in building structures from where these kids can stay as their homes.
4. Building schools and hospitals for orphans and homeless kids.
5. Mentoring the orphans and homeless kids.
6. Advocating for the rights of children in their respective communities.
7. Distributing Mosquito nets to orphans and homeless kids.

Conclusion.

No body chooses to be an orphan since death does not write invitation letters, however we can work together and reduce on the effects of death parents to children who are left behind.

The best way of doing so is getting out of the comfort zone and work with orphans and homeless kids in Uganda.