Orphan Statistics

It is estimated there are between 143 million and 210 million orphans worldwide (recent UNICEF report.)

The current population of the United States is just a little over 300 million… to give you an idea of the enormity of the numbers… (The current population of Russia is 141 million)

Every day 5,760 more children become orphans

2,102,400 more children become orphans every year in Africa alone

Every 15 seconds, another child in Africa becomes an AIDS orphan

There are an estimated 14 million AIDS orphans in Sub-Saharan Africa (a number higher than the total of every under-eighteen year old in Canada, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Ireland combined)

This figure is estimated to reach 18 million orphans in Africa alone by 2010 (only two and a half years away)

8 out of 10 children orphaned by AIDS lives in sub-Saharan Africa

Approximately 250,000 children are adopted annually, but…

Each year 14, 505, 000 children grow up as orphans and age out of the system by age sixteen

Each day 38,493 orphans age out

Every 2.2 seconds another orphan ages out with no family to belong to and no place to call home

In Russia and the Ukraine, studies have shown that 10% – 15% of these children commit suicide before they reach age eighteen

These studies also show that 60% of the girls become prostitutes and 70% of the boys become hardened criminals

Another Russian study reported that of the 15,000 orphans aging out of state-run institutions every year, 10% committed suicide, 5,000 were unemployed, 6,000 were homeless and 3,000 were in prison within three years…

I just wanted to share these statistics as a reminder…

• A reminder to pray.
• A reminder to give.
• A reminder to advocate.

The agonizing reality of these numbers breaks my heart and drives me to my knees. The tears of the children and grief of the parents who can not care for their beloved babies weighs so heavily on my heart at times.

In the midst of it, I have to believe that God loves every soul – equally and passionately — and grieves for each situation individually more than my finite mind can understand.

In a perfect world, there would be no need for adoption. Biological families would stay together. Children would be raised by loving parents or grandparents and remain in their homeland, surrounded by their culture and connected to their roots tangibly.

Obviously, these statistics illustrate that we do not live in a perfect world. Adoption is not the answer for solving the underlying issues of poverty and disease and famine and war. It won’t stop the cycle of more children becoming orphans. It is a life-line thrown out to a precious few… it rescues a small percentage from the going over the falls.

The tough question as we see the overwhelming need is how do we bring solutions to the roots of the issues?… how do we make a difference not just in one child’s life through adoption, but in the lives of the thousands left behind… and ultimately how do we stop the cycles that turn innocent children into orphans?

It can be difficult to allow ourselves to really think about these statistics and what they represent. Its easy to respond numbly and see the statistics in terms of thousands or millions… but when we allow ourselves to become personally involved and risk the heart-grief that follows awareness, they become more than mere statistics… they become real children with real hearts that ache for their parents and real bodies that hunger for care. Every single child that makes up the thousands or millions is a precious child, just like my Joanna… just like my Henry.

I pray that my own heart will continue to be stirred and my resolve strengthened to speak out for those that have no voice. These precious children need advocates. They need men and women willing to make a difference… willling to stand in the gap and act on their behalf.

may our hearts grow softer and our voices rise louder…

“Defend the cause of the weak and the fatherless; Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Deliver the weak and needy from the hand of the wicked.” Ps 82:3-4

the same is happening on my country uganda, that is why i am calling unto you out there to come and stand with me in wama children of uganda

to support the orphans and the widows in the eastern part of uganda,

think about, may the lord bless all of you
steven hynes kakuma
NATIONAL DIRECTOR , WAMA CHILDREN OF UGANDA

Answers to questions you may have

What does the word Wama mean?

Wama is the local language statement word for (turning point) an out call for an action

What is Wama children of Uganda?

Wama children of Uganda is a community based organization that cares for orphans and widows in Uganda. Our goal is to raise the next generation of Ugandan leaders, located in Jinja, Uganda, East Africa.

How did Wama children of uganda begin?

In 2008, after Steven Hynes Kakuma finished his studied in YWAM HOPELAND , and after growing in an unwanted life,of being an orphan, and living on the street, and then to the orphanage life, felt the calling and the compassion of standing and helping children that are vulnerable and of the same category who need help in Uganda, began rescuing orphans and teaching the importance of children in the community in remote villages of Uganda. Wama children of Uganda was born out of the need to place parent less children into loving families. Through Wama children of Uganda, these children receive the message of Jesus Christ and His salvation, a spiritual awakening, an excellent education and a family. To date, Wama children of Uganda has over 1500 children in holistic care and in all the branches of wama children of Uganda that are in different districts of Uganda and this number continues to grow yearly.

What makes Wama children of Uganda different from other organizations?

Wama children of Uganda places children in families rather than in large, institutional style,places some in the orphanage as some are yet to be , of which all are called wama children's home. This ensures that children receive the individual love and care they require.

How does Wama children of uganda care for children?

Wama-uganda cares for children in 2 ways:

• Wama-uganda places the most vulnerable children into new families. Each family consists of 8 children and a mother who cares for them.
• Wama-uganda supports the living relatives of orphans such as grandparents, uncles or aunts, by ensuring the children receive food clothing and education while living under the protection of the organization, and also planning for their bright future as in school building such as wama new hope preparatory school.

Where do the children come from?

Wama children of uganda employs several social workers who, with the approval of the Government of Uganda, locate and select the most vulnerable children. These children are some of the 2 million Ugandans who have been orphaned due to AIDS and war.

Where do the care takers come from?

Many Wama-uganda care takers are widows. Some of them have children of their own. Wama-uganda supports these women by giving them the opportunity to fulfill their roles as mothers and also empowerment support. Each mother is responsible for the daily care of children and also by the support of the branch office of wama children of uganda in the area.

What are the benefits of the community from wama children of uganda?

Wama-uganda creates entire communities where children can learn and grow in a safe environment. These villages contain houses, schools, a medical clinic, a church & community hall, a clean water source, roads and electricity.

What are they like?

Wama-uganda's newest project is based in Eastern Uganda‚in Bugiri, Luuka , kamuli, and soon in Tororo District, in Arua too in the next financial turn to tackle on the effect of the lord Resistance Army had abducted more than 30,000 children.

Who are the Wama-uganda children's club?

The Wama Children of uganda, children's club will soon travel internationally to help raise an understanding of the plight of Ugandan orphans. Wama-uganda's performances are a soulful blend of native African rhythms, contemporary gospel music and ethnic dance. During their concerts, audiences are encouraged to donate towards one Wama-uganda's many projects in Uganda.

How do I book the club?

To find out how you can book the club to perform in your community please, contact the National director of wama children of uganda by using the link below.

http://www.wama-children-of-uganda.com/contact.html

How can I help Wama children of uganda?

You can sponsor a child; book the Wama-uganda's Club for a performance in your community; make a donation or even visit Uganda. to find out how to help in any of the way mentioned please visit below link

http://www.wama-children-of-uganda.com/help.html

What countries does Wama children of uganda operate in?

All of the children in Wama children of uganda are from Uganda. We haven't operated out of uganda

Who makes decisions at Wama children of uganda?

Wama children of uganda has a board of directors in each branch office it operates in. Additionally, but led by the National office which is led by the National director who over oversees the policies that drive the day to day functioning of Wama children of uganda in any branch office. These boards of directors are made up of individuals who are passionate about helping Wama children of uganda fulfill our goal of raising the next generation of Ugandan leaders.

How can I sponsor a child?

You can find all about sponsoring a child by visiting the below link

http://www.wama-children-of-uganda.com/sponsor.html

How can I make a donation?

You can make a donation by visiting the below link .

http://www.wama-children-of-uganda.com/donate.html

Can I visit Africa?

Yes. Each year many people travel to Uganda to build houses, schools and clinics and even get married to Ugandans, i assure you you cant fail to come to wama children of Uganda for a fundamental purpose of working with us, the door is very open. It is simple to organize your own trip, and a visit to Uganda is an exciting opportunity for people of all ages. You do not need to have any too many experience, as you will be working alongside a professional crew of wama children of Ugandans staffs and also visit so many children and orphans, and also help in teaching, building schools, and also hospitals, community halls, and contribute to the construction of community water sources

How can I promote Wama children of uganda in my community?

You can promote Wama children of uganda in your community by making a house party, a student's volunteer, awareness in your community, printing t-shirts that contain wama children of uganda , or by organizing a local fundraising

Can I copy the Wama children of uganda model in my own country?

Yes, you can. Please to find out how.connect with the National director of wama children of Uganda, pastor steven hynes kakuma

What is the Wama children's day gathering?

Wama children's day gathering Conference is an event that aims to assist our staffs, children, orphans and community to come together as one throughout all our branches in Uganda. The conference also helps to create partnerships between pastors in the West and their counterparts in Africa to address the orphan crisis.

lastly wama children of Uganda, welcomes you to be part of the changing wave in creating a better future for the orphans in Uganda, and the widows , the community in the country

be blessed yours National Director pastor Steven Hynes Kakuma

Wama children of Uganda highlights Ugandan child’s issues

Uganda as the pearl of Africa. Situated in the Great Lakes region of Africa, the country has beautiful mountains, fertile soils, regular rainfall and sizeable mineral deposits. It also has significant levels of poverty – 38 per cent of the people live below the poverty line.

People
Uganda has three main ethnic groups and more than 30 different languages. Half of the population is under the age of 15 years. About 85 per cent of Ugandans are Christian, 12 per cent are Muslim and 3 per cent follow traditional religions.

History
Before Uganda came under British control in 1894, it consisted of several separate kingdoms. The name Uganda was derived from one of these, Buganda, which means the state of the Ganda people.

Since independence in 1962, the country has had a troubled political history, including Idi Amin’s cruel regime of the 1970s, which shattered the economy and perpetrated shocking human rights violations.

Conflict with rebel groups continues. The most notorious is the extremely violent LRA whose campaign of murdering people and kidnapping children has displaced 1.6 million northern Ugandans. In 2006, negotiations between the LRA and the Government brought some peace.

Geography
Lying astride the equator, Uganda is on a fertile plateau with mountains on three sides. Although the climate is mostly tropical, temperatures can be quite cool in places owing to the country’s high altitude – the average altitude is 1,000m. Rainy seasons are March to May and October to November. About one-sixth of the country is swamps, lakes, such as the famous Lake Victoria, and rivers, including the Nile.

Economy
Uganda’s economy was devastated during the Idi Amin regime and the subsequent conflicts. Economic recovery began in the mid-1980s; however Uganda still relies heavily on international aid, and it has received significant debt relief.

Coffee is the main export, others include fish, gold, tea, cotton, tobacco and high value export crops such as cut flowers and asparagus and as in the future oil is coming. With a more stable political environment and improved facilities, tourism is increasing.

Agriculture
Small-scale agriculture employs over 80 per cent of Uganda’s work force. Cassava, maize, beans, bananas, millet, sorghum, peanuts and sweet potatoes are grown for domestic consumption, and individual farmers also provide large amounts of the nation’s exports. Most families raise a few livestock – poultry, cattle, goats and sheep.

Education
Ugandan children begin school at 6 years. In 1997, the Government began providing free primary education for up to four children from each family. The move has increased primary school attendance to 87 per cent of children. However, drop-out rates are high and the country’s few secondary schools only cater for one-third of students. Many schools lack sufficient staff, classrooms, furniture and books.

HIV and AIDS
The Government has committed significant effort to face the challenge of HIV and AIDS. The prevalence rate has dropped from a high of 30 per cent in the early 1990s to 6.7 per cent. Although this is encouraging, AIDS has orphaned 1 million children and made many more vulnerable.

Health
Less than half of the population has access to healthcare and people often travel for long distances to reach it. Doctors, nurses, equipment and medicines are in short supply. Safe water is available to 56 per cent of people and sanitary latrines to only 41 per cent. Major health issues include diarrhoea, malnutrition, malaria, cholera, tuberculosis and respiratory infections.
 
PROTECTING CHILDREN

“Childhood implies a distinct period of life in which children can grow in health and safety… Childhood refers not only to an irreplaceable time of individual human growth, but to the quality of those years. And yet childhood in Uganda today is under threat by’’ by steven hynes kakuma

Nearly 60 per cent of Uganda’s population is under the age of 18. Each of these children, more than 16.5 million in all, carries significant potential for the future of their nation.

But the children of Uganda face an uncertain future with many challenges. Their nation is ranked 145 out of 177 countries in human development. Although education is a priority in the Ugandan government’s budget, there aren’t enough schools for all children. Discrimination against girls and women leaves children vulnerable. HIV and AIDS has robbed them of their parents, teachers and even their siblings. Of every 1,000 Ugandan children, 136will die before they reach the age of 5. For more than 20 years, conflict in northern Uganda has terrorised children – more than 20,000 children have been recruited as child soldiers and sex slaves and many more travel to towns for safety each night. Child labour, trafficking and even child sacrifice also threaten Uganda’s children.

There is hope

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child provides hope for Uganda’s children. It sets out standards for the treatment of children that are universal to all cultures and legal systems, providing children the right to survival, to develop to their fullest, to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation, and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life. It is signed by more nations than any other human rights instrument and provides a framework for communities, governments and organizations like Wama children of Uganda to address the difficulties children face.

Within this framework, Wama children of Uganda educates Ugandan communities about the importance of children, and teaches them to support basic child rights. Inspired by the potential of the future generation, friends and neighbors become strong advocates for children, working hard to protect and provide for those in their community.

Wama children of Uganda work is not just about what is being done for children – the children themselves have an important role to play. In Wama children of uganda’s projects, children join the decision-making bodies to take their place in determining the direction of their communities.

In September 2008, Wama children of uganda sponsored a conference of 150 children with in the remote villages in the eastern part of Uganda , in districts like LUUKA, BUGIRI, KAMULI  to raise issues of concern before country and all well wishers or Donor that love to work with this organization in Uganda. The children came up with four critical areas:

• HIV and AIDS and children: access to care, support and treatment

• Child trafficking: legal protection of children against trafficking

• Children with disabilities: rehabilitation and access to services by disabled children

• Conflict: the plight of children in armed conflict

At the end of their report, the children said: “Our appeal goes first of all to the government to ensure that issues concerning children, especially those highlighted, are implemented. We specifically request governments to allow representation of children in the Parliament and to participate in all activities that affect them. We also appeal to NGOs, church leaders, community leaders, school administration and teachers, the parents and guardians and everyone that interacts with children to respect their rights and treat them well.”

Wama children of Uganda believes in the children of Uganda; they are the focus of the organization. While there are many issues affecting children and it will take time to address them, Wama children of Uganda is partnering with communities as they work to improve the lives of children, beginning with making them aware of their importance.

You can be a supportive measure in this organization as we support the needy people in the country,
You can donate mosquito nets to the children, clothes, books, pens, pencils, shoes, bags, tooth pastes, and brushes, etc to make their lives better

volunteering with Wama children of Uganda

There are opportunities in all aspects of Wama children of Uganda's operations. Anyone with a heart to reach out and serve orphans and widows in Africa will find exciting projects to bring God's love to these deserving people.

construction workers, Doctors, dentist painters, administrators, managers, evangelist - your time and skills will be put to great use! Some specific areas of need are listed below but Wama-Uganda is open to whatever your interest as you desire to support the children of Uganda.

Wama Children's Home

The recent partnership with different organizations and individuals has provided a hope of funding and opportunities to build a home to accommodate children who have lost their parents to AIDS and have not been placed with foster families. Groups or individuals with engineering, plumbing, construction, carpentry, or electrical skills are needed.

Wama New Hope Preparatory School

As with any school, volunteer opportunities abound. Those interested in tutoring of just enjoying and playing with the children would be welcome. Qualified teachers are particularly needed to work with local teachers. Basic school supplies are always needed and are appreciated.

Administration

Administrative areas such as the Child Welfare Department who is responsible for home visits and school evaluation visits. The HIV/AIDS Department is responsible for processing HIV screenings and counseling.

Rural Health Initiative/ in hope of wama hospital

The Mobile Clinic provides medical access to rural villages. Wama-Uganda counsels, conducts HIV screenings and treats people with HIV/AIDS. Services are provided to people with general ailments. Doctors, nurses, and dentists are always needed. However, opportunities to serve beside trained Wama-Uganda staff are available to those without medical training.

Clean water source constructions

We are helping the rural people by providing for them safe water sources like the bore holes which can help almost a number of people in our area of operation

for more information please write to

pastor Steven Hynes Kakuma
WAMA CHILDREN OF UGANDA
P O BOX 359 JINJA,UGANDA
EAST AFRICA.

Statistics of orphans made by wama children of uganda

According to the UNICEF statistics 2005, Uganda with a population of 31 million has an estimate of one million people infected with HIV/AIDS and total Orphan population of 2.3 million of which one million is due to HIV/AIDS (43%). The current infection rate is at 6.7% per annum.

The average income per capita is US $280 while the population growth rate according to the US department of state is 4.0%. While one million people have died of HIV/AIDS, Uganda with more than half of its population under the age of 18 has got a population of 2 million people living with HIV/AIDS. According to the UNICEF statistics, enrolment from primary to secondary level falls by 69% and there's a registered 59% record of early marriages in Ugandan rural areas especially among the girls.

The above statistics therefore, reflect that the population growth rate is higher than the gross production rate implying that poverty levels will continue to increase as the population grows. The high numbers of orphans coupled with early marriages reflect the undeveloped capacity of parents to provide for their families. This is also supported by the low average gross income per capita.

Reflecting on the above factors, the government of Uganda allowed the private sector also known as the NGO's (Non- Governmental Organisations) to intervene by offering necessary services directly to communities as a way of meeting the challenges that are affecting the Ugandan population.

Most of the orphaned or abandoned children in Uganda have to make do with one meager meal a day and many do not even have that. Large numbers do not have shelter or a place to call home. Children die because they cannot get even basic medical care or may no be able to get to the nearest medical centre, which can be over 5 kilometers away. These children do not have anyone to provide them with clothes, to ensure they bath or simply to care for them.

Everyone in Uganda is either affected or infected by the killer epidemic.

MALARIA

Although HIV/AIDS has had very devastating effects on the population in Uganda, Malaria still remains the number one killer disease in sub-Saharan Africa and claims 320 people everyday in Uganda alone especially children.

CONFLICTS /CIVIL WARS

Uganda has been a victim of so many civil wars especially with the northern Uganda where the 23 year old LRA war has taken place and left so many displaced children and families as well as millions that lost their lives hence an increased orphan ratio.

CHURCH IMPACT

The good news that orphan children need to hear is not only the fact that they will be adopted or fostered by a loving family, but also the good news that Jesus Christ died on the cross to make it possible for them to become adopted children of God. Our adoption by God is the ultimate expression of His love, and was the ultimate purpose of Jesus' life on earth and death on the cross. This is truly the Gospel of Adoption and it is written in Galatians 4:4-5 and John 1:12

If orphan children never experience a family's love, how can we expect them to comprehend God's love? Adoption and fostering by a Christian family is the best way for orphan children to become adopted children of God. Not all are called to adopt or foster, but anyone can love and minister to orphan children by supporting other families adopt and/or foster. The Church has the opportunity to Evangelise and disciple these children and this is a great investment for generations.

navigate through this website and see , what wama children of Uganda is doing in the remote villages of the country