Annual report 2013

Introduction

The LindA Foundation (Light in dynamic Africa) is a Christian, not for profit organization with the vision to improve the living standards of the orphans and vulnerable children in Northern Uganda, Africa. Thousands of children have lost their parents there, due to war, HIV/AIDS and other circumstances.The LindA Foundation works in Lira District.

The projects of 2013

     1.    SOS Programme (Send an Orphan to School)

     2.    Children’s rehabilitation home House of Grace

     3.    LindA Primary School

     4.    Other activities.

We try to help as many children as possible, by providing them with (emergency) shelter, care and education. Whenever possible we reunite the children with their relatives, but sometimes this option isn’t there. In Northern Uganda there is often a big gap between generations, mostly because the parents died and the children are raised by the grandparents or other older relatives. Due to the circumstances these people are often faced with looking after many orphans, while also having to look after their own family. Money is just not there to look after everybody. This results in the orphan being neglectedhaving to work hard, no schooling, not enough food and no love to speak of. 

1. SOS Programme (Send an Orphan to School)

This programme runs since 2002 and supports a large group of Orphans and Vulnerable Children, among which the disabled, with education, from Primary to Secondary School, Technical School and University. The programme doesn’t just pay school fees, we monitor the children, guide and counsel them, pay them visits, give them the personal and scholastic requirements and medical care. They live with poor relatives who do not have the means to look after them.If they have nowhere to go, we will accept them in our children’s home House of Grace.

The number of children in this programme have reduced, due to the fact that everything has become very expensive and the money to help more children is just not there.

This year 8 students sat for their O level exams, (a sort of middle school). After that they can go to A level, where they choose 4 subjects in a permitted combination. That takes 2 years. Then they can proceed to a university or institution of higher learning. After O level they can also join agricultural school, technical school, teacher’s college, business school, etc. on a certificate level. This takes normally 1-2 years, after which they can join a diploma course. Everybody wants to go to A level, become a doctor or a lawyer, that brings money. But it is not a bright idea, because many of them simply do not have the qualifications. After 2 years they fail their A level and are back at square 1. In 2011 we have decided to stop supporting students after O level, exceptions notwithstanding.

The 4 students that finished their O level in 2012 all went to A level, through other sponsors though.

There were 8 students who sat for their Primary Leaving Examinations.

1 Student sat for A level.

1 Boy finished the certificate course for agriculture.

2. Children’s rehabilitation home House of Grace

In our Children’s rehabilitation home House of Grace children are accepted that have nowhere to go. They are either abandoned, orphaned, abused or alone through other causes. In 2013 41 children found a home there. Most of the children have suffered. Some lived in camps, or on the street. Some have seen their parents killed by rebels, were abused and left to fend for themselves. Some are affected/infected by Aids. Our social worker, patron and matron try to rehabilitate these children. Since they are local people they know what these children have gone through. A stable and secure environment helps these kids to become a child again. You could say that all these children are psychologically handicapped. 3 physically handicapped children are also there.

The Uganda Electricity Company has kept quiet this year after coming with an offer to buy the land they need to put a road across our premises, to install their new poles and high voltage power lines. As if there has been no communication from us through letters, phone calls and visits to their offices since 2010, one has decided to just construct the 5 meter wide road. The road will be their property.   

For 12,5 meters on both sides of that road one is not allowed to live, we can grow our maize! What maize? We are talking about a children’s home here. The fence will be opened up, so no more security for the children. The houses (dormitories), toilets, showers, fruit trees, etc., everything has to be demolished. And as compensation they are offering us now € 9.000,00. Through our lawyer the matter is still in court. We will wait and see. Of course we cannot agree to this at all. They have to compensate us to relocate.

For Christmas all the children received new clothes, nice presents and excellent food. There were new mattresses, bed sheets, blankets, pillows, shoes, bags, towels and what not. For the office we received a new laptop.

3. LindA Primary School.

In 2013 there were 90 students, 21 from House of Grace and the rest from the community. The school walls are made of wood and provide a nice meal for the termites. We try to repair this with iron sheets. All is going on well, but a school made of bricks would be much better.

4. Other activities

We also give counseling and do testing regarding hiv/aids, counsel on hygiene and the importance of clean and safe drinking water. In that respect all children and staff have been tested on hiv. The children were ok. And the water comes from a water purifier system donated by Tusaidiane Foundation.

This year we said good bye to the Chairman of The Board of LindA Foundation. He was also acting as the director of the primary school. We welcomed Kenneth Kaunda (right photo) as the new Board Member and as the new director of the Primary School.

 We try to grow banana’s, oranges, mango’s, tomatoes, maize and cabbage among others for our own consumption. We have chickens and sheep. And not to forget: cats.

Realisation workplan 2013

1 euro = 3200 Ush

Workplan 2014

1 euro = 3200 Ush

Concluding

On behalf of the children we would like to extend our greatest gratitude to everybody, people, organizations, businesses and churches, who appreciate what we are doing and support us with funds, time, and fundraising.