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Uganda

Overview

The most recent introduction of Uganda on the world stage centers around the cult-like Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) that has rampaged across northern Uganda & it’s neighboring countries, abducting and killing tens of thousands, as well as displacing more than 1.5 million people.

It has been described as one of the most effective guerrilla armies in Africa creating a civil war for almost 2 decades. Children have been in most danger as the LRA is responsible for stealing children from their families and forcing them to become sex slaves and soldiers in the army – a terror unthinkable. Young children must find a safe place at night or they are in danger of being abducted.

By now most are familiar with the online march named “Kony2012”, an Internet media vigilantly group highlighting the LRA’s unspeakable acts, hoping an increased awareness will lead to the arrest of leader Joseph Kony for crimes against humanity – more specifically, crimes against children.

Although the last year or so has seen the LRA’s activity diminish somewhat in Uganda, the emotional wounds are still fresh & many families & their children still fear for safety. No one really knows the LRA’s next move or where they will show up. Tensions in Surrounding countries could easily push the LRA’s full force back into Uganda.

But underneath the current atrocities, and even amid signs of promising economic growth, and reforms towards democracy in recent years, Uganda is a country still recovering from the devastating civil war of the 70’s / 80′s and one of the most brutal, violent eras known on this planet.

The Children Left Alone

There are over 2 million orphans in Uganda as the result of disease, war and poverty – many are ending up on the streets, abducted into child labor, forced into the current civil war, or end up dead.

Uganda has made significant steps in economic and social development but many are accusing the government of keeping its people poor to enforce insured rule over the population. This leads to lack of resources vital to life and many children are losing their parents to disease and famine.

A large number of Ugandan families are struggling to access healthcare, education and other basic services and young children are suffering as the problem is being pushed aside. The HIV/AIDS epidemic in Uganda has been devastating & Uganda has the highest proportion of children orphaned by the disease worldwide.

At a Glance

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# Location Program
1 Undisclosed Orphanage

How We Help

Just two hours north of Uganda ’s capital, Kampala, is a long unassuming dirt road with a makeshift gate at the end. Upon entering the gate, you are met by nearly 180 precious, wide-eyed children from an orphanage compound, which the locals call, “The Children’s Village.”

Led by a Ugandan Pastor, these beautiful children are from all regions of Uganda and Rwanda . Their stories are as diverse as they are heart wrenching. Some are survived by parents who have died of AIDS. Some have been abandoned due to morbid poverty. Some have been victims of a bloody civil war. But all have a purpose in God’s eyes.

We first learned of the Children’s Village several years ago, when we helped provide much needed furniture for their on-sight school. More recently, because of trade policies and politics, Uganda ’s food supplies have become increasingly scarce, leaving ministries like the Children’s Village suffering to feed its children even one meal a day.
But Please Pass the Bread remains faithful to the vision of its founder, David Wilkerson, to feed the poorest of the poor. We are honored and blessed to add the Children’s Village to our feeding outreach, in continued response to the mandate of Jesus, when He said, “…inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”
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