the above video is from Atiak. Handshakes in local culture are a sign of respect, friendship and good fellowship
HELP US GET REFUGEE WOMEN & CHILDREN HOME.
Caleb’s Hope is a registered non-profit working with vulnerable women and children in Atiak, Northern Uganda.
Background:
Northern Uganda experienced the longest running civil war in Africa between the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF). LRA leader, Joseph Kony, believed he was guided by the Holy Spirit to cleanse the region of suffering. What this meant to him was genocide.
The LRA conducted nightly massacres where villages were burnt to the ground and the villagers slaughtered or gruesomely mutilated. Kony also abducted thousands of children to build his army of child soldiers and to serve as sex slaves. Northern Uganda is still reeling from the damage. Millions fled to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
Present:
Of the thousands of abducted children, former child soldiers, sex slaves and orphans, many live in the IDP camps, some have returned to their villages only to be shunned by suspicious elders, and others are still serving the LRA in hiding in the Congo. Uganda’s communities were destroyed by the war and are still ravaged by HIV/AIDS today.
The LRA has fled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and for the last two years there has been peace in northern Uganda. The entire region has been left in shambles from the war but its people choose to move forward and focus on rebuilding their villages so that their children can receive proper education and not grow up in refugee camps with the constant fear of abduction.
What we do:
We focus on job-creation and micro-financing. Find out more about our Nyara Project. We work with women and children: former child soldiers and sex slaves, widows and PLWHA in Atiak, Northern Uganda.
Project Build:
We are going to rebuild Northern Uganda one community at a time, starting with Atiak. Project Build will benefit the women of Nyara Project and their villages. We’ve partnered with renowned and respected non-profit Architecture for Humanity.
Phase I:
-Build sustainable homes and rebuild communities for refugee women and children
-Prepare farm land to restore food security and cotton production based on a model of fair trade and sustainability
-Build a much-needed school (the school in Atiak is currently a bench under a tree)
Why We Need Your Sponsorship:
Your donations will cover the cost of getting our volunteers, equipment and building supplies to Atiak, Uganda. Most organizations charge their volunteers thousands of dollars in program fees. We won’t do that. We want to make it easier for people to volunteer their time and effort for our projects, so we’re raising the funds to make it possible.
Your sponsorship not only helps facilitate our trip and buy building materials, but also lets you be an integral part of this project. We are honoured to share this journey with you.
Project Build is more than just a handful of volunteers from Canada—it is a union of communities for a cause. From our community here in Canada to the community in Uganda, we are in this together.
Help us make big dreams happen. Whether it’s $1 or $100—every donation counts.
On behalf of the CH team, Nyara Program Director Oneka Richard and the people of Atiak, Uganda, many humble thanks.
Team Project Build,
Holly, Suzanne, Trevor, Andrew & Camilo
