Projects:
Another day living on the streets is another unfortunate opportunity for hunger, rape, and abuse.
Another day living on the streets is another unfortunate opportunity for hunger, rape, and abuse.
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Before:
The place where children were collecting water was more than a mile’s walk in a remote forest, and dangerous if alone. Every single day, jugs of water were carried and used for drinking, cooking, cleaning and washing clothes. The water is brown and dirty from usage of animals and people drinking, bathing and dumping. Children would get diseases such as typhoid, dysentery and bilharzia from using unclean water. Tragically, only 6% of Ugandans have access to clean water. |
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After:
With donations, we were able to provide clean, piped water at the Center. The children always have smiles on their faces when using what so many take for granted every day- clean water. We now have showers, which many children have never used before. We open our arms up to those in the community that ask to use our showers and clean water. |
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Several reasons that cause children to live on the streets are loss of parents, domestic violence, poverty in homes with little to no food, and failure of government aid. Children living on the street face challenges such as, hunger, sexual harassment, rape, and forced homosexuality to boys. In exchange for food, children are forced into prostitution. Sleeping on the ground outside, children are also prone to assaults from strangers and influenced to take drugs.
JCM is raising funds to build more rooms in order to get as many children off of the streets as we can. We realize that time is of essence. If we don't help these children to provide what they need, then they will be taken advantage of by child traffickers, pimps, and child labor bosses. Once a child is rescued JCM feeds, houses, and gives psycho-social support. Rehab is done not only by staff daily, but also through our Ministry Program, which provides the opportunity to rebuild the mindset of the children through the Gospel, to give them joy, hope and love. |
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JCM goes into the community to help those who are hurting. We visit poor homes and villages, feed the hungry and invite children living on the streets into our refuge. We help orphans that are left with their elderly grandparents that are unable to provide for them. In a poverty-stricken community, we help those who cannot pay for their hospital bills or basic needs.
Uganda has one of the highest rates in the world for orphaned children through AIDS-related deaths. A lack of awareness is a major factor, especially street children who have no education on the subject and are often sexually exploited by infected adults. Sadly, only 38% of Ugandans aged 15-24 could identify ways of preventing HIV. JCM provides educational programs about HIV/AIDS awareness to the community. |
Future Plans: |
Expansions:
Our goal is to open our arms to every child living on the streets, because of this, we are in need of more rooms. With funds, we can continue to build a residential building that can accommodate up to 120 children. Agriculture: Orphans and street children come to us when they are malnourished and sick. Even children living at home with family come to us hungry, eating only one meal a day. We currently feed 89 children daily giving them breakfast, lunch and supper. With the high cost of buying food there is need for us to buy acres of land, so that we can grow food to feed the growing numbers of children at the center. |