Location: Busia in eastern Uganda and Gulu in northern Uganda

Mission:

ChildReach Africa is dedicated to the assistance of care-givers for orphaned and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS and war in rural Uganda (i.e., to reach the children through their care-givers).

• Market crafts made by care-givers to generate income for families
• Pre-school and feeding programs for the children
• Scholarships for the children
• Home-based counseling
• Medical care
• Advocacy for captive children and for peace

Year founded:

2004, by Mrs. Catherine Mudibo Piwang

Website: www.childreachafrica.org

• Van for transport
• An Updated web-site
• Volunteers and interns to set up systems
• Teacher salaries (about $30/month per teacher)
• Feeding program support
• Scholarship funds
• Construction and expansion of pre-Schools
• Clinic to care for HIV infected children and families
• Sports equipment and teaching materials (e.g., crayons, blackboard, books)
• Markets for cards, crochet work and tea towels made by the mothers.

Their story:

Catherine Piwang was one of 11 children raised in a village called Busia on the border of Uganda and Kenya. She lost 9 of her brothers and sisters to AIDS. Witnessing how her mother cared for her grandchildren until the day of her own death, Catherine sought opportunities to care for people like her mother, and in dong so to care for AIDS orphans and other traumatized children.

Ironically, she did this in part by helping the care-givers to encourage other mothers struggling with the load of care-giving. She taught the women in Busia to crochet baby blankets to give to the mothers of children affected by the war in northern Uganda.

A visiting American church group donated sewing machines and taught the women in Busia how to sew. As a result, the women were able to start and run an independent group business. The new source of income improved the quality of life for children in their families. Several other independently run mothers groups have formed as a result.

ChildReach then turned its focus to education and health care for the orphans and vulnerable children. They support four pre-schools in Busia and a scholarship program in Gulu. The Child Reach staff also provides counseling and family visits.

Additional Info:

Listen to an interview with Founder Catherine Piwang broadcast on the National Public Radio show "The Story" with Dick Gordon.  Listen Here.

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