According to UNICEF, approximately 65% of Ugandan minors are orphans and categorized as vulnerable children. Specifically, the country has 8 million children that are vulnerable and more than 2.2 million children who are orphans. The organization attributes these high numbers as the outcome of the AIDS pandemic. As a result, this leads to many families losing one or more parental figures in their household. Living conditions in the country lack both quality and quantity, with several structural concerns. This is especially prevalent for impoverished communities and worse for Ugandan orphans. Habitat for Humanity Uganda estimates that 900,000 housing units in the country are below standard and in dire need of upgrading. This is not including the extreme need for additional housing units across Uganda.

Inspiration to Create Weight of Glory Orphan Care

Weight of Glory Orphan Care is a nonprofit established by three college friends from Arkansas who are creating glory for Ugandan orphans. In 2010 Travis, Krystin and Megan spent a semester in college visiting the L’esperance Children’s Aid orphanage in Uganda. Within a couple of days, the three friends became invested in the connections they made with the orphans. They also cultivate a strong friendship with the director Wilbroad. During their five months stay, these three students viewed the orphanage’s daily struggles, especially as they planned to relocate in the near future.

Like many other orphanages, the L’esperance is highly dependent on volunteers and international donations. Upon arriving back in the U.S., the three friends kept in touch with Wilbroad. They discovered that in the relocation process to Lake Victoria, the orphanage had lost much of their regular donation support. In the summer of 2014, only 20 out of the 78 kids had a home. Additionally, many had to be sent to distant boarding schools due to a lack of education funds at L’esperance.

Establishing Weight of Glory

Travis, Krystin and Megan informed their communities of the difficulties the Ugandan children were suffering. They received support in tremendous ways. In addition, the support led to the realization that a U.S. based nonprofit organization that invests in orphaned kids in Uganda was a possibility. Within the first two years of establishing Weight of Glory, the nonprofit was able to assist in rebuilding a Kinoyo Kindergarten classroom. The classroom has the capacity for 120 children. Additionally, the goal of the Arkansas-based nonprofit is to produce sustainable solutions for Ugandan orphanages. As a result, it leads to the construction of a poultry farm that houses 1,000 chicks at L’esperance.

Weight of Glory Helps Ugandan Orphans

The Weight of Glory Orphan Care commits to creating sustainable projects that help the orphans directly. For example, sponsorship for 25 children at L’esperance, taking the primary role as an international partner and holding Gala fundraising events to educate the local communities about orphanages in Uganda. But one of the bigger projects that has had success is the read-a-thons at local schools. During this project, local U.S. children are educated about the daily lives of Ugandan children. The program also promotes donations that assist in providing school supplies to the primary school children in L’esperance. Additionally, they sell merchandise online that helps support their status as a nonprofit organization and goes directly to supporting Ugandan orphans.

From their time spent at L’esperance, the three friends discovered the four categories by which the children find support at L’esperance. Primary school orphans are dependent on the orphanage for their education from a very young age. Meanwhile, secondary school orphans are finishing their education through L’esperance. On the other hand, community students are residents of the local community with limited access to essentials such as food and clothing. These children are invited to the Kinyo Kindergarten at L’esperance for support and education from a young age. But the main group is resident orphans, who are completely dependent on the orphanage, from living quarters to education programs.

Megan, Krystin and Travis drew on their experience in Uganda to build the Weight of Glory Orphan Care nonprofit. The success of the nonprofit lies in partnering with local communities with international partners that can support the orphanages. These friends’ nonprofit is creating glory for Ugandan orphans by attempting to carry the heavyweight of caring and shining a light on the stories untold in global orphanages.

– Sumeet Waraich
Photo: Flickr