save the vulnerable children Archives - Volunteering in Uganda

Webmasters December 28, 2021 No Comments

MALNUTRITION

The World Health Organisation defines malnutrition as “deficiencies, excesses, or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients”.

The National Health Services of the United Kingdom refers to malnutrition as “poor nutrition”.

There is something in common here, based on those two definitions and that is food.

The food in question is available but it is not exactly the kind of food the body needs and requires to grow as it should grow.

Food is a very vital part of life for children and living life and it shall guide our discussion here.

The World Food Programme puts it so well;

“To get to Zero Hunger, food is not enough. Providing food assistance in an emergency can save lives, but the right nutrition at the right time can also help change lives and break the cycle of poverty”.

According to the Global Nutrition Report, Uganda is ‘on course’ to meet two of the global nutrition targets for which there was sufficient data to assess progress!

Take, for example, one group of malnutrition (under-nutrition). It includes wasting (having a low weight for one’s height), stunting (having a low height for one’s age), and being underweight (having a low weight for one’s age) as well as having deficiencies in vitamins and minerals.

Undernutrition makes children in particular much more vulnerable to disease and death!

According to the World Health Organisation fact-sheet on malnutrition, wasting usually indicates recent and severe weight loss, because a person has not had enough food to eat and/or they have had an infectious disease, such as diarrhea, which has caused them to lose weight. A young child that is moderately or severely wasted has an increased risk of death, but treatment is possible.

When it comes to stunting, we are generally dealing with a result of chronic or recurrent undernutrition. Usually associated with poor socioeconomic conditions, poor maternal health and nutrition, frequent illness, and/or inappropriate infant and young child feeding and care in early life. Stunting holds children back from reaching their physical and cognitive potential.

For a child to be underweight, they may be stunted, wasted, or both.

In the same spirit of having children under the condition of under-nutrition, there exists over-nutrition!

Overnutrition is the situation where a child has more nutrients in their body than they need to have.

Signs and symptoms of malnutrition.

The most common signs and symptoms of malnutrition in children include feeling tired all the time, feeling weak, getting sick often. And taking quite long to recover, a general lack of interest in eating and drinking. Having a low body weight, not growing or not putting on weight at the expected rate among others.

Many doctors advise that the best course of action to take once you realize a child is malnourished is to start them on a diet high in proteins and calories.

Food that is high in proteins includes poultry, lean meat like beef and pork, fish, eggs. Dairy products like yogurt and milk among others.

Food that is high in calories includes beans, whole milk, cheese, eggs, oily fish, potatoes, brown rice. And whole-grain bread among others.

If you can, it is recommended that you give out a snack in between meals to the child that is malnourished.

And begin them on a diet of drinks that are high on calories like orange juice, apple juice among others.

Adding plenty of fruits and vegetables to the diet of the children helps a lot, too!

Feeding them a balanced and healthy diet, as much as possible hence prevention of malnutrition.

However, this can also begin with the entire journey of the expectant mother. As they are provided this same balanced and healthy diet. In the hope that their children are born healthy and have a lower risk of being stunted, developing poorly, or dying.

Breastfeeding mothers need to eat a plentiful diet to store the energy and nutrients they require to breastfeed successfully. (UNICEF, 2018)

Ps. Since we are talking about malnutrition in children, it is strongly advised medical personnel are consulted to establish what is causing this condition in a child before any action can be taken.

Volunteering in Uganda is the only place you can choose to volunteer to reach out to those who are suffering from malnutrition. Through our community outreach and healthcare plus the orphanage programs, you will be able to extend services and help to these people.

At Love Uganda Foundation orphanage you will get to care for the orphans both external and internal. We care a lot about what type of food our children take. Although they are orphans they deserve to have a balanced and healthy diet. With the help of our partners Tuyambe.org, and Love Uganda Safaris. Through charities and donations that you give to us with we can ensure that they get to eat a balanced diet.

Webmasters December 24, 2021 No Comments

CHRISTMAS DAY

Christmas day is when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ around the world on the 25^th of December every year. Both religious and cultural people celebrate it around the world. It’s preceded by the season of advent that initiates the season of Christmastide which historically in the West lasts twelve days. Isaiah 9:6 – For to us a child is born, to us, a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Christmas day involves giving gifts, Christmas music, and corals, going for church services, decorations of the Christmas tree. People do shopping all over the world. Markets are always full, supermarkets and shopping malls. Buying new clothes for that day is on everyone’s to-do list.

When I was young my mom used to take me shopping to get a Christmas dress and a new pair of shoes. I remember the smile on my face those days because I was just so happy to the extent that I couldn’t sleep. A lot of food was cooked and too many sodas were served. Up to today, nothing has changed.

But who provides for the vulnerable children, who cares if they have got Christmas gifts, new clothes and something to eat. These children don’t have families that care for them, no basic needs, no health care, and no family. Remember Christmas is always fun celebrated with family but where is the family. Some end up on the streets and others in the orphanages where they try to get a picture of what it feels like to have Christmas.

Children are happy for there Christmas gifts

The joy of being given gifts.

So how can you help vulnerable children enjoy Christmas like any other child with a family? Through volunteering, this can be made possible. The memories may seem like a small thing but to a child in foster care means a world to them. Our orphanage program gives you a chance to reach out to the vulnerable children at the Love Uganda Foundation orphanage.

Vulnerable children or any other child love gifts. You may not know the name of the child but know the age and gender of the child you are a blessing. This will help you choose the gift or items you wish to purchase. The extra time and effort put in to make a huge difference in helping the child feel loved. You may choose to donate clothes, pairs of shoes, toys, and a teddy bear to kids under Love Uganda Foundation
Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem and when you read luke2:7 says “she gave birth to the firstborn son and wrapped him in the swaddling clothes, and laid him in the manger; because there was no room for them in the inn” Jesus looked like a vulnerable child and he faced hunger, sadness pain and isolated. Many vulnerable children are isolated once their parents die by relatives. They look for what to eat and they are always sad. So choosing to donate food to orphanages during this Christmas season. As you do shopping for your family pick some items to take to the orphanage? For example, sacks of sugar and rice, cooking oil, and loaves of bread.

These kids long to have something they can call theirs and it will become special to them. You will remain in their hearts and pray. I challenge you his holiday season as you decorate your house and Christmas tree, gather around as a family, and celebrate think of ways to make a child in an orphanage and streets feel special. Maybe your love this year will make ornaments for the organization. The way you love to be given gifts is the way kids at Love Uganda Foundation love them too.

Volunteering in Uganda and its partners Tuyambe.org, Love Uganda Foundation, and Love Uganda Safaris. Wishes you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. We thank you for all the help through donations and sponsoring a child in 2021. And we look forward to working with you in the year2022. Christmas is a tonic for our souls. It moves us to think of others rather than of ourselves. It directs our thoughts to give. This is according to BC Forbes, the Scottish-born American financial journalist

GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

Gender-based violence refers to the harmful acts directed at an individual based on gender. This can be directed to both men and women who go through this but most women go through this around Africa. Gender-based violence takes many forms such as intimate partner violence, sexual violence, child marriage, and genital mutilation. Threats of violence, coercion, and manipulation are involved. 43% of the girls are married before the age of 18.

During COVID-19

One in three women experiences physical or sexual violence mostly by an intimate partner every day in Uganda. In Uganda, 22% of women experienced sexual violence during the lockdown. Gender-based violence cases increased to 3,280 with only 1,148 reported to the police. 3.3million Ugandans are exposed to adult domestic violence each year but the government of Uganda was more focused on treating COVID-19 and averting the spread.

Neglecting gender-based violence by the governments has fueled its effects on people. Limited funds were allocated to the fight. Education, health, and security were allocated supplementary budgets during the COVID-19. In addition, the priorities of governments to focus on the spread of COVID-19 and the elections preparations that happened in Uganda. Leaving women’s wellbeing aside. As a result of the death and injury of many girls and women who suffered sustained emotional and physical abuse at the hands of their husbands and relatives. The economic inequalities between men and women also have fueled the problem too.

East and Southern African regions have the highest rates of sexual violence against women and girls aged 15 to 24 years. Sexual violence against adolescents aged 15 and below is high in conflict and post-conflict countries. For example DRC, Mozambique, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

The persistence of harmful gender norms, alcohol use have maintained the high rate. And overall increased poverty, violence in urban slums areas and conflict areas.

Survivor-centered, ensuring the safety of the survivor, confidentiality that’s how Programs should be. And also respect for the survivor and her/ his right to informed choice.

Programs have been created in the presentation of gender-based violence as discussed

Combating gender-based violence in schools in Benin. Its focus is to combat gender-based violence against girls in schools. Working with the Ministry of education to raise awareness of gender-based violence in schools and legal protections that exist and develop a support network. This will involve the students, Teacher Association members, health care workers, police, lawyers, and magistrates specializing in gender-based violence and social workers.
Promoting Women’s Legal Rights in Uganda. It focuses on legal education and assistance to women survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. This is through the provision of paralegal training to community health workers, conducting legal aid outreach events, and training practicing lawyers on women’s legal rights. This will create a platform where women and girls can run to in case violence has occurred.
Women for action project in The Gambia. It seeks to accomplish three-goal that is: promotion and advocacy of legal reform for the eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Promotion and advocacy of legal reform of national women’s rights bill. And, the sensitization of civil society on the practice and implementation of women’s legal rights under local Muslim law.
Stigma Reduction and Empowerment for Women and Survivors of Sexual Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The goal is to advance the health, economic and social well-being of women. And girls survivors of sexual violence in rural villages in Walungu Territory Kivu.
Elimination of Gender-based violence in Liberia. This is to fight the continued marginalized and discrimination against women and girls in homes, schools, and the workplace and on a professional level.
Empowerment of teenage mothers and victims of sexual abuse. This is to empower and assist marginalized groups of young women and girls (teenage mothers and victims of sexual abuse).
Women’s Access to Justice: more effective resolution for GBV. And so many others.

About beliefs.

Women have been taken as second-class citizens. So it will take time for men to appreciate that women and girls have the same rights as men.

This is where you as a volunteer come in to support the good cause. So how are you going to help? Through volunteering in Uganda, you will be able to reach out to the affected people to offer help to them through the following ways.

It can be through our community outreach program where you get to interact with people in the communities.

Secondly, healthcare program where you will get a chance to offer medical help to the affected people in many ways.

Lastly, the orphanage program where you will be able to care for the orphans who have been orphaned due to Gender-based violence.

As I summarize, Gender-Based Violence must be addressed as soon as yesterday. . Reporting the cases of violence to the concerned people: like police concerned NGOs and other organizations. Volunteering in Uganda with its partners Tuyambe.Org and Love Uganda Foundation looks forward to addressing Gender-Based Violence but it cannot do it alone. Let’s join hands through donations, joining the charities organized in communities, and also sponsoring children who are victims of Gender-Based Violence. When we raise our voices together we can communicate, and when we join hands we can help. It does not matter how big or small you can offer as long as it’s for the good cause. Choose to volunteer with us.

Footprint Volunteer Uganda September 13, 2021 3 Comments

`VOLUNTEER UGANDA PACKING LIST

As it’s written in proverbs 22:9 “the generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.” Volunteering is something that would give someone peace of mind and at the same time restore someone’s lost hope.

Volunteer Uganda Packing list for a trip is hard for any person to do but when you have a guiding list makes it easy for you to pack for any trip. Volunteering is a hands-on activity where certain clothes do not fit. So the guide protects you in a way that you are able not to spoil your best outfit. People tend to overpack while planning a trip. Some planes carry limited kilos. So it’s good to know what to carry and not to carry while coming up to volunteer.

Below are some of the things you should include in your volunteer Uganda packing list.

The volunteer has got to have an open mind when planning a trip to volunteer in Uganda. When volunteering you don’t have a clear mind on what you are going to do. And how it’s going to be done. So many people get so excited while planning a volunteer trip and try to imagine things. It’s easy if someone has not built up any expectations. So it’s better if everything takes you by surprise but not getting disappointed when what you expected did not happen.

As you enter a country one has to be very patient in learning a new culture of the community. This is not going to be easy to do nor does it just happen in one day. So you have to be patient with yourself and also with the people around you. The things that are done back home may not be the way they are done here. It is sometimes testing to adopt a new culture but if given time, it becomes easy for you.

What to pack in terms of what to put on as you are going to your volunteering place should be known. One should be able to know the weather and the environment of the country. Uganda at some points is a hot country. So one should carry some light clothing to cope up with the weather. As it may get hotter while working so one needs some comfortable, suitable clothes and also some easy shoes. It does not matter whether you are teaching, gardening, or working with animals.

The volunteer should be able to communicate with the volunteering company on what to bring from home. The company should be able to provide information on what to bring. If it can be brought from the country or community where one is going to work from. This is to ensure that the money goes back to the local economy to develop them.

As the volunteer is preparing for a volunteer trip, one should mind about the safe that he or she has in the volunteer accommodation. A body hygiene kit can be folded on a wall so it’s advisable.

One should be a positive person as one prepares to volunteer in any country for example Uganda. You should prepare your mind to think positively no matter what work he or she is going to volunteer into that’s to say, teaching, working with orphanages, and health care. No matter how hot or cold the place may be one should be able to cope up with anything.

Volunteer’s imprinted documents should not be carried when on a volunteer trip as it saves space in the suitcase or backpack. These documents can be downloaded on smartphones or tablets and also on laptops. This makes it possible to assess all documents and information needed instead of carrying documents in large quantities as this also saves space and time.

Well, in a nutshell, volunteer Uganda packing list offers to make one comfortable while coming on a field trip as it’s easy for one to cope up with any situation around. Guidance to a volunteer is also something to put around to make the visitor feel at home to reduce the discomfort of the volunteer. It’s also advisable for the volunteer company to always update the volunteer on the updates of the company so that he or she is well equipped with information about the company.

Webmasters January 28, 2021 2 Comments

KNOW MORE ABOUT VOLUNTEERING UGANDA

Volunteering in Uganda is an NGO initiative aimed at reaching out to the various needs within the Ugandan society through volunteerism. The organization has the objective of availing an opportunity to everybody. That has a zeal for changing and transforming a society positively. Through the provision of a platform and hands-on involvement in the support process. Through its partnership with Love Uganda Foundation, Volunteering in Uganda intends to “make volunteerism a relevant, purposeful engine for democracy and sustainable communities today, and by so doing, create a vibrant purposeful society tomorrow.”

Also known as “Footprint Volunteer Uganda“, the organization has diverse programs. That is to say the elderly program, disabled program, HIV/AIDS program, Youth program. Childcare program, widows program, water, and sanitation program, healthcare human rights, and development program. All the above programs are catered for within the organization’s four major programs which are; The Community Development Program, The Healthcare program, The Education/teaching program, and The Childcare/Orphanage program. Each of these programs is specifically and carefully arranged. To cater to the needs of the different beneficiaries of the Organization.

The Community Development Program

believes that through training local farmers, helping the local women groups. Sensitizing women, and child advocacy, volunteers can be able to cause a rewarding impact on society. This program involves working alongside people within the local communities, engaging in developmental programs through education. Women`s empowerment, environmental monitoring, income-generating activities, health management, and mapping. The Women Empowerment program and the Youth Empowerment Program fall under the Community Development program.

Under the Women Empowerment Program,

Volunteering in Uganda notes, “If you want to change a culture, to empower women, to improve basic hygiene and healthcare, to fight high rates of infant mortality, the answer is to educate girls”.

It is for this reason that this volunteer program is steered. Towards the creation of better welfare and socio-economic development for women. From poor areas both within rural areas and Uganda`s capital city – Kampala.

Through many projects, for example, teaching the English language to young women, providing training on proper account keeping to women in small finance groups. Participating in, as well as initiating awareness-raising activities in various issues. Working with women in their farms, arranging activities to improve the self-confidence and educational development of women. Working with Love Uganda Foundation local staff to train women, etc. All the volunteer programs are aimed at ending discrimination against women in the most marginalized communities.

The Youth Empowerment Program

is geared towards supporting the youth, who demographically, make up 78% of Uganda`s population. Making it the youngest population worldwide. UNICEF defines youth as being between the ages 15-24years. Unfortunately, despite being the majority of the country being young and vibrant. Statistics show that the unemployment rate in Uganda is 83%, with 3.2% of Uganda Youth working for waged employment. 90.9% work for informal employment, and 5.8% are self-employed. It is thus Volunteering in Uganda`s desire to changes these statistics through availing opportunities for volunteers. To support the youth in Uganda by sharing success stories, the impartation of skills. Such as leadership to the youth, and where the need is, grant financial support to them. The youth are also encouraged to take part in community stimulating activities.

Under the Healthcare program,

Volunteering in Uganda aims to improve health in rural communities by educating and engaging people in health programs. Volunteers with a medical background and public health. Volunteers in this program are taken to some of the rural hospitals, clinics, communities, or orphanages. Where they provide checkups, basic medical care, early intervention services, family planning information, etc. Volunteering in Uganda understands that Health is a basic human right. And as a result, it put in place such programs to ensure that the vulnerable people in Uganda can access them.

Recognizing that the Right to Education is a fundamental human right,

Volunteering in Uganda seeks to make access to that right possible for as many children as it can reach. Through its Education/Teaching Volunteer program. Under this, volunteers work in government and public schools. Mainly teaching children aged between 4-16 years in English, Maths, Geography, Religious Education, Entrepreneurship, General Knowledge, and Physical Education. This particular field requires the volunteer to be compassionate and can care for and relate with children. Through fun and outgoing activities that can grab the interest of the children. And creative teaching methodologies with which they can easily learn. Volunteers under this program are required to work for 4-5 hours each day, for five days a week.

Childcare program

Finally, Volunteering in Uganda has a volunteer program set up to render support to the orphaned, poor and marginalized children of Uganda. Through its Childcare program. This program seeks to reach out to children who have not acquired parental support. That they need and have faced several challenges in life. Under this program, Volunteers can support and love orphans. Under the care of Love Uganda Orphanage which is based in Kalagi – Mukono. The orphanage is home to 30 vulnerable children aged between 3-15 years. Among those who are disabled children, those that were abandoned, and some of them living with HIV/AIDS. This Volunteer program also reaches out to 300 other children under the external child care program. Where the organization gives support to very poor single families. Within this program, volunteers can participate in the rescuing and restoration of hope to such vulnerable children.

Seeing as the world has partnered to create a positive and long-lasting impact globally through the UNDP’s Sustainable Development Goals. Volunteering in Uganda is actively playing her role, with emphasis on SDG No. 1-No poverty, SDG No. 3- Good health, SDG No.4- Education, and SDG No. 5- Gender equality. It is thus a call to action for all those with a passion for causing and participating in the creation of a world. That can support the existence of life today, as well as enable a fruitful life for future generations. Through either partnering with Volunteering in Uganda or giving to the cause.

Webmasters November 2, 2020 120 Comments

TEACHING GOES BEYOND THE PROFESSION.

Teaching goes beyond the profession

A lot of attention has been put on education and not much on the educator or teacher. Education is both systematic and progressive and without education or learning, an individual is bound to become a public nuisance. Nelson Mandela once said that ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’ And truly for the world to change, much more emphasis needs to be put on education and teaching.

For education to take place, there must be a teacher, and sometimes life is our teacher and other times it is individuals. We must learn that teaching goes beyond the profession. A teacher has been defined as a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence or virtue. So it`s not about the profession as much as it is about the person. It has been discovered that the first teacher any child has is his/her mother. Right from the womb, the fetus begins to pick signals from their mother and these signals are translated to affect their development. It’s the individuals that we meet on a daily that become teachers to us because from our various interactions with them, we learn to deal with many stresses and how to relate with people.

Teaching goes beyond the profession because, for a teacher to have a long-lasting impact, there must be passion, love, vision, a dream and the game-changer attitude within a person. A true teacher looks beyond what they will benefit from the service that they give and focus on what the learner has to gain. The beauty of it is that we don`t need to sit in classrooms for us to be teachers or learners because every day we meet potential teachers and students. It is our attitude towards them that determines what they will at the end of the interaction, walk away with.

Love and hatred, morality and ethics, good and bad, kindness and mercy; all these are not taught and learnt in a classroom. Some of these are learnt on the streets, others in market places and others from inconvenient places.

It means that we are all students and we are all teachers. We will always be teachers because it is our experiences that we teach and impart into others. Our interactions with others, the places we have been to and the events that take place in our lives make us teachers.

Some people choose to take up the teaching profession so that they can mentor, guide and impart skills into others as a way of changing them. Then some people are teachers at heart, and they go out of their way to make it possible for other people to become better. They source out for information that will empower others, and they look beyond the situations and limitations they might face and adopt better means of engaging their learners.

Many of these teachers fall under the informal education sector and they teach tremendously well. They teach soft skills, vocational skills, morals, ethics and values in society that group the emotional and psychological being of many individuals.

Now that you know that you are a teacher and the world is full of your students, you must build upon yourself and your interaction with the world. Become intentional about everything that you do because like it or not, the world is watching. And even though not everyone may care, there is a high probability that many people are picking the signals that you give off and these inform their world views. Be kind.

Sometimes we want to share our skills and are passionate about making an impact on hearts that are ready and willing to receive from us but we are limited by whom to contact. Look and believe, then you will see those grounds. And if it so happens that you are not a teacher by profession, find a community to volunteer. Talk to the local leaders in a particular region, let them know what your passion is and the motivation behind it and set it rolling.

If your passion stirs the desire to travel in order to do so, don`t hesitate, take a bus or a plane and travel to the grounds that will receive the seed you want to sow. We are sure that there are many people with a desire to learn but have limited access to teachers. These will gladly receive you with open hands.

You could visit Volunteering in Uganda and let us give you the opportunity to teach under our community Development Program . Be it a skill, a story, a song or any lesson that is valuable and relevant for the social, mental and spiritual development of the child and other community members; we will avail the learners to you.

We are all teachers because it is much more than the profession. So let`s teach and forever learn.

Webmasters December 5, 2018 3 Comments

WAYS TO CARE FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN UGANDA AS A GROUP

Ways to care for Vulnerable children in Uganda as a group.

Every New Year brings changes and chances to create new resolutions. We always look for ways to love the Lord and love our Neighbors, it’s hard to ignore the outstanding needs of vulnerable children around the world.

It is possible to invite your family, friends, or co-workers to join you in the movement to care for the vulnerable children in Uganda. It may be a parenting group, bible study, family, book club, or anything else. Together, you can share in the giving spirit and commit to caring for vulnerable children. Read more

07:30 – 19:00

Kubbiri Roundabout

+256 754806809

save the vulnerable children