The St. Joseph-Benton Harbor Rotary Club Foundation and Rotary District 6360 Foundation has awarded a grant to The Welfare Organization for Orphans and Vulnerable Children to do an outdoor classroom/gathering area in Kihihi, Uganda.
The Welfare Organization for Orphans and Vulnerable Children was founded by SJ/BH Rotarian, Prudy Barrett Nelson years ago, and has been turned over to a Ugandan board to continue their work. The organization educates, supports, and mentors kids who have no hope for a future, and barely make it by day to day. Most of these children either have had parents die, or have been abandoned by one or both parents.
Kihihi in Uganda is an extremely poor rural area. Because of the lack of good schools, the kids go to boarding schools out of the area. When home for break, they gather at the Rotary-sponsored office for fun, educational, and inspirational activities. Some of the activities focus on building self-esteem, trust, and leadership skills, as well as opportunities to just be kids and have a good time. As the organization has an office but no place for the kids, guardians, and community groups to gather when the sun is intense or raining, many activities must be rescheduled or cancelled because of the weather.
For this grant, the Rotary Club of St. Joseph-Benton Harbor awarded the Welfare Organization for Orphans and Vulnerable Children $3,200, the Rotary District 6360 Foundation awarded $1,300. These grants went towards the purchase of 3 large tents, 200 chairs, and a small PA system. These will allow activities to continue uninterrupted, even on those days when the sun is intense or during monsoon season.
Gathering under new Rotary-sponsored tent in Ugandan village
About Rotary
Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Rotary club membership represents a cross-section of the community’s business and professional men and women. The world’s Rotary clubs meet weekly and are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds. www.rotary.org
