Stephen's sponsorship code is BUL-10 Stephen was born in 1990. He has become a very mature and responsible young man, who shows concern for the younger boys and is a good example to them in many ways. He is in Primary 7 in school and will be sitting the national eams for Primary leavers i September. (The date of the exam has been brought forward due to the Commonwealth Summit to be held in Uganda later in the year.) He joined 'Teen Mission' - a camp where teams werer sent to different areas of Uganda during the long December-January holiday for evangelism and practical service in a community. He is a very keen and skilled footballer. Stephen's thanks God that he is doing very well academically. He enjoys games, watching movies, riding and preaching the word of God. He loves his guardians, teachers and friends. He has a slight problem with his ear and asks for prayer for it to recover. In the future he has high hopes of being an engineer or doctor, and he is encouraged that the Bible tells him that God has good plans for him. An Open Door into your Heart usually bears the complete cost of looking after all of a child's welfare, from accomodation, clothing, food, medical expenses and education. This often means the monthly cost of looking after children is quite high. We decided to give people an opportunity to give what they could and share the sponsorship cost of a child between several sponsors ensuring we receive the monies we need to provide the care the child deserves. So even if you can only afford £5 per month, your sponsorship will make a difference.
A bit about Uganda Uganda is a medium-sized state, bordered by Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and DR Congo (formerly Zaire). Uganda is rich with culture and artistic talent. The capital of Uganda is Kampala. The population in 2003 was estimated at 25.827 million. Uganda was known as the ‘Pearl’ of Africa before the war in Uganda which was under the regime of Idi Amin. The population growth rate is at 3 percent a year, which is high despite the impact of AIDS. This is the result of a high birth rated. On average, there are 6.6 children born to each woman. However, the infant mortality rates are among the highest in the world, ten times higher than western countries; with a quarter of Ugandan children under five suffering from malnutrition. Accessibility to education is a problem with just over half the African population unable to read. Life expectancy in Uganda is low at 42 years, which is the result of poor medical facilities, particularly in the rural areas. AIDS has a huge grip on the country, with over 40 percent of the population either diagnosed HIV positive or having full blown AIDS.
Children’s greatest Needs: Because we take in abandoned babies and children from the streets, many of them are in rough states. Due to their previous living conditions, the children come to us suffering from Malnourishment and very poor health which makes them very susceptible to all sorts of diseases. Some of the babies that we take in are so ill that they even need to be hospitalised for something as mild as measles. A child’s life could depend on receiving proper immediate medical attention, therefore, there is a huge need for the necessary medical fees to be covered. Education is also very important to the children and they are all very keen on learning and having high aspirations to excel. Education could be greatly enhanced by more funding. Your contribution will help provide the child with these needs as well as their basic necessities.
Bit About ‘An Open Door’ The name ‘An Open Door Family Home’ was created for the children to feel part of a family. The aim of ‘An Open Door’ is to support, rehabilitate, educate and resettle all the children that come into our care. Where we can’t resettle the children with their families, we try to find adoptive parents for them. Other children continue to remain with us on a long-term basis. We have two family homes in Uganda, one in Bulande near Kampala and the other in Malaba, which is in Uganda but near the Kenyan border. In total, we care for approximately 300 former street children and abandoned babies. We currently have over twenty permanent staff in Uganda. We also take teams of volunteers out on mission trips to Africa on a yearly basis. We’d like to thank you for your generosity in sponsoring one of our children in Uganda. By giving regularly to this child, • You are giving security
• You are making a difference in the life of this child!
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