Mt. Elgon Self-Help Community Project-Uganda.

by Caleb Wakhungu
(Mbale Uganda)

Mt. Elgon Self-Help Community Project is a registered non-governmental and community based organization in Uganda that was established in 2004 to respond to the problems faced by children, families and communities in Bumbo and Bumwoni sub counties, Manafwa District. Our interventions are mainly in four areas that include; HIV and AIDS, poverty, gender-based violence and environmental degradation. The children in our communities are the most affected by these ills, and so our programs are child-focused, family and community oriented, a strategy designed to build strong circles of support around children at risk.

Our vision is to have a community where all children at risk have equal access to quality care and support, and to keep their hopes and aspirations unclouded.

Our mission is to empower families and communities to provide holistic, consistent, quality care and support to children at risk.

The above mentioned ills have affected and still affect our children, families and communities in different forms. The social support systems have been eroded; the number of orphans is growing daily, and many of these children live in poor households with no access to adequate food, clothing, shelter, health care and education. Secondary caregivers are struggling and finding it hard to provide for increasing numbers of orphans in their homes. The children are suffering socially, economically and emotionally. The trauma after the loss of their primary caregivers is far greater than before. This is due to multiple losses encountered along their journeys of life, child abuse, and loss of contacts with other siblings and their property.

There is a high prevalence of HIV in the rural communities, mostly brought about by Poverty. The problem is the silence about HIV, as the majority of the people have little information on its causes, effects, and prevention. There is generally little or no care and support for those infected and affected. The effects of these ills are far reaching and never experienced before in human history!

We have no idea of what the future will look like to have a society whose significant population has to sacrifice their innocence to fend for themselves, having no family or cultural value system, and failing to remember the safety and nurturing of their mothers arms! Worse still, not only the children’s lives and futures will be ruined, but they are also at more risk of getting infected with HIV, turning into hard core criminals, and assuming adult roles at early stage. This will rob the society of what would have been responsible and productive people.

Activities include;
• Life skill sessions.
• Trauma Counseling.
• Livelihood.
• HIV and AIDS programs.
• Supports formal education.
• Home visits.
• Advocacy.
• Supports women clubs and community dialogues.
• Networking and referral.

Conduct the administration on admin@elgonproject.org