Provide Education to AIDS Orphans in Rural Uganda

Summary

The Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project (NAOP) is working to free orphans from the cycle of poverty by providing a high-quality, free education, both formal and informal, to children who have been orphaned due to HIV/AIDS in order to counteract pervasive hunger, poverty, and systemic deprivation.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

Hundreds of thousands of families in South-Western Uganda that have lost breadwinners to HIV/AIDS are stuck in systemic poverty cycles where children lack access to healthcare, education, food and shelter. Nyaka fights poverty by empowering these children, especially girls, through free, quality education, healthcare, and basic needs. One of our girl students, Irene, says, "We were suffering in the villages... I am very happy to be in secondary school where I forget about being an orphan."

How will this project solve this problem?

We run two free primary schools for 462 vulnerable children that provide meals, clothes, medical care, vocational training, community potable water, and a HIV/AIDS prevention program. We support 72 students through secondary school.

Potential Long Term Impact

We will educate over 600 vulnerable orphans, especially girls, who cannot afford an education at the primary and secondary level so as to reduce systemic poverty in their families by creating community-focused businesses, jobs, and social institutions.

Project Message

"I grew up in rural Uganda where my parents sold goats, cows, & land to educate me. Despite not having parents to make such sacrifices, the students at Nyaka still have a chance for a bright future."
- Twesigye Jackson Kaguri, Director and Founder of the Nyaka School

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).

Resources