The Phoenix Children Foundation was established on the 23rd of August 2007, although assistance had already begun in the Autumn of 2004.

The purpose of the foundation is to collect funds and other resources to help orphans in the poor district of Rakai in Uganda, with the aim that the orphans will eventually be able to help themselves.

The orphans involved have lost both of their parents, mostly because of HIV/AIDS. They live in their parents’ homes and the oldest children care for their younger sibling--a responsibility which is very difficult for a child. The have had to take on the caretaking role for themselves and their siblings at a much too young an age. These child caretakers are at an average of 15 years old—the youngest caretaker we have met is 8 years old—and they shall care for their younger siblings?!

They need to maintain the house, obtain food, water and fuel. They should attend school, but that costs money and takes time. They have to tend to the fields and work for others to get a bit of money for food and other necessities.

Many do not have a house at all, or the house in which they live is in the process of falling down. Unfortunately many are chased away from their parent’s houses because the parents died of HIV/AIDS, because the children need to steal in order to survive, because they do not attend school, have poor clothing….

Without assistance it is not at all unlikely that these children will end up as thieves, prostitutes, street children or child soldiers.

Would you consider contributing so that these children can have a better future—and can eventually care for themselves?

With relatively simple initiatives we started supporting about 80 children in 2006. In 2009 the number of children assistent is 130. The different initiatives are assessed continously and the children and community members do report positive changes.