Challenges - pearlchildren.ca - Canadian Friends of Pearl Children

Challenges

	Uganda is known as the Pearl of Africa. Unfortunately, because of war, disease and extreme poverty many children are suffering. Canadian Friends of Pearl Children in Uganda literally takes children off the streets to give them a home- a bed to sleep in, food and an education. Funds are needed immediately for: Land- the children have lost their home and are living temporarily in the local primary school dormitory Afripads for the Girls Sponsorships for school tuition
Space There are many children and there isn’t enough space. The “bedrooms” are dark and cramped with ten children to a room- yes ten children! Children sleep on thin, dirty mattresses.		Ten children sleep in this room
An outdoor pit latrine serves as a bathroom. It is dangerous for the girls to use it at night	Latrine Children use an outdoor pit latrine. We need funds to build them sanitary and safe structures.
Kitchen and Eating Area Children normally have porridge in the morning, beans and posho for lunch and rice and vegetables (sometimes meat) for supper. They are grateful for a warm meal and a place to sleep. Meals are cooked over an open fire in a brick hut. We are hoping to raise enough money to build a proper kitchen and eating area for the children.		The kitchen is a brick hut where food is cooked over an open fire
A child with malaria sits in the dorm	Disease Malaria is common in Uganda. At present, sick children must be taken to Jinja Hospital – even for minor problems. We would like to build a healthcare centre on campus to serve the children.
Abandoned Children Due to oppressive poverty, some mothers will abandon their children because of their inability to feed them. Sometimes, babies are even thrown in the garbage and left for dead. The Centre will take in these children and provide them with food, shelter and education.	This baby was abandoned by her mother and thrown into the garbage.	PCCC took her in and now she is a thriving 2 ½ year old.
The schoolhouse is a dirt hut built with mud and sticks	Education As it is now, the school is basically a dirt hut- built with mud and sticks. Little light comes in from the cut windows and the rooms are very small. There aren’t enough school supplies. Still, these children are learning and there is surely hope for a better tomorrow.


Staff Housing The staff live near the centre in rented houses with no electricity or running water, except for two adults who stay at the centre. We would like all of the staff to be able to live on site at the Centre.		Another goal is to build on site housing for staff
Future Pearl architects? Our goal is for the Centre to become self sufficient	Self Sufficiency The ultimate goal is for the Centre to be self sufficient without the need of outside help. We need to purchase land to build the children a permanent loving home. They lost their home and are presently living in temporary housing. The land available will afford us the space to build a home, a clinic and eventually school blocks. The land will also give the Centre more farming land and help them become more self-sustaining. We have been offered land in a prime location for $5000.00 an acre.