Orphan-Care Program
Since it's inception in 1993, the Lake Bunyonyi Development Project (LBDP) had aspirations to begin an orphan care program. In 1999 the lake project’s employee, Benon Tugumisirize, died and left his wife, Loid, and two small children, Penelope and Peterson, without a means of support. In response to this tragic event, the management of LBDC started the orphan-care program in the village of Bufuka, where Loid and her children live.
Meeting with community leaders and the guardians of orphans, the project was born. LBDC assisted the guardians in forming a management committee and a business plan to generate revenue for the care of orphans in Bufuka. In January 2000, the community voted to start a milling business and the machine was funded by LBDC. The community contributed the materials to construct a building and, in June, it was completed and the machinery installed.
With the success of this project, LBDC was encouraged to expand the program. Today LBDC has helped four more villages begin similar projects, such as dry goods storage, and now some 300 local orphans are benefiting from the profits of these small businesses. The profits are used to assist them in paying for school fees or other necessities.
The communities work on a profit-sharing formula to ensure the project is sustainable. It is the goal of LBDC to form a new orphan-care group and assist them in starting a small business each year.
The management of the LBDC invites interested individuals to participate with training and in financial support.