Meet the X Child Soldiers

Lawrence Okumu Each of the kids has a story to tell about his or her experience as a child soldier. Many of them are actively involved in operating projects sponsored by Active Blessing Uganda.

Rescue 2010

Street Feet Richard Akena and Alfred Okeny take trips into hostile territory to bring back LRA escapees into Uganda and ultimately into a normal life. Rescue needs can be covered at $70 a month.

Peace Project Kitgum (PPK)

The Peace Project Kitgum gives former child soldiers the chance for reconciliation with their disabled victims by building homes for them. Just $1,500 will build a new home and the promise of a peaceful future.

The Paper Beads of Uganda

These wonderful hand-made beaded necklaces provide a source of sustainable income to their makers. Each bead is individually rolled of cut paper and glued, before being strung.

Kids Keeping Kids

The following projects are led and operated by our X child soldiers.

Home for Disabled Children

Alex Adeke, a young woman and recent graduate from Secondary School, is caring for orphaned children who are deaf, blind, and crippled.

Welcome House Kitgum

The Welcome House Kitgum provides food, shelter, and education to 40 of he most recently rescued child soldiers.

Yap Wangi Project

The Yap Wangi Project provides 25 former child soldiers between the ages of 6 and 18, many HIV-positive, with housing, food, medical care, and education.

ABU at Manafwa High School

The ABU at Manafwa High School project supports 75 war orphans who have no one to pay their school and hostel fees.

Medical Fund

The Medical Fund provides money to meet the medical needs of our ABU Mbale kids.

Alfred’s Kampala Project

Alfred’s Kampala Project feeds, houses, and sends to school 88 Acholi orphaned street kids formerly living on the streets of the capital Kampala.

Julius’ Soroti Disaster Relief

Julius’ Soroti Disaster Relief Project offers shelter, food, and medical aid to over 60 orphaned youth rescued from the streets and others who have been displaced due to flooding.

Athletics

Visual and Performing Arts

ABU Projects

The following projects are led and operated by Active Blessing Uganda.

Jane’s Treatment Center

Coming soon.

ABU Media Company

Coming soon.

ABU Memorials

Remembering those we have already lost.

Spiritual Organizations

ABU Healing Teams

Darkness to Brightness Church

ABU Church Mbale

Dear Mom

Street Kids — Where and How They Sleep - July 9, 2010

Dear Mom,
Most kids sleep wherever night finds them i.e. dustbinds, on the streets, under trees and dark corners of streets. Very many of them sleep in just one small place without any mattress, mat or even just a bed sheet to cover themselves at night. It is worst when it rains at night coz they [...]

STREET KIDS —HOW THEY GET FOOD - July 8, 2010

Dear Mom,
It’s very hard for these kids to get something to eat, coz they have to get money by cleaning people’s toilets, digging through dustbins, or washing people’s clothes, in order to get like 500 shillings after a very heavy work done. Then they can buy food or eat their leftovers of food from the [...]

Sickness -

When they fall sick, there is no medical attention given to them at all. They are always denied their rights to medical care coz there is none to stand and fight for their rights. When they fall sick, most just pray and leave their lives to God’s control since there is nothing else they can [...]

Fights -

FIGHTS
The kids are always fighting mainly coz of the following:
Food
If one gets a chance of getting food; it always results into a fight in order to get just a little bite. It occurs because the young street kids are the victims the older ones. They tend to use force or violence on them in [...]

Sexual Abuse -

RAPE
Most kids are sexually abused in the following ways: They are always raped at night by thugs—- mainly girls are the ones raped. Others are defiled in this way through tricks; someone will call them pretending that he or she wants to help them by maybe paying their school fees and taking care of them, [...]

Mistreatments -

MISTREATMENT
Most kids are given too much work compared to the wages they receive i.e. carry heavy bags, washing toilets, clothes, cleaning compounds, cleaning dustbins, digging a very large piece of land, yet they are paid too little coz they don’t have anyone to stand up for them. If they insist on asking for enough wage [...]

Kindness & Love -

KINDNESS AND LOVE
Most kids get kindness from true Christians and church leaders, and at times politicians, but mainly it is church leaders who give them food then old cloths but not accommodation. These kindnesses are not even often, just once in a while.

Hopes and Dreams -

HOPES AND DREAMS

To have a place to call home that is shelter like others have, and a mattress and bed sheet to use at night.

To have education like other kids since here in Uganda, there is no
job for illiterates. They want to get even just simple work which can help them get a little money [...]

Just yesterday one of them died coz of hunger. - July 3, 2010

Dear mom,
Honestly, the kids are suffering a lot. Just yesterday one of them died coz of hunger. I didn’t believe it when they rung me to let me know. Then i proved by myself when i saw the corps [dead body]. He was buried today without even a coffin coz no one was there to buy one [...]

A Ugandan landlord says thank-you - June 24, 2010

You really need funding because you have demonstrated that you care and give hope.

street kids thank Speter -

makes us be like kings and not street kids

The Plea - June 5, 2010

Dear mom,
Honestly its so painful to be an orphan, so painful not to be loved, affectioned or cared about by anyone. But the most painful is not to be able to afford even just a day’s meal and a house where to sleep, and above all medical attention. Worst of all is living without [...]

Typical Day on the Streets -

Dear mom,
I talked to the Soroti and Kumi kids today. I asked them what they did in a typical day and this is what they told me:
They always work in groups in order to be able to provide food and simple basic needs for themselves including those who are disabled, thus they are cooperative.
Most always [...]

Reasons that kids go to the street - May 31, 2010

27 percent of children in Uganda less than 18 years, are orphans.

It’s Us To Talk For Them - May 24, 2010

dear mom,
i don”t know how to even express all that i experienced yesterday with the Mbale street kids. Honestly i wish i had a voice recorder i would have just sent for you how delighted they were and how they talked to you straightaway, for you to hear with your own ears.
Mom when i just [...]

First visit..Mbale street May 7th 2010 - May 23, 2010

Hi dearest mom,
Luck was not on my side. Today i went to the street kids but they refused to talk to me, claiming that i am useless cause I can’t bring their parents back after them talking to me. When i told them about you, they said that i should tell you yourself to go [...]

Hotter Than Hell I Think……SPeter’s personal story -

Hi dear mum, thanks a lot for replying my mail.May God Bless you so much. I’m 16 years old.I have been without school for two years now. I have been on streets for about five years now. I come from Soroti district and am presently living in Soroti streets.
My heart is set on becoming a [...]