Peace Project Director | Audio Clips of the Disabled | The Desire for Peace |
Who is ABU?
Active Blessing Uganda (ABU) is a Ugandan Organization of former child-soldiers and street kids. It was started in Nov. 2007 by Jane Snyder and Luke Haumba after an original rescue of 22 Acholi kids from ethnic cleansing at a Ugandan orphanage. It is run by the young men and women themselves and is funded by Melchizedek’s Treasure, a 501C3 tax-exempt USA charity.
History
In Aug. 2008, I, Jane Snyder, was sitting at a table at the Modern Snack Kitgum and a man named Geoffrey Ongom came to meet me. We talked and then he said these words that I will never forget; “We from the North thank you for taking care of the former child-solders, that the whole world is interested in, but no-one does anything for their victims—the disabled.”
When he said that, a sword went thorough my heart. It was like a burning anguish in me. I was caught by total surprise and jarred to my core with this knowledge. I immediately knew that it was true and that I could do something about it. So I asked him what he wanted done for them. He asked for housing. Immediately a plan came into my head which made it seem like it would be so easy to do.
What it is About
The plan was that I could get a USA Project Director and we could raise funds from organizations to build these dwellings.
I told him yes right there and then. I was totally sure of it.
I told him our organization of ABU boys would go and build these houses. It seemed so right since they were the ones who carried out this destruction.
There were yet some big hurdles to overcome. Would the boys be willing to go and build? Would the disabled accept houses built for them from the child-soldiers that had wrecked their life? I could only hope that each group could overcome their pain in order to make this happen.
When I arrived in Kitgum on the next trip in Dec. 08, John Baylor and I met with the association of the disabled and I asked the big question. The answer was a shocking, “Yes, of course we will accept them.” The same willingness was found in our ABU boys and girls, so the path was clear to start our first project of peace and reconciliation through lovehousing on Acholi land.
LACAN OTERE KITGUM DISABLED GROUP
The recipients of the Active Blessing Uganda Peace Project is the “LACAN OTERE KITGUM DISABLED GROUP ‘ which was formed as a result of the Northern conflict which has lasted for two decades. It is a community based organization and is fully registered with the Kitgum local government. It is comprised entirely of people with physical war-caused disabilities.
Original Vision
- Members resettlement to places of their origin
- Micro Finance Loans procured to undertake income generating activities e.g. poultry bee keeping, bakery, small scale businesses to be self-sustainable.
Mission of ABU Regarding The LACAN OTERE KITGUM DISABLED GROUP
Active Blessing Uganda has agreed to work in the area of building housing
for resettlement from the IDP Camps for the members of The LACAN OTERE KITGUM DISABLED GROUP. It has agreed to look for other organizations to provide the other services requested.
Founder/Chairperson –Paito George William
Vice Chairperson– Acayo Betty Abedi
Secretary– Otim Richard
Treasurer–Aboda Doniano
How to Accomplish it
If you are a leader of an organization or even an individual and are interested in helping this effort, these are the things to be done:
- Raise $1,500 per house
- Find orgs./churches who are willing to raise money for one home at a time.
- Advertise this web-site in your sphere of influence. Activeblessing.com/Peace Project
Let us help these young men and women to work and do good in their land. It is my Hope, Desire, and my Prayer. Jane Snyder
Contacts
Jane SnyderFounder/Trustee, ABU
Founder/President, Melchizedek’s Treasure
melchizedekstreasure@yahoo.com