Catholic Church launches local based fund
Bishop Serverus Jjumba of Masaka Diocese, the chief guest at the launch noted that in many situations such as disaster, children are usually forgotten and thus exposed to danger and abuse.
The Catholic Church through Caritas Uganda launched a Ugandan based fund, whose support will be the 19 Catholic dioceses.
At the event that took place in Kampala at Hotel Africana, Child Care and Emergency Relief was launched on Thursday to support children in need.
The programme will help children, especially those in areas that have faced calamities and disaster, for instance, those in Bulambuli District who were orphaned after the mudslides.
Child Care and Emergency Relief will be seeking to help children in different ways but the emphasis is on education.
Bishop Serverus Jjumba of Masaka Diocese, the chief guest at the launch noted that in many situations such as disaster, children are usually forgotten and thus exposed to danger and abuse.
“This fund is focused on children, it is true that some adults could be in need at the time of disaster but this fund is focusing on the child,” he said.
Fr Hilary Muheezangango, National Caritas Director, Uganda says that the fund is looking at neglected children whose parents are not taking care, the orphaned ones and those in areas facing crisis.
“This country has many children whose parents are unable to go ahead with education because of their situation,” he said.
Fr Muheezangango says that for this project, their budget is about Shs20 billion and said that even when it is an initiative of the Catholic Church, they are looking at helping all children regardless of beliefs.
To fundraise, the church is looking to the faithful to contribute to the cause.
“If at least two million Catholics from the 19 dioceses of Uganda contribute at least Shs60,000 every year, we shall hit the target,” Bishop Jjumba said.
Fr Muheezangango said that they used to get funding from other countries but they have lost funding over the years.
The money collected will be given out to the 19 dioceses whose bishops through their teams will locate the neediest people in these places to give the aid. The programme will go on in five phases and the first phase of the programme according to Father Muheezangango is seeking to help more than 380 children every year.
