TOF Uganda reaches out to our communities through a variety of development initiatives. We believe that best way to tackle the challenges in our society, especially where our children come from, is to engage the communities in a relevant and sustainable way. Our efforts reach far beyond simply caring for the fatherless, orphans or children-at-risk.
Many children-at-risk – orphaned and or fatherless, attend our school and affiliated schools each day. They have lost either one or both parents and have a relative or neighbor willing to ‘take them on’ with a meal and roof over their heads – and nothing else. We step in and reach out to the children in their backyard.
Our Childcare Extension staff visit every children every two weeks to monitor their living conditions and to offer much-needed practical assistance and training for each child’s family. The majority of the homes are headed by widows, single mothers and grandmothers. Our male extension staff play the ‘father’ role whiles the female ones, take on the ‘mother’ roles. We also engage the community leaders to champion the cause of child protection and care.
TOF Uganda promotes food security in a sustainable through backyard and commercial farming. This approach has two main benefits – the children are exposed to training crop and animal husbandry and two, enterprise farming helps to offset some of the costs involved in childcare ranging from tuition, scholastic materials, healthcare, amongst others.
We are growing maize (corn), cassava, sweet potatoes, fruit trees (bananas) and vegetables. We also plan to start poultry, piggery and dairy cows. Our goal is to be a model farm for best practices in the community.
Access to good healthcare is a basic human right. However, the reality for many in the developing world is sad – long distances to the nearest health facility, under staffing, expired or no drugs… Preventable illnesses keep children out of school and negatively affect the income of bread-winners.
TOF Uganda works to bridge the gaps by organizing medical camps to provide diagnostic services – screenings for cancers, dental and eye check-up, HIV/AIDS testing and counseling and training on measures to prevent illness.
We also hold camps with visiting medical teams to carry out primary diagnosis, referrals and counselling services.