Ugandans Adopt

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UGANDA ADOPTION STORIES: PASTOR MARK KIGOZI’S FAMILY

Recently Pastor Mark Kigozi  a  renowned motivational speaker and TV presenter with  NBS TV visited us to express his interest in adopting  from us. Below we bring you the real life story of Pastor  Mark  who together with his wife Maureen  have three children, two of whom are adopted.

Pastor Mark and wife Maureen

In 1998, I fell in love with the most wonderful lady, Maureen. I had just made up my mind to follow my dream to become a Youth Pastor at Kampala Pentecostal Church, now Watoto Church. Maureen was the Youth Choir Leader and I was Youth Head, so working together gave us the time to build a solid relationship. It was a great courtship and we were married on 1st May 1999.

Little did we know it would be a long time until we could have a child. After four years of waiting, Maureen suggested we adopt a child. After all, there was no reason why we could not give a child the opportunity of having a place to call home and parents of its own. We were already opening our home to many teenagers who found comfort with us. Our lives were an open book. They spent nights tagging along on mission trips and ministry. We also did our best to be there for them when they needed a listening ear or helping hand.

Yet these teenagers only came to us for what they missed out at home and eventually had to go back. Yet there were many children out there who were rejected, and we knew we could give them a loving home. Our adoption journey saw us visit a number of orphanages until we zeroed in on Sanyu Babies Home.

The choice of picking the first child fell upon me.  I had always longed to have a little girl and so Maureen preferred that I make the final decision. Something drew me to a little baby girl, just three months of age, asleep in the hands of one of the caretakers. Before long she was in our care and we gave her the name Melissa, Kirabo Miracle Kigozi – Kirabo meaning” gift”. It was a delight to see her grow up and call us Daddy and Mummy. She is now 10 years of age.

When Melissa turned two, she decided that she needed a sibling and this time we wanted a boy. Since chemistry works better with opposites, it was Maureen’s turn to make the final decision. She said she had dreamt about this boy and seen his face.

The Kigozi’s : Maureen, Melissa, Pastor Mark, Melody, Eddie ( a friend of the family) and Maxwell

We went back to Sanyu Babies Home and met the little boys there.  After interacting with the little ones, Maureen asked the person in charge if there was any other boy in their care. And there was one little boy playing by himself in the play room. Maureen asked to meet him and it was love at first sight!He was six months old and handsome. We went home with him after a few days and we named him Maxwell. Maxwell is now eight years old and is in P3. Our two children are a source of joy and fulfillment to us; above all, they are such good friends.

About a year and eight months ago, God blessed us with a daughter, Melody. She was an unexpected gift that we received with gratitude. Her siblings, Maxwell and Melissa, had been praying for her and the love her to bits. She is our third born, so we are now a complete family of three!

Our children are all gifts from God and we treat them in order of advent. Many couples fear to adopt due to stigma from society. But we see adoption as a miracle from God and a ministry to children and God. Sometimes we wonder what would have become of our lovely children if we did not have them in our family!

What if each family opened up their hearts and adopted a child? Wouldn’t that solve the problem of parentless and street children in our country? Wouldn’t that be pleasing to God and to the nation? Wouldn’t that be the answer for a rejected, parentless child crying on their own and asking why others have families and they don’t?

 

If you are considering adopting  like Pastor Mark or fostering a child, we are very happy to answer any further questions that you may have. Please call Aidah  on +25676110304 or email [email protected]. For more information and updates, like our Facebook page  and follow us on twitter.

To watch Pastor Mark and Maureen’s adoption story, click on the video below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MGkxjcKD9s&feature=youtu.be

 

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adoption Uncategorized

Part two of Interview with a Social Worker: Emmanuel Shanyolah

Good social work is core to a smooth  adoption or fostering  process. Below we bring you the second excerpt of Social Worker Emmanuel’s interview. Emmanuel works with children and has been in  the adoption and fostering field for years now. We hope you will enjoy the interview like we did:
In Social work, the child’s interests are   paramount. What does that mean to you ? How do you apply it in your daily work?

We do everything possible to promote the welfare and well-being of our children. We’ve put structures in place that ensure each child is able to realise their full potential – now and as they grow up. My job means making decisions every day that will affect a child’s life. The question I always ask myself is: in whose interest is my decision? My answer should always be the child’s. For example, we had to make a very difficult decision to separate one our children from his foster mother’s care after discovering the dangers he was exposed to.

 How do you work with families in these situations? Do you encounter any difficulties? 

It’s very important that we try and help them understand the reasons why we are separating them. We meet with the child’s family to discuss the importance of child safety. We emphasise the needs of their child and the dangers they will be exposed to if something is not done immediately. Sometimes it might only be temporary as there are often opportunities to work with the family and improve their living conditions or otherwise. So there can be hope, too.

Emma at work
Emma with new arrival Ivan at a hospital where he was abandoned

At Ugandan’s Adopt we advocate for children being in families through  domestic adoption and fostering: what do you think about this?

I think it’s a great thing that Ugandan children are being taken on and adopted by fellow Ugandans. Uganda doesn’t lose on her children as a future human resource and our children will be able to remain in their native country. It’s also very important to monitor the progress of adopted families and ensure the children are happy, healthy and continuing to thrive in their care. This is made much harder if they’re adopted internationally. I am happy that Ugandans are coming up to this cause

     If you were speaking to someone who is considering adoption what would you say to them?

I would tell them they are doing a very noble thing by expending love and care to a child who needs them. The process can sometimes take longer than people expect but it is a very worthwhile and rewarding experience. Of course, adoption has its challenges but this is often no different from parenting your birth children.

Tell us about the most rewarding experience in your career so far?

It would have to be Andrew’s journey with us. He was admitted to Malaika Babies’ Home following a referral from a local police station. Andrew had been abandoned on a veranda outside someone’s home, who was known to his father. They kept him for a night with the hope that whoever left Andrew behind would come and pick him up but in the morning they reported the case to police.

As we tried to trace his family, I went back to the house where he was abandoned and discovered Andrew’s father had been in touch only two weeks before. We investigated the call logs which lead us to Andrew’s grandfather. We and told them about their grandchild which they didn’t know existed.  They were so happy! After spending time together, we successfully resettled Andrew with his extended family. We’re very pleased with progress Andrew has made and we’ve continued to support the family, helping the grandfather to expand his piggery project and increase their household income. Andrew is happy, healthy and has formed strong bonds with his family.

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adoption open day

Thank you for helping us make families

A billboard advert from our first media campaign

At a recent team meeting we were discussing the incredible progress we’ve made since we began Ugandans Adopt three years ago. We had a vision for all Ugandan children to grow up in loving homes, with a family to belong to. We believed we could make families, not orphans.

Turns out, you believed us too. Not only did you believe us, you helped us. Since we started our campaign, we have been able to place over 130 children in loving Ugandan families – and we couldn’t have done this without you.

This post is just a little something we wanted to do to say thank you and to recognize the contribution you have made. Ugandans Adopt has become a passionate community, united by our vision and bound by its commitment to our children’s safety, health and happiness.

 

 

A happy family

Because of you, we have found families for children who would otherwise have nowhere to call home. Because of your love and support we have been able to grow – and we’re still growing. You have helped prove beyond doubt that there are Ugandan families and individuals willing to open their hearts and homes through adoption and fostering.

Whether you’re an adoptive or foster parent, a friend, a supporter or if you’re just following our journey on Facebook and Twitter, we wanted to say thank you. This isn’t just our success – it’s yours. And with your help, there’s no stopping us.

We are excited about embarking on the next steps of our journey together with you. Your support is going to become even more vital as we continue to grow but we believe we can do this together. Please continue to help us spread the adoption gospel by telling your friends and family about what we’re doing, sharing our vision, or simply just inviting them to join us on Facebook and Twitter so they can see for themselves.

If you’d like to know more about how you can help, or would like to become a Ugandans Adopt Ambassador, please contact Aidah on [email protected].

Thank you.

Our final message
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adoption

An interview with Emmanuel Shanyolah, our Social Worker

Our social work department is at the very heart of our mission. To avoid long-term psychological damage, our social workers aim to resettle children safely back into their families or with foster or adoptive parents within six months of entering our care. We interviewed Emmanuel and asked him why he believes the work he’s doing is so importan

How long have you worked with Ugandans Adopt?

It has been two years this September.

Ugandans Adopt  is unique in its approach. Tell us more about how important this is to you.

What we are doing is staggering; we are changing thoughts about orphanages in Uganda. We’re making families, instead of orphans. Every child has relatives out there and part of my role as a social worker has been to find them. We’re often successful and are able to reunite abandoned children with their extended families. If we can’t trace their family, we have found them new families through fostering and adoption.

On the growing issue of child abandonment in Uganda, in your experience, how do you think this can be reduced or prevented?

Emmanuel with Patricia whom he successfully found a loving family

I believe child abandonment can be prevented at two levels: micro and macro. At a macro level, the government needs to help to ensure that children are in school and receiving an education to help prevent teenage pregnancies and subsequent abandonment. I also believe in strengthening community support systems as communities should be involved in finding solutions for problems they are facing.

At a micro level, child protection agencies need to develop programmes to support mothers experiencing difficulties caring for their babies. To prevent abandonment, our team provide practical support to vulnerable families to enable them to keep their children. I worked with a young mother of twins who was feeding the twins on cassava flour porridge and, as a result, they were severely malnourished. The mother was unable to provide for her children and relying on her friends parents to give her a place to stay. We took the children to hospital and, after they were discharged, they came to our emergency care centre for three weeks. They were looked after by their mother with support from the carers and the nurses at Malaika Babies’ Home. When they were healthy enough to go home, we continued to support their mother with formula milk and worked with their father to help him support his family.

 How important is social work to the lives of orphans and vulnerable children?

Incredibly important – social workers are responsible for tracing for children’s families and ensuring abandoned children are able to grow up in a loving family, instead of an institution.

We follow a case management system which allows us to monitor a child’s growth and behaviour as well as completing risk and need assessments and care plans. We’re also responsible for assessing prospective foster and adoptive parent, presenting cases to the alternative care panel and reporting to probation officers. Everything we do is to make sure children have the chance to grow up with their family.

We also work with families by helping them create sustainable income and identify other available help and resources, so they can provide the best care for their children. We also provide counselling and ongoing support for families after we have resettled the child in their care. The role of a social worker cannot be overstated when it comes to he lives of vulnerable children.

What motivates you?

Very many things, but what stands out for me is seeing a child thrive in a happy home once we’ve been able to reunite them with their family. 

Emmanuel spending some time with a cutie on a break from his ever busy schedule of tracing and finding families .
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adoption open day

CEO Lucy on Malaika Babies’ Home Third Birthday

We celebrated Malaika Babies Home 3rd birthday. Special thanks to our Communications Manager Aidah Agwang, Immaculate Atwine our Care Home Manager and Maureen Orogot for organizing such a great day.

Over 50 guests came to celebrate with us including other babies homes around Kampala including Sanyu Babies Home, Dwelling Places, An Open Door, Kaja Nafasi, Abana Ministries, Youth For Christ Uganda and Action For Children.

We were very happy to see Zaina, Michael and Agnes from Kampala City Council Authority Probation service – they work around the clock giving us care orders and we could not do our job without them.

Many children are referred to us by the Police Child Protection Unit so we were delighted to see Ketty Nandi, Stella and Carol. In the middle of the party we gave them, Carol Bankusha and Zaina a sneak preview of the video of the ‘Working Together’ Conference which will be releasing soon.

 

Police Officer Ketty Nandi

A few years ago adoption was practically unheard of here in Uganda, thanks to the government lead Ugandan’s Adopt campaign it is becoming more and more popular. We could not do this without the help of the media and we’d like to thanks Esther Namirimu and Penlope Nankunda from the New Vision, Sarah from UBC radio and Eseza from WBS who produced a children’s show all about Malaika!

Ugandans Adopt 100 babies

We were very happy to see adoptive parents Amelo and Christina who bought with them friends who have been inspired by their adoptions and filled our expression of interest form to start the adoption process. We don’t actually have any children currently available for adoption and a waiting list of Ugandan families who have been assessed and approved by the Panel waiting for a baby so we hope the babies homes around Kampala will work with us so more children grow up in families in Uganda.

Adoptive parent Amelo with her beautiful daughter.

Other wonderful guests included Julian from NSSF and Edith from Crane Bank, Social Workers from Mengo Hospital and Rubaga Hospital, our Local Councilor came to show his support and celebrity Barbara ‘Barbie’ Kyagulanyi wife of musician Bobi Wine bought donations and cuddles for the children.

Barbie cuddling a baby at Malaika Babies Home.

You might be wondering how we managed to get such incredible images capturing the day? That’s because Steve Greenaway www.stevegreenaway.com a remarkably kind and generous photographer from Australia is over for 10 days volunteering his expertise to work with me on a very exciting campaign which I cannot wait to share with you. Child’s i Foundation relies of people like Steve and you giving us your love, time and money and we cannot do this without you. Thank you.

 

 

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adoption Uncategorized

HAPPY THIRD BIRTHDAY MALAIKA BABIES HOME

On Wednesday the 15th May 2013, the children and Staff of Malaika Babies Home celebrated their third birthday with an open day.  Malaika Babies Home in Mengo has provided emergency short-term care to over 130 babies. Over the past three years they have successfully found families in Uganda for 100 of these children through resettlement and domestic adoption. Their Social Work team put a lot of time and resources into tracing families and as a result 66% of these children have been resettled with their extended families.

Birthday Cake

 

 

 

 

The open day which was crowned with the cutting of the cake by the children at Malaika Babies Home was attended by  many guests including staff from other babies’ homes around Kampala, the Police Child Protection Unit, Probation officers, Social workers and adoptive parents who bought their children along to the celebration.

Nandi Ketti (carrying the baby) a Police Officer, Zainah a senior probation Officer and a guest at the Open day

Among the well-wishers was Barbie, Bobi Wine’s wife who donated an assortment of items to Malaika Babies Home. “It has been a wonderful day and we are very grateful for all the support of our supporters, the Probation, Police and other children’s homes” says Immaculate Atwine, the Manager of the Babies Home “Only by working together we can find families in Uganda for abandoned children

Barbie at Malaika Babies Home.

To see The New Vision’s article on the above, click on the link below:

Ugandans Adopt 100 babies

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adoption

A Mother’s love: Maria and Patricia’s Story

One of the many single Mothers who has adopted from us.

 

At Ugandans Adopt, we think all of our little ones are special. We couldn’t possibly choose favorites but sometimes it’s hard to describe how wonderful these little people are.

Patricia arrived at the  Babies Home after she was abandoned at Mulago Hospital. Our social work team spent over three months trying to trace her family, including placing adverts in local media. After they’d exhausted all possible leads we made the decision to try and find her an adoptive family.

Patricia was then matched with Maria, already a mother to a seven year old girl and a successful hairdresser. However, our social work team deemed her home unsuitable for a young baby and were unable to approve the match – but Maria was determined that nothing could keep them apart.

Patricia and Mum

 

It took three months, but Maria persevered. She managed to move to a new place which our social workers approved and, after spending time bonding with Patricia, she finally took her daughter home. We have  visited them over time and are always  delighted to find a very happy mum and baby. Patricia spends almost all of her time in mums lap or  next to her – it’s clear they absolutely adore each other. It is always wonderful to see the transformation in Patricia, too. At the Babies Home she was always a cheerful baby, although sometimes quite shy, but with her new family she seems almost ecstatic. She is  constantly smiling and Maria tells us she loves being pampered!

Thanks to Maria, who wouldn’t let anything stand in the way of  her love for her child, Patricia has the chance to grow up in a loving family. And thanks to Maria for helping us to make families, not orphans.

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adoption

Spreading the Adoption Gospel

Of Adoption and delayed Obedience at Refreshing Assemblies Muyenga .

Last Sunday, as it slowly drizzled  with rain we thought to ourselves  this is a blessing. Mother Nature was  rooting for us on this particular Sunday morning. The previous mornings had been characterized by heavy rain downpours – but not this morning. By 9am we were at Refreshing Assemblies church in the green and quiet suburbs of Muyenga hill.

As soon as we entered the church we could feel the close knit relationship of this congregation. We were greeted by an usher at the entrance and with warm smiles as we made our way in. We felt at home right away.

After the praise and worship session, Pastor Moses introduced us to the crowd. He spoke very graciously about our mission at Child’s i Foundation before I took the floor. As I held the microphone I felt calm as I couldn’t wait (and because I had spent half the night going through the presentation and my notes!) When the words Ugandans Adopt flashed across the screen I was ready.

                                                                  Part of the Ugandans Adopt Team at the presentation.

Our team was talking to the congregation about domestic Adoption and fostering in Uganda. We were taking the congregation through what it means to adopt, who can adopt and why Ugandans should adopt. And above all what it means to open up their hearts and homes to these abandoned children. How time flew fast

The highlight of the presentation was when we played Katie’s story  and saw  different emotions play out on the congregations’ faces. There was sadness, pain and then joy.Katie was abandoned a few hours after birth.However she found love and a family through adoption.

                                                                                    Katie and Mum.

When I finished, there was deafening silence. For a split second I was not sure what to expect until the congregation broke out into thunderous applause. It was the most rewarding experience.

Pastor Moses took over the pulpit and spoke about adoption and the church. He passionately appealed to the congregation to listen to their hearts, ending with “delayed obedience is disobedience.”

After the service we had a great time meeting the congregation members. The great news is most of the members asked for directions to Malaika Babies Home, our transitional care centre. The women’s group headed by Pastor Moses’ wife has pledged to visit Malaika as part of their outreach, too. Even better news is that we have two new prospective adoptive parents. Over all it was a Sunday well spent.

I’d like to say a huge thank you to Pastor Moses and everyone at Refreshing Assemblies church for welcoming us – and for pledging to support us in any way they can.

We would love to visit your church, school, organization or business to talk about Ugandans Adopt. If you would like us to come along and present or if you’re interested in learning more about adoption please email [email protected] or call us on 0794948309.

 

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adoption

PRESS:The New Vision Newspaper on the Working Together for Vulnerable Children Conference.

Together with VIVA Crane and The Ministry of Gender,Labor and social development,Child’s i Foundation held a two day Conference at Namirembe Resource Center on 28th -29th March 2013.

The conference that was themed  “Working together for vulnerable children” drew various Ugandan key stake holders working in child protection .

This is what the  Ugandan leading daily,The New Vision had to say about this conference.

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adoption Uncategorized

The Adoption Panel Meets

The Adoption Panel in session

Last week the Adoption Panel met to vet prospective Ugandan adoptive families. The panel comprises of Nandi Ketty from the Ugandan Police Child Protection Unit, Caroline Bankusha, consultant, Rogers Mbazira from Families For Children, Christine Sempebwa , an adoptive parent, Ruth Matoya, a child psychologist from Healing Talk, Stella Ogwang and Mark Riley from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and Sue Allan from Child’s i Foundation. Jenette Davies, an experienced adoption panelist from Cumbria, UK came to observe the session.

Currently at Malaika Babies Home we have 21 children in our care out of which one baby boy  is available for adoption . The social work team are in the process of  working with families to resettle or find permanent foster care families for the rest of the children.

We are reaching out to other childcare institutions in Uganda to invite them to attend  Panel if they have children who are available for adoption so the Panel can match them with our waiting list of Ugandan adoptive parents. Please contact [email protected]if you would like further information.

Together we can place more children into loving families in Uganda.