Uganda Women’s Effort to Save Orphans (UWESO), Uganda
HOW UWESO AND HOHI ALIGN TO HELP ORPHANS
Uganda Women’s Effort to Save Orphans (UWESO) aligns with Haven of Hope International’s mission. Founded in 1986 by Uganda’s First Lady, UWESO is a nationally recognized NGO dedicated to improving the quality of life for orphans and vulnerable children—helping them not only survive, but truly thrive. Through our partnership we can positively impact the care of orphans the entire country of Uganda.
UWESO mobilizes communities across Uganda to share responsibility for protecting children. Through this grassroots approach, the organization has rescued more than 4,500 children from the streets.
This partnership gives HOHI a powerful, countrywide platform to provide training through HOHI’s Orphan Care Training Institute throughout Uganda.
Together, HOHI and UWESO are strengthening the future for thousands of vulnerable children across Uganda by equipping families, communities, and caregivers to provide loving, restorative care.
About the Country of Uganda
Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa bordered by Kenya, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania. Kampala is both its largest city and its capital, situated on the northern shores of Lake Victoria. Kampala is the cultural, political and economic heart of Uganda and serves as the country’s primary center for commerce, education and healthcare. English is the official language of Uganda, with Swahili widely used and dozens of indigenous languages spoken throughout the country.
Uganda’s geographic landscape is diverse and fertile, featuring rolling savannahs, lakes, wetlands, river valleys and mountain ranges. From Kampala, travelers can reach Lake Victoria, the source of the Nile River, and visit national parks known for rich wildlife, including Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to endangered mountain gorillas.
With a population of just under 50 million, an estimated 2.3 million children in Uganda are orphaned or considered vulnerable under the age of 18. Nearly half of these children have lost one or both parents due to HIV/AIDS. Thousands more are orphaned each year by preventable disease, poverty and conflict, leaving many households headed by children or elderly relatives with limited resources.
Uganda ranks among the poorest countries in the world. Over 20% of the population lives on less than $1 per day, and many families survive through subsistence farming despite agriculture being the backbone of the national economy. In rural and urban slum communities alike, orphaned children face high rates of malnutrition, limited access to clean water and inconsistent access to basic education.
For orphaned and vulnerable children in Kampala and across Uganda, daily challenges are severe—physical abuse, neglect, exploitation, child labor and early marriage are common realities. Their future is uncertain, marked by limited access to healthcare, education, safe shelter and adequate nutrition, and many are left without protection or inheritance from extended family members.