“The children go to school hungry if I’m not here,” one volunteer explained. As the children slowly emerge from the early morning darkness, most wear ragged school uniforms; few have shoes; but none would pass up their morning breakfast, because for many, their life literally depends on it…
Namugongo Fund for Special Children (NFSC) emerged from a simple observation made by members of the community: children were going to school hungry.
And so began the NFSC breakfast program.
Led by a team of dedicated volunteers, NFSC has expanded to provide breakfast porridge to over 1000 children each day through multi-site breakfast centers, while also establishing after school programming, school sponsorship, a small clinic for children and their families, and most recently began to scale up voluntary HIV treatment and testing in their community. Many children in the program are HIV/AIDS infected; most have been affected by HIV/AIDS (e.g. through the death of a parent); and all experience the lasting effects of chronic poverty.
NFSC’s vision is to create a community where every child has access to education, health services, shelter, clothing, adult supervision and a sense of belonging to a loving family. We plan to make this vision a reality by becoming a model to be replicated in other villages; supporting the community to take care of their own children, rather than sending them to orphanages; making education and health care accessible to the orphans and other vulnerable children; helping teach the children social and cultural values that will enable them become productive and accepted members of their communities; make HIV treatment available to children and caregivers; and advocate for the rights of orphans and other vulnerable children.
