Uganda, like many African countries, suffers from the effect of AIDS, the disease which has killed (and continues to kill) many, leaving children as orphans and a great number of widows. Although medication can help prolong an AIDS sufferer's life, AIDS cannot be cured. Extreme poverty in the region often means that sufferers are unable to obtain medication for this (and any other) illness, as they do not have the funding to do so.
ALLHIM's mission is to meet the spiritual, social and material needs of orphans, widows and the disadvantaged within Mukoko and its surrounding villages.
Trustees of the ALLHIM charity, which stands for the Abundant Life Living Hope International Missions charity, were trying to build a secondary school for the Mother Janet Orphanage School in the small rural village of Mukoko. The school was founded in 1989 by The Rev John and Margaret Byanyimba who wanted to help children orphaned by AIDS, malaria and civil war.
Their daughter Rebecca married Roger Elver from Pontypool and word about the school spread to Torfaen. A charity was set up to support the school and other trustees from Torfaen were appointed – including Gareth Whitcombe whose wife, Kath, also came on board as the charity’s administrator. (Pictured above)
The orphanage is currently home to more than 350 very happy and lively children who are provided with food and education and the school has 13 classrooms, a dining hall, clinic and two dormitories.