(Photo courtesy of Every Child Ministries)
Uganda (MNN) — Uganda is home to some of the most marginalized children in the world. Issues of poverty, disease, and corruption compound to create a life of despair for its citizens. But while the problem may never be fully solved, one organization is making a difference.
Every Child Ministries is working to meet the physical, intellectual, and spiritual needs of marginalized children in the Kyengera district of Uganda, specifically children with albinism.
“One of the things that we do in ECM is we do education of teachers and children in what albinism is, [explaining how] it’s not a curse…. They’re kids like everybody else, and they need to be loved,” explains ECM International Director Mark Luckey.
ECM originally got involved in the Kyengera community when it began helping a family with children suffering from albinism. But when the family moved out of the community–and thus a large chunk of the albinism program, ECM began expanding its focus.
“In the meantime, other marginalized needy children, of which there are many, came into our program,” Luckey says. “The program is still very small. Right now, because we lost some of those other children, we have just six children in the program.
“But it’s just been interesting to me how God could take something like that and turn it around. We’re still doing work in the area of albinism, but He has clearly said, “There’s more here than just that for you.’”
(Image courtesy ECM)
ECM is serving this expanded group through Saturday Bible clubs, as well as through the provision of mattresses, textbooks, school supplies, food, and Bibles. But they’re not the only ones serving.
“What’s really exciting is that the local school at Kyengera that we were working with has caught the vision of helping albino kids,” Luckey says. “But this particular school has caught the vision of that, of helping with albino kids, and is doing all it can on its own even to educate children and adults in the community about albinism and how communities can step up and help these kids.”
You, too, can bless Uganda’s marginalized children. One simple way is by keeping them in your prayers. Will you pray that children struggling with albinism and other issues would find hope? Pray also that God would guide ECM staff on how to best meet their needs.
Also, for $32 a month you can directly support one or more of these children yourself. Or, click here to see how you can donate to areas of greatest need.
