Living Hope
Living Hope was launched to restore the lives of the most marginalised and wounded people in Africa... women. Left abandoned or widowed, many of them HIV+, they are destitute fearing that their children will soon join the ranks of Africa’s countless orphans. Many are returnees from abduction into the rebel army in Northern Uganda and teenage mothers.
The goal of Living Hope is to restore dignity to these women in the following ways:
- By improving their quality of life, assisting them with basic necessities such as food, clothing, shelter and medical care
- Providing comprehensive HIV/AIDS care including counselling and psychosocial support
- Spiritual and moral discipleship
- Empowering and equipping them with vocational skills that will enable these women to become productive members of their community
- Setting them up with self sustainable income generating projects using micro-finance loans
Some of these women have been brutally tortured – both mentally and physically. Lips, ears, noses and even genital parts severed from their bodies. The wounds and scars are a constant reminder of their past and they’re also part of the reason for the harsh rejection they receive from their community and family. Watoto provides opportunities for those who have been disfigured to undergo reconstructive surgery. The surgeries contribute to the restoration, not only of their essential physical features, but more importantly to their dignity and livelihood.
For more info on Watoto and Living Hope, please visit www.watoto.com.