SAVE ORPHANED CHILD DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

Save the orphaned child development initiative is located in Africa, East Africa part, Uganda as a country. It is found in western Uganda with its head office in Katoodoba-Kasese Municipality. Kasese Municipality is found on the down slopes of Mount Rwenzori.

In 1996, Uganda faced a rebellion known as ADF (Allied Democratic Forces).these rebels used mountains and National parks of the Rwenzori region as their places for hide. The ADF rebels came after another rebellion called NALU (National Army to Liberate Uganda) which also used the mountains of Rwenzori as a hiding areas in 1992.the two rebellions, that is NALU and ADF left very many people homeless, dead and orphans. This resulted into famine and other domestic problems. Most girls were forced into marriage, rape and others abducted. They burnt houses and vehicles and this left the country (area) in poverty.

Uganda is a country that has national parks and Kasese has two of them and these are Queen Elizabeth national Parks and Mount Rwenzori National Park. These national parks mentioned could be used as hiding place for rebels of NALU and ADF. As a result they used to kill most animals as source of meat. The community itself would also go for poaching before and after the rebellions (wars).

Because of the homeless, orphaned and other helpless people, there was a concern / need to make an organization called save the orphaned child development initiative (SOCID) to always carry out sensitization about the importance of national parks and also to help the orphaned and other vulnerable and guardians through availing / creating income generating activities. It was in 2009 that SOCID came into existance SOCID cares for both orphaned and vulnerable children and families with associated common problems.

MISSION

Promoting the rights of orphaned children and improving their standards of living.

GOAL

Improve the livelihood of orphaned children and having a community free from encroaching onto the National parks and sensitized on AIDS.

OBJECTIVES 

•  Promoting the human rights of orphans and other vulnerable children.
• Reducing the rate of poverty among orphaned children and other vulnerable children.
• Creating awareness of AIDS to children of both AIDS Victims and none AIDS Victims.
• To encourage guardians and other care givers to establish income generating activities for the wellbeing of orphaned children and volnerables and their families.
• Sensitizing the communities living near and around the protected areas about the dangers of illegal hunting and harvesting of its resources.
• Teaching the communities of the importance of national parks.
• Establishing education centre for the orphaned and other vulnerable children.
• Encourage communities to protect and conserve the environment.

 ACTIVITIES

• Sensitization of the community on the importance of national parks to both the government of Uganda and the communities living near the park.
• Sensitization about the dangers of illegal hunting and harvest of national park resources.
• Poultry, piggery and goad keeping.
• Savings and credit
• Tailoring.
• Carpentry workshop.
• Linking families of orphaned children with each other.
• Promoting improved farming in and around communities that live near protected areas.
• Art and craft
• Environmental conservation and protection.
• Promoting vocational trainings among the orphans and other vulnerable children.
• Supporting or availing educational skills to orphan and other vulnerable children.
• Advocating for the rights of the orphaned and other vulnerable children.