Isita Village in Magada sub-county, Iganga District, Uganda is a quiet village at least six miles from the nearest paved road and matatu stop. People live in traditional compounds made of clusters of round mud and thatch huts. They farm small plots growing bananas, cassava, coffee, corn, potatoes, and other vegetables. Chickens, turkeys, goats, and the occasional cow wander along the footpaths connecting the compounds. Children, some half dressed, many naked, play along the paths. The games are simple: sliding down dirt embankments, rolling worn out bicycle tires, playing chase, kicking a home-made soccer ball, or making simple dolls from sticks and leaves. Many of the children have distended bellies, tufts of ginger colored hair, and yellowed eyes—all signs of malnutrition. ELI’s partner organization in Uganda, The Foundation for Rural Development (FORDAR), conducted a baseline survey of the village in 2007. Results indicated:

1. 210 children were either orphans or needy children
2. 30 orphans claimed to be HIV/AIDS positive
3. 35 widows with orphans without material and financial support
4. Lack of nearby Education Centers/Schools in the community. The nearest school is 5 km away
5. A large number of child mothers
6. A great number of idle and disorderly youth    

After receiving the survey results, FORDAR consulted community members to prioritize issues and decided to start a pre-school center targeting the orphans and especially needy children of the village. Many of these children live with grandparents who are too weak physically and economically to provide adequate care, access to education, medical care, and food. The result was the founding of the Orange Giraffe School.

Orange Giraffe aims to provide the essential needs to orphans (food, shelter, clothing, soap, and medicine), expand educational opportunities for all children in Isita Village, and work to provide essential health programs in the village. Currently Orange Giraffe provides primary school education for 125 children. The school is in a rented compound. Classes are taught by a dedicated team of seven volunteer teachers who use wooden boards as blackboards in the small huts that have been converted to classrooms. Because resources are so limited, many children in the village do not have the opportunity to attend Orange Giraffe.

ELI is collecting donations to benefit Orange Giraffe. The school is also excited to welcome volunteers who are able to donate their time and skills to benefit the children of Isita Village.

For participants in other ELI programs, there is an easy way to contribute. ELI is currently donating 1.5% of all program fees paid by check to the Orange Giraffe. Payments made by check eliminate the expense of charges to ELI by VISA, MasterCard, and American Express for processing credit card payments. Since most participants pay by credit card, the processing fees add up to thousands of dollars each year. If participants pay by check, this money will go to supporting the children of Orange Giraffe instead of corporations. All money raised will be sent to FORDAR and used to fund the most pressing needs at Orange Giraffe after a careful analysis involving input from community members.