Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where is Uganda?

Uganda is in eastern Africa on the northwest shoreline of Lake Victoria. Uganda is directly north of Tanzania, northeast of Rwanda, west of Kenya, south of The Sudan and east of Zaire. This should make locating Uganda on a map a little easier. The Rakai District of Uganda is located in the southeast corner of the country. Good maps of Uganda are hard to find, but some show the city of Rakai in the southeastern area, close to Lake Victoria.

2. What is HCCP?

HCCP or Hope Child Care Program is a Ugandan not-for-profit Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) created to provide for the safety and security of AIDS orphans in the Rakai District of Uganda. Pastor Fred Matovu of the Rakai District founded HCCP in an attempt to locate sponsors for children who had lost their families to AIDS. HUGS has chosen to partner with HCCP, as we share a common goal to help impoverished children in the village of Bulanga. This is being done by building a school, church and clinic. Along with these buildings, group homes are being constructed for the children who have no families. HCCP is a group of very dedicated people working hard to provide for the welfare of the children of AIDS.

3. Why help the people of Africa/Uganda? Why not help here at home in the USA?

This question is the one asked most often. Here in America, we are blessed to have many resources and agencies designed to help those who are less fortunate. If a child is left alone, the law protects that child and provides for a means of care and advancement. The public school system offers an education and meals for any child coming through the door. Here in America, if you want to succeed, if you want to advance, there are ways to do so.

In Uganda, there are no such laws to protect the children. Few agencies and resources are available to provide the necessary food, clothing and medical care for children orphaned by the AIDS epidemic, especially in the rural villages. Schools are flooded with children seeking an education. The legal system is painfully lacking in its protection of the children in all remote areas. Uganda’s government is working hard to provide for the needs of its citizens, but there are insufficient funds and no agencies big enough to cover this crisis. Over 50 million children are left to raise themselves on the African continent. This disaster will have a profound effect on the world if we do not do something now. The problem seems overwhelming, and it is... but through the efforts of organizations such as HUGS and HCCP, we can address this crisis one village at a time. There is a great need for more organizations and foundations to focus on the African AIDS crisis.

4. Why did you start this foundation and not become a part of another existing effort?

HUGS exists to help people in remote villages in Uganda. Our current focus is the people in the village of Bulanga. 90% of the citizens of Uganda live in rural villages, while 90% of the available assistance goes to help people in the larger cities such as Kampala. The need is so great that many organizations are required to assist the people on the African continent. There are other wonderful organizations helping the people of the Rakai District and doing great things, but no other group of people is specifically helping the village of Bulanga. If every village in Africa was “adopted” by a foundation and helped to grow, this crisis would come to an end – one village at a time.

5. How are my donations used?

The highest priority for your donations is the children. Provisions of clothing, food and education are our first concern. Once those needs are met, we focus on medical treatment for the children needing care. Your contributions make all of this a reality. Donations are also used for construction. We are building a school for the children so they can receive a quality, life-changing education. Along with the school, we are building group homes to house the children who have no protection. A clinic and a chapel are in our future plans, as well as a guest house for visiting workers. Along with the buildings, we are also purchasing livestock and plants. It is the goal of HUGS and HCCP to create a self-sustaining community in Bulanga within ten years. The crops and livestock will produce the food needed to feed the children and members of the community. Any excess will then be available for purchase by surrounding residents. Finally, your donations will help pay the expenses of the dedicated HCCP staff.

6. Why can’t I just send my donations directly to HCCP?

By sending funds to HCCP, you would be sending them to an organization outside the USA. Although HCCP is recognized by the Ugandan government as a bona-fide charity, American taxpayers would not be allowed a tax deduction for such donations. In contrast, HUGS is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt charitable organization under the rules of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. This means that American taxpayers can deduct their charitable contributions to HUGS, and you can ask that your donations be used to finance the efforts of HCCP in Uganda.

7. How does HUGS insure that HCCP is using the funds correctly?

There is no denying the fraud and abuse that exists in many foreign-based organizations that solicit funds on behalf of AIDS orphans. HUGS implements strict control mechanisms to ensure that your donations are used for the intended purposes. First, we carefully screen the organizations with whom we choose to partner. HCCP has demonstrated their commitment to the children and we share their vision of building a better future for the orphans of Bulanga. Second, HUGS receives a monthly accounting of how the funds we provide are used. We regularly communicate with the HCCP program director via the Internet and we receive photographic evidence of the progress being made. Third, HUGS representatives make periodic visits to the Rakai District to conduct audits and assess requirements. We then review our findings with our Board of Directors at each meeting. In the future, we also plan to post this information to our website.

8. What is life like for the people in the Rakai District?

Life for the people of the Rakai District is very demanding. Every day they must gather the items needed to sustain life. Children carry very heavy containers of water from the river every morning. Mothers (if there is a mother) cook and tend to the crops and the children. The men of Rakai work very hard in the fields to provide even a modest amount of food. This year, there was a very sparse rainy season leaving most of the fields nonproductive and many tables bare. Children may or may not have clothing. What clothing the children do have is often torn or worn very thin. Most children do not have any shoes. With no shoes, the children often have sores on their feet which can lead to infection. Many of the children go to bed hungry and wonder if there will be any food for them the next day. Resources are non-existent and families are often stretched to the breaking point. When a child’s parents die from disease, there is often no one to care for the child because all families are struggling. This is life in the Rakai District – a daily struggle just to survive.