When asked what was needed by the people of the village of Papoli, the immediate answer rested in 3 things. Education, clean water, and homes for the widowed grandmothers who cared for orphaned children, and the groups of child headed families. For, with the dictatorship if Idi Amin combined with the devastating epidemic of AIDS almost an entire generation was lost to this country. As a result, countless children were left to fend for themselves, or be raised by older relatives, where they crowded into tiny huts.
Simple, 2 room houses, constructed for a fee of $500-$600, would open a new life to these families.
In response to this need, members of the Tampa Bay community opened their hearts to these families, and began to raise the funds to build new homes. Individuals, groups, children, and families all contributed to the raising of the funds.
To date, 67 81 houses for widows and child-headed households have now been completed. These are small two-room homes with plastered walls and corrugated metal roofs. Old thatched dwellings are left standing and double as kitchens for the new houses. Occupants not only are kept dry and safe but they are able to gather rain water from the roofs. In addition, about 2/3 of these houses are furnished with a bed, a table and chairs.
More houses are needed. Please consider a donation to help those in such need.
