The Top Ten Things You Should Know About St. Jude Children's Home
APRIL 3, 2023
THE TOP TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S HOME
10. Sr. Benadetta Alwero founded St. Jude Children's Home in 1987. Many children were orphaned due to the HIV/AIDS crisis and the Lord's Resistance Army insurgency. In 2004, it received its operating license from the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development as an approved Children's Home for vulnerable children and to support those in need in the community.
9. St. Jude began as a simple orphanage with one dormitory-style building with bunk beds. These buildings have now been replaced with individual homes where groups of children live and are cared for by dedicated staff who fill the role of a mother. Each home has bedrooms, a kitchen, and a family room area.
8. In 2008, St. Jude Primary School was built on the grounds of the Home. The school serves students in the community and residents of St. Jude. Your donations to Social Promise started a lunch program at the school. For the past four years, you have ensured that each student attending school has a hot and nutritious lunch daily.
7. Consolation Home was created in 2002 to serve residents with disabilities. They lived together and received appropriate care and services. This facility was one of the first of its kind in northern Uganda. Today, Consolation Home is closed. Children with disabilities were "mainstreamed" by dividing them between single-family homes, so they live side-by-side with the other children.
6. The clinic at St. Jude offers various in-patient services for children with special needs living in St. Jude Children's Home. An onsite occupational therapist provides support, and specialized doctors consult as needed.
5. In addition to caring for the children of St. Jude Children's Home, the clinic does outreach work for over 200 children with disabilities and their families living in the community. The number of patients who come to the clinic's rehabilitation team for observation has increased due to the inadequate availability of rehabilitation services elsewhere in the area.
4. An art studio opened so children have a space to think creatively. Art and craft projects are made and sold to support activities at the Home.
3. St. Jude Children's Home owns a 200-acre farm on the outskirts of Gulu. The farmland was purchased in 2010 to produce the food needed for the Home's residents. Excess food is sold, and profits support the Home.
2. Your generosity allows 90 young St. Jude Primary School graduates to attend university, secondary and vocational schools. Most secondary and vocational schools in northern Uganda are boarding schools, so students live on campus while attending these schools. St. Jude continues to support these students by providing accommodation and employment opportunities at the Farm while they are on break from school.
1. St. Jude Children's Home continues to transition from an orphanage to a crisis center. The ultimate goal is for children and families to utilize the Home when they need extra support and then return home. A procedure is in place that allows social workers to visit the village of a child and assess the appropriate time for resettlement. Visits are encouraged during the child’s time at the Home to ensure the creation of a strong family bond.