Page 4 - Mukono Baby Room General Report 3.18

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An overwhelming number of scientific studies have shown that the long-term care of children in
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orphanages and institutions has a negative effect on their psycho-social development. This research
has inspired the UN Guidelines on Alternative Care to advise that care for orphaned children should be
provided in family-based settings whenever possible. LWB has been honored to provide foster care in
China for 14 years, and we are thrilled to begin partnering with Ken and Cathy to establish foster care
for the children at Tenderhearts as well. The government of Uganda is fully in favor of foster care, and
we are excited to be one of the first groups implementing home-based care for children.

The Mukono Baby home provides exemplary
rehabilative care for children who are malnourished or
ill, but once they have recovered and are stable, we
would like to see every one of these children go to live
with a family. The first choice for every child would be
reunification with their birth family or relatives, but
when this is not possible, we would like to see children
in foster homes in the community. In a country like
Uganda where there is such a large population of
young people this can be a challenge, as so many
people are already struggling economically to care for
many children in their homes, but Ken and Cathy are
diligently working with churches and other community
groups to identify strong families willing to foster
Cathy and Hayden children.

Mukono residents Ian and Hayden will be the first to go to live with foster families. Ian’s new foster
mother (above) is the woman who discovered him when he was first abandoned. She has faithfully
visited him in the home, but now that she will be receiving some extra support towards his needs, she
will now be able to care for him in her home. Ian is a delightful little boy, who was full of smiles for Kelly
and me when we visited the home, and we expect he will thrive in a family environment.

As appropriate families are found, we are aiming to have 8 additional children from the home enter into
foster care in the next several months.