“How do the children live? And how are they doing?” These are common questions that we can now answer thanks to the insights we gained during our visit to HOREMI in March 2024.
First of all, it is important to know that Uganda is one of the poorest countries in the world despite its rich nature. Accordingly, the living conditions cannot be compared with our western standards.
In our opinion, the children at HOREMI are doing well, especially by local standards. They are safe, live in a good community, have a roof over their heads, are fed regularly and can go to school. None of this can be taken for granted in Uganda.
Location & surroundings
Hope and Rescue Missions International, HOREMI, is situated in a quiet and secluded location about 25 kilometers east of Iganga, the capital of the district of the same name. The last ten kilometers lead along a dusty dirt road past small hamlets and scattered huts. The “road” gets narrower and bumpier, and when you can go no further, you have arrived.
The buildings of HOREMI stand on a large open space surrounded by fields and a few small houses and huts of the adjacent neighbors: the two dormitories for boys and girls, a chicken coop, a ruin (which is to become the new office of the orphanage), “The Shade” (a covered open space), two latrines (one each for the orphanage and school), the new school building and the newly built small kitchen house with storeroom.
On the way to HOREMI: Typical street scene, here the local butcher’s shop with attached snack bar …
The 0° show: HOREMI is close to the equator. The “roads” shown here in bold are single-lane dirt tracks. In general, Google Maps should be used with caution in Uganda.
The entrance to the HOREMI school: the new school building in the shade on the left, the playground on the right, the school toilet in the background.
In front of the school building is the spacious playground and sports field. The house in the background no longer belongs to HOREMI, a neighbor lives here.
The “main street” of HOREMI: the school on the right, the old kitchen building on the left, which now serves as a “drinks machine” (clay jugs with water). The bright roof at the back belongs to “The Shade”, a covered open space between the boys’ and girls’ dormitories.
Kitchen house and pantry (still under construction). In the foreground, the ubiquitous yellow water canisters. In the background, a few shady spots for the lunch break.
On the left the chicken coop, next to it the latrine for the orphanage. The boys’ dormitory on the far right.
Sleeping & Living
The orphanage consists of one dormitory for the girls and one for the boys. Each house has two rooms, one for the little ones and one for the older children. The little ones share a bed in pairs. Rather unusual for us, but a positive normality for the children. Many of them never had a bed in their previous lives.
The dormitories are only for sleeping, they “live”, learn and play outside. Meals are usually also served outside, but on special occasions or when it rains really hard (oh yes, it does rain here …) a classroom is converted into a dining hall.
The boys’ dormitory. Typically “a bit disorganized”, says Kenneth :-). The little ones share a bed. A big step forward, because in the old days they slept on thin floor mats.
Similar picture and system for the girls. Not in the picture: the room temperature of 38 degrees Celsius …
One of the four solar-powered “sun glasses” brought along, which will bring light into the darkness at night in the orphanage.
A short power nap before lessons start again: the home-made school benches are multifunctional.
“Dining room” in the shade of a mango tree.
The shady school veranda is a popular lounge and break area. However, colorful soft drinks are not part of the normal supply, but in this case an appreciated small donation from the German guests.
The “boss’s office” also serves as a teaching materials store and medicine cabinet.
Cooking & Eating
Food is a central item on the HOREMI agenda — and the biggest cost factor. Lukia, the cook, prepares all meals on an open fire in the newly built small kitchen.
The HOREMI kids (the orphanage’s “own” children) are given a small breakfast in the morning consisting of tea, some milk, chapati (flatbread) and sometimes a banana or some toast. Some of this is kept by the children as a snack. Five days a week, lunch consists of posho (maize porridge) and beans or cabbage. On Thursdays and Sundays, the cook serves rice with broth and a tiny piece of meat. The portions of the side dishes are substantial, but we have never seen a plate not completely eaten. The leftovers from lunch are served for dinner.
The school kids from outside who can pay for it also get the usual lunch. Everyone else (the poorer majority) gets a cup of liquid porridge: thin milk with a little oatmeal. Some children bring their own food, for example sweet potatoes or plantains.
There is no running water for cooking, drinking and washing; it has to be brought in canisters from the borehole around 200 meters away. A “waterman” takes on the lion’s share of this very strenuous work, but the children also fill and carry smaller canisters in the evenings, while they skillfully balance slightly larger ones on their heads.
Kitchen with single-burner stove and XXL cookware. All meals for the HOREMI children and other (paying) pupils are prepared here.
Water does not come out of the tap at HOREMI, but has to be laboriously brought in canisters.
Cook Lukia distributing the lunch ration fairly.
Rice is served twice a week. And it has to be checked for stones and unwanted foreign protein beforehand.
Serving food in the classroom that was quickly converted into a dining hall. There is rice and cabbage. A piece of sweet potato and a fork for the guests. The children and most of the teachers eat with their (right) hand.
The portions at lunch are very generous, even for the little ones. Dinner consists of leftovers from lunch.
It looks like dessert, but in this case it is an exclusive starter. Fresh fruit is expensive and therefore rarely on the menu.
After the meal, the dishes are washed up together without grumbling and the draining rack is slightly larger than usual.
Sweet soda is only served on special occasions and is therefore enjoyed reverently and in small doses.
Housekeeping & agriculture
In addition to the management and teaching staff, other “locals” are involved in the day-to-day running of HOREMI. The “Matron” Peruse is responsible for childcare, laundry, farm animals and the kitchen. Brian is the man in charge of agriculture and a stand-in for everything else. Lukia is the cook and helps out at the orphanage and school. A water sprite and a night watchman complete the team. And of course all the children are involved in the daily chores. What struck us very positively was how independently and naturally the children take on all kinds of tasks.
Ugandan washing machines and tumble dryers don’t need electricity (which doesn’t exist here anyway), but hard-working hands do.
Multifunctional courtyard: The laundry dries just as well here as the rice, which the free-range chickens also like to snack on.
Clearly arranged kitchen cupboard accessible from all sides with 360 degree ventilation.
As soon as the children are a little older, they take care of the little ones as a matter of course.
Everyone has their own job. And if it doesn’t fit, it’s made to fit.
Proud fleet of vehicles: A bicycle that still lives up to its name and a so-called “Boda Boda” (small motorcycle, the public transport standard in Uganda).
The current livestock: 3 cows, 11 goats and 45 chickens (which are unfortunately also very popular with thieves).
A little farming contributes to HOREMI’s livelihood. Ground nuts, the second most important legume in Uganda (after beans), grow on this field. The crop is harvested twice a year.
A small trial field for maize, with banana plants in the background. Although there is plenty of natural irrigation overall, it is very irregular. And there is probably a lack of adapted seed.
Take that, Swabians! At HOREMI, the sidewalk is swept every (!) evening …
Children, children …
How worthwhile are the efforts of Naume, Kenneth, the whole HOREMI team and you, our friends and sponsors? Have a look yourselve: