The Talemwa initiative has its roots in missionary visits to a remote, very poor area of Eastern Uganda called Kaliro. Witnessing the huge scale of the people’s needs, we – the trustees – felt we had to do something. Talking about God’s love had to be matched by action. There were so many needs though. Where to start?
We decided to prioritise the most vulnerable in the community – orphans and vulnerable children.
August 2008 marked the formation of Talemwa – initially called the Caleb Care For Orphans Project. Our key concern was the abject lack of care for orphans and their immediate need for security, food and medical care. We began supporting 30 children via a partnership with the local state school, Buyonjo Primary School. This involved paying for their health care, school uniforms, books, midday meals and scholastic material. The primary-level tuition is paid for by the State.
Buyonjo Primary School was originally founded around 150 years ago by British missionaries. There is still a chapel in the school's grounds, built by the missionaries, which sadly remains unused at the moment.
The Chapel in the grounds of Buyonjo Primary School.
