BUDUBURAM REFUGEE CAMP - ORPHAN HOME

HISTORY: The first experience Andy and Kayla Jones, the founders of Africa Heartwood Project, had in Africa was with Liberian orphans living at the Buduburam Refugee Camp outside of Accra, Ghana in 1999. A successful effort was made to identify orphan and unaccompanied children, get them enrolled in school for one year, and provide food, clothes, and hygiene kits, thanks to the help of Liberians living at the Camp, kind-hearted family and friends who gave money, and LDS Charities in Ghana. Unfortunately time and money constraints didn't allow the Jones' to stay involved at the Camp, until AHP was registered and a small amount of donated funds were available (thanks to Up With Kids and DjembeDirect.com customers!).

Photos from Andy and Kayla Jones' work at the Liberian Refugee Camp, Sept - Dec 1999
Andy and Kayla with a missionary couple at a celebration on their last day.	Andrew Wreh, a generous pastor at the Camp, was familiar with most of the orphan kids, many of whom have since perished from malnutrition and disease, along with many other abandoned, unaccompanied, and orphaned children.	One kind family who had taken in two needy orphans prior to our arrival, pictured with food provided to help sustain the children.

CURRENT NEEDS ASSESSMENT: In Oct 2008 Andy returned to the Camp and spent extensive time working with a small but dedicated NGO team, Children Humanitarian Assistance Program (CHAP), and A Hope for Africa, to do a needs assessment of orphan children and youth, and establish a plan to provide for their immediate needs of shelter, water, food, and education. It was a bitter-sweet experience, as Andy discovered that most of the young orphan children whom he had known on his first visit had passed away due to malnutrition and lack of medical care, yet a few were still at the camp, now in their teens, alive but still in great need, having been joined by many more children and youth orphans who had arrived to the camp after 1999. Today, despite worthy and helpful efforts of the UNHCR and other intervening agencies targeting mainly the repatriation, relocation, and integration of adult refugees, there continues to be a crisis for orphaned boys and girls. These resilient children and youth are sleeping under tables and in corners who have one primary objective: find some food to eat today. They described how they "hustle" to get any money they can by carrying items for people from the market, begging, working for others vending items at the market, or any other means possible. They are not enrolled in school. None has a place to call home. None has any family at the camp, and many don't' know if their families are still alive in Liberia as a result of the war. All are hungry, and all struggle to have any hope.

ESTABLISHING THE ORPHANAGE: One older boy voiced his skepticism at yet another group of white people coming to the Camp to take their names on a list and snap photos, who inevitably disappear without providing any help. Andy explained, "I assured Eugene, and the other orphan boys and girls, that our intention was to help any way we could - that we were not there to exploit them in their need - and that we would start immediately. That day arrangements were made to lease a building large enough to house 40 orphans, and mattresses, cooking supplies, and a huge water tank were purchased for dedicated use at the Home. Eugene and others felt that at last God was hearing their prayers, and that there was hope for their future." The phased assistance program has begun, by establishing a Home and providing adequate shelter and bedding, clean water for drinking, bathing, and cooking, basic cooking supplies, and lock boxes for the children to store their personal belongings. Fifty boys and girls have been identified as orphans, and registered with CHAP, for residence at the Home. The orphans have elected their own Youth Leadership Council who are are responsible for the day-to-day organization of the Home, have established their own rules of conduct, and are involved in the planning and execution of assistance provided to them.

SUSTAINING THE ORPHANAGE: Now there is an immediate and urgent need to provide at least one meal per day, enroll the children in school, then expand to two and three meals per day. Unfortunately, due to inflation and market value for commodities in Ghana, it isn't cheap to provide this help. We need your support through generous donations. You can be confident that 100% of the money you donate will be used only to directly benefit the orphan youth through food, shelter, education, and health care; no money at all is deducted for administrative overhead or salaries, or for travel or advertising expenses. All activities and spending are handled by Andy Jones, Director of Africa Heartwood Project, with local management at the camp and accountability provided by CHAP and A Hope for Africa.

Please consider making a donation or pledging ongoing support, which will have a direct and dramatic impact for good in the lives of these Liberian orphan children and youth.

Buduburam Liberian Refugee Camp, Oct 2008, needs assessment, establishing, and equipping the orphanage.
Meeting with board and directors of CHAP and A Hope for Africa, two NGOs who assisted with assessment and planning, and who will provide management and local oversight of the orphanage. The painted wall in the background says "God send rescue team to this camp".	Andy with a small group of orphan youth who will stay at the Home (bldg in background), explaining our plan to provide assistance. The boy in white tee with hat was elected by his peers as the Youth Council President.
Delivery of mattresses, lock boxes, propane stove, fans, and water tank, purchased with donated funds.	This 1,800 gallon water tank costs $22 to fill, which will provide clean water for drinking, cooking, and bathing. Water will also be sold to provide revenue to refill the tank, making is self-sustaining.
Reaction to the sudden arrival of two trucks carrying supplies for the Home.	Youth Council President presenting the guidelines for self-governance created by the group for management of the Home.
Group photo at last meeting at the camp. We feel great about what was accomplished on this short trip, but also feel the urgency of the nutritional and educational needs of the orphans who will be staying at the Home.