World Action Fund

The World Action Fund (WAF) is seeking to raise money for individuals with limb differences in Uganda. WAF has received surveys from 11 hospitals, 2 refugee camps and 4 regions  in Uganda, and identified at least 373 patients and an additional 500 to be identified  with below-shoulder, below-elbow and below-wrist amputations that have severely impacted their ability to find work, and often have caused them to be alienated from their communities THE NEED Individual causes of missing limbs include:- Violence (landmines, domestic, gun violence)- Road traffic incidents- Industrial accidents- Congenital defects- Cancer- Snake bitesIn Northern Uganda, amputation was used as a terror and training tool for ‘child soldiers’ targeted by Joseph Kony’s Lord's Resistance Army, which caused damage for 26 years, mutilated thousands and killed over 100,000 people. Most surviving victims in the region, concentrated in the Gulu district, have gone without prosthetics for their whole lives. The Ministry of Health has partnered with WAF to open a survey camp in the region, providing an opportunity for locals to receive measurements and prosthetics; with your help, they’ll be able to send a full survey team to Gulu in 2025. THE HOW While volunteers in the United States and Canada design, print and build custom prosthetics for each patient and ship to Uganda at their own cost, custom prosthetics require comprehensive measurements of individual patients, making up the bulk of the process cost as follows: In order to identify those in need, WAF spends $1,250 on radio announcements to survey and mobilize patients by region. After WAF travels to each region (patients are often unable to find transport to a central location, so WAF provides travel aid - $6,400), they must hire a technical team of drivers, orthopedic engineers and field mobilizers to survey individual patients. The total cost for the survey operations is $23,170. Additional logistical costs include the cost of hiring a vehicle for 30 days ($2,700), and fuel costs for transport between 16 meeting locations ($1,321). WAF Uganda plans to visit and survey individuals in all four regions, beginning with Northern Uganda (4 sub regions, 37 districts). They have visited the following districts: Northern Uganda, West Nile subregion (Arua, Koboko, Maracha, Terego, Yumbe)And they will visit the following areas: Gulu, Soroti, Bukedea, Jinja, Iganga, Mbale, Mbarara, Rukungiri, Kabale, Kisoro, Fort Portal, Kyegegwa Refugee Camp, Adjumani, Nebbi, Pakwach, Central Uganda (135 districts) Personal Story: Restoring Hope: Lost Arms & The Journey of the Orthopedic Technologists In the heart of northern Uganda, where the Lord’s Resistance Army had once left a trail of devastation, the past still haunted the land. Villages bore the scars of war burned homes, empty schoolyards, abandoned homesteads and people with missing limbs, reminders of the unspeakable horrors they had endured. Fear still lingered in the whispers of elders, visitors and the downcast tearful eyes of survivors. But amid this darkness, a team of orthopedic technologists from World Action Fund had arrived, moving across the country, carrying not weapons, but hope to assess the needs to replace the arms. They traveled across the rugged terrain, braving scorching days and freezing nights, their mission clear to restore dignity through high-tech prosthetics for those who had lost their arms. In one village, a man named Okello sat in the shade of a mango tree, watching as the team set up their mobile clinic of tolls to assess. He was once a young boy when the rebels came on interview him, he started crying upon recall the past history, the team paused in silence. They had taken his father, his brothers, and left him with a shattered body and a missing arm he was instructed to kill his own father going to school, he refused so showed him, how to kill, his father was killed infront of him, and his hand cut. Now in his twenties, he had accepted a life of struggle, unable to farm or provide for his family. Dr. Patience, one of the orthopedic technologists, knelt beside him. “Okello,” she said gently, “we want to give you something back.” She held up a sleek, high-tech prosthetic arm sample and new improved one coming ahead. “This is not just an arm it’s your strength, your independence, your future. ”Skeptical but desperate, Okello allowed them to measure. The first time he was measured tears were falling freely, his breath caught. The second time, he reached for a cup of water and he smiled and laughed after counseling The moment the bottle of mineral water touched his lips, his eyes filled with tears. The crowd around him erupted in cheers.But the most powerful moment came later. A young girl, Akello, who had lost her arm to a landmine and had never been to school, stepped forward shyly. Inspired by Okello, she let the team asses her. When she was shown what we fitted before on phone video the entire village came and watched and she wept.That night, under the cold sky, the team rested exhausted yet fulfilled. They had seen the ghosts of war in Okello’s eyes, but they had also seen something else—hope.As they prepared to leave for the next village, Okello raised his new arm high in the air, a silent promise that the horror of the past would not define their future. And in the villages once haunted by war, the orthopedic technologists became known as the healers

Project Goal : To raise funds for initiatives that tackle plastic waste management, halt deforestation , and promote climate resilience through reforestation, waste reduction, and community-based climate action programs. Project Summary : Uganda’s environment is facing two major threats: plastic pollution and deforestation. Plastic waste is choking our landfills, waterways, and wildlife, while rapid deforestation is contributing to climate change and loss of biodiversity. Our project aims to combat these issues through waste management, reforestation programs, community education, and policy advocacy. We need your support to protect Uganda’s future. Key Objectives : Plastic Waste Reduction : Uganda produces over 600,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually , and only 30% is recycled (Uganda National Environment Management Authority, 2021). Launch awareness campaigns in schools and communities about reducing plastic usage. Establish plastic waste collection centers and recycling hubs in urban areas. Provide reusable alternatives (e.g., cloth bags, reusable bottles) to 50,000 households, helping reduce plastic consumption. Forest Conservation & Reforestation : Uganda loses over 200,000 hectares of forest cover annually due to deforestation (Uganda Forest Authority, 2020). Plant 500,000 trees in high-risk areas, restoring degraded lands and forests. Empower local communities with knowledge and tools to sustainably manage forests. Create “Green Zones” in urban and rural areas to increase tree cover and prevent deforestation. Climate Action Programs : Implement eco-friendly agriculture practices to reduce environmental impact and promote sustainable land use. Promote renewable energy solutions (e.g., solar power) to reduce reliance on wood for fuel, which contributes to 80% of energy consumption in Uganda. Advocate for stronger policies to protect the environment, focusing on plastic bans and forest protection laws, aiming to reduce plastic waste by 50% over the next five years. Personal Story: I Peter Odama grew up in rural area of Uganda, surrounded by lush forests and pristine landscapes. However, as I’ve watched over the years, these precious resources have been disappearing at an alarming rate. The forests where I once played have been replaced with barren land, and the rivers I swam in are now filled with plastic waste. It's heartbreaking to see how much we've lost. But the real tragedy is that the communities I care about people who depend on nature for food, water, and livelihoods are suffering the most. For example, in Terego District, where I work, local farmers struggle with increasingly erratic weather patterns and poor soil quality due to deforestation and climate change. The plastic waste they have to live with is not just unsightly; it's choking the environment, making life even harder. These people deserve better. They deserve clean rivers, fertile lands, and an environment where they can thrive. This campaign is our chance to make that happen. It’s not just about statistics it's about lives, communities, and future generations. This project is not only saving our forests; it's creating new hope for our people. Your contribution can make a real difference."