Founded in 2007 by John Dermezian, who grew up in the town of Ezo in South Sudan, Orphan Village Africa was set up to assist the people, and especially those most vulnerable – the children, of South Sudan and the surrounding region.
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Originally called South Sudan Mission, motivated by the love and compassion of Jesus the focus on children, so often the victims of war and the instability that flows from war was obvious.
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The work was focused initially in the vicinity of Yambio town. Support for orphans, assistance with local schools and partnership with local churches led to an opportunity to begin developing land to support children with no family. At the same time a community water point was constructed and made available to people who had no other access to clean water.
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The work grew and spread and connections in Ezo led to assistance with Maduro’s ‘school under the tree’.
Then in 2013, following several years of relative peace, unrest broke out again. The communities of Western Equatoria, like much of the new nation of South Sudan, scattered.
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The work was interrupted.
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The needs of course remained and so we moved our focus across the border to the refugee camps in neighbouring Uganda.
Relocation to Uganda
Again working in partnerships with churches and community groups, providing support for individual children, raising funds for community workers who needed a motor bike!
ABOUT US
It became obvious that there were needs and opportunities to help and so the name Orphan Village Africa was adopted to reflect that we needed to work in more then one nation.
Both with South Sudanese refugees and with children from Ugandan families, projects were established that grew into the village that stands today. Land was cleared and developed, houses built and agriculture started.
Now, as the village compound sited just outside Kalawa is home to a community of children and their carers, a community of volunteers have become established and are growing towards a sustainable and self sufficient future.
There is a way to go – but hope burns bright because we can see how far we have come.
