In Mukono district like any other areas of Uganda, there is a growing number of Orphaned and homeless children (street children) as a result of HIV/AIDS among many other reasons. In addition to this, children are often abandoned with no way of tracing their family members. Many of these children live in communities where there are widespread misconceptions about the causes of HIV/AIDS. Over the past few years, the number of orphans and vulnerable children living in Uganda has been escalating at an alarming rate. In 2004, the number of orphans was estimated to be 1.8 million and by 2009 that number had grown to nearly 2.6 million. Over one million of those children have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS-related complications and the following are their problems.
After their parents passing on as a result of HIV/AIDS-related complications, children are shunned by neighbors and community members in fear of contracting the disease. Orphans find themselves isolated within their communities, surrounded by those who are unwilling or unable to reach out to them. Many of these children are deprived of their basic needs due to high levels of poverty. Nearly half of the population lives below poverty line, out of which 19% are children. Uganda’s rural areas in particular struggle with a very high poverty rate. Poverty breeds desperation and leads people to many drastic choices. Children get killed, trafficked or sold as slave labor. Some children get rejected by their families for small body deformities and treatable medical conditions. Orphaned and abandoned children stay hungry, malnourished, and often diseased. Because we believe in Children’s rights, we cannot sit back and watch these children suffer alone yet we can do something to restore their priceless lives and provide them with hope for the future. This is what we fight to achieve through our „Stephanie Aerni Orphanage & School“ project, which will be managed directly by our branche in Uganda: „Sustainable Development Community Uganda“.
The main purpose of the proposed Stephanie Aerni Orphanage & School project is to provide 1000 orphaned and vulnerable children with:
- 1- Adequate accommodation for a better living conditions through building a customized orphanage
- 2- High quality education through building and runing a new school
- 3- Access to comprehensive, quality health care services through applying our own health center solution for children’s clinics
- 4- Food security through implementing a sustainable agricultural and livestock farming
- 5- Access to clean drinking water through implementing a sustainable renewable energy powered water supply system
- 6- Access to electricity using renewable energy power systems.
At the moment, the housing situation of our orphaned children lacks of every single healthy and normal living condition as you might see in the pictures below. Currently we are moving the children to a new bigger and healthier homestead, which we are going to rent for the next two years (September 2018-September 2020), during which we will be building the permanent orphanage and school. This temporary homestead can be used to accommodate 200 children untill we build our own orphanage and school in the near future. The monthly rent of the homestead is 280$.
In order to start our activities towards the permanent solution, we are planning to secure 5 acre of land for this project. This piece of land costs 5000 USD.
Location:
The area is in Mukono Distinct, Kyaggwe County, in Nakifuma Sub County.This location lies approximately 26kilometers (16 mi), by road, northeast of
Mukono, where the district headquarters are located and approximately 46 kilometers (29 mi), by road, northeast of
Kampala, Uganda’s capital, The coordinates of Nakifuma are:0°32’27.0″N, 32°47’24.0″E (Latitude:0.5408; Longitude:32.7900).
Objectives:
- To construct and manage an Orphanage, a Clinic for children, a Kindergarten and a Primary School for orphaned and abandoned children who are between 0 and 15 years old.
- To develop infrastructure facilities as well as income generating activities that ensure the financial independance of the project and the sustainability of all project activities and sustenance of project outcomes after the initial/primary grant expires.
Output of the Project’s primary design:
The Stephanie Aerni Orphanage & School will improve the standard of living of at least 600 orphans and vulnerable children as well as another 400 children living with poor parents through quality accommodation, education and healthcare.
Planned is the construction of the following:
I- Three class room blocks with each block having departments as.
- BLOCK A (Early Childhood Development (Baby class, Middle and Top)
- BLOCK B (3 classrooms for Primary P1 to P3)
- BLOCK C (4 classrooms for Primary P4 to P7)
II- Three Dormitory blocks, One (1) for boys and Two (2) for Girls that will accommodate 600 beneficiaries. Those blocks include:
- DEPARTMENT 1 with 4 units
- DEPARTMENT 2 with 4 units
- DEPARTMENT 3 with 4 units.
- DEPARTMENT 4 for Staff members that will accommodate 25 Staffs since each department will accommodate 5 Staff members.
At the moment our Staff members come from a far distance and we don’t have accommodation for them.
III- Library Department, Office and Clinic Department
IV- Store, Kitchen and Dining Hall department
Considering some other communities where hunger, poverty and illiteracy is affecting orphans, disable children and vulnerable children. The construction of school will solve all this problems by training and equipping them with skills to become self-reliant in their communities and Illiteracy will be eradicated at the same time.
Project activities:
- 1- Identification and registering more orphan vulnerable children.
- 2- Constructing of the primary school.
- 3- Management meetings
- 4- Contracting engineers and constructions
- 5- Monitoring, assessment and evaluation of the project
Justification of the project:
- 1- There are increasing numbers of children who are illiterate due to loss of parents due to HIV/AIDS and vulnerable due to poverty related issues that affect them from acquiring standard education and to some have dropped out of school.
- 2- There is favorable peaceful environment.
- 3- The government policy encourages intervention mechanisms of voluntary organizations.
- 4- There is open support by local and international communities.
Feasibility:
- 1- The project activities are feasible because:
- 2- The construction materials are available within the area.
- 3- The required equipment can be obtained within the country at favorable costs.
- 4- The infrastructure favors the project since there is electricity, piped water and accessible road.
- 5- The project will create new jobs
Below are the estimated budget for the construction work:
| NO | ITEMS | QTY | UNIT COST | TOTAL | EUR |
| 1 | CEMENT | 300 | 38.000,00 UGX | 11.400.000,00 UGX | 2.622 € |
| 2 | BRICKS | 30.000 | 300,00 UGX | 9.000.000,00 UGX | 2.070 € |
| 3 | SAND | 48 Trips | 280.000,00 UGX | 13.440.000,00 UGX | 3.091 € |
| 4 | HOOP IRON | 8 | 150.000,00 UGX | 12.000.000,00 UGX | 2.760 € |
| 5 | IRON BARS [Y2] | 60 | 35.000,00 UGX | 2.100.000,00 UGX | 483 € |
| 6 | RING WIRES [R7] | 48 | 13.000,00 UGX | 624.000,00 UGX | 144 € |
| 7 | BINDING WIRE | 40 | 5.000,00 UGX | 200.000,00 UGX | 46 € |
| 8 | WIRE MESH | 12 Bundles | 38.000,00 UGX | 456.000,00 UGX | 105 € |
| 9 | TIMBER | 150X50X42 | 12.000,00 UGX | 504.000,00 UGX | 116 € |
| | 100X50X340 | 8.000,00 UGX | 2.720.000,00 UGX | 626 € |
| | 300X25 | 20.000,00 UGX | 500.000,00 UGX | 115 € |
| 10 | WOOD PRESERVATIVES | 5 JERRYCANS | 20.000,00 UGX | 100.000,00 UGX | 23 € |
| 11 | KALITUNSI | 60 | 5.000,00 UGX | 300.000,00 UGX | 69 € |
| 12 | KIRUNDU | 90 | 7.000,00 UGX | 630.000,00 UGX | 145 € |
| 13 | IRON SHEETS | 150 | 48.000,00 UGX | 7.200.000,00 UGX | 1.656 € |
| 14 | RIDGES | 20 | 7.000,00 UGX | 140.000,00 UGX | 32 € |
| 15 | NAILS | 220 Kgs | 5.500,00 UGX | 1.210.000,00 UGX | 278 € |
| 16 | DPM | 4 Rolls | 5.500,00 UGX | 22.000,00 UGX | 5 € |
| 17 | DPC | 4Pcs | 12.000,00 UGX | 48.000,00 UGX | 11 € |
| 18 | GRAVEL/ AGGREGATES
(STONES) | 15 | 400.000,00 UGX | 6.000.000,00 UGX | 1.380 € |
| 19 | DOORS | 3 | 200.000,00 UGX | 600.000,00 UGX | 138 € |
| 20 | WINDOWS | 9 | 250.000,00 UGX | 2.250.000,00 UGX | 518 € |
| 21 | WHEEL BARROWS | 4 | 150.000,00 UGX | 600.000,00 UGX | 138 € |
| 22 | SPADES | 5 | 12.000,00 UGX | 60.000,00 UGX | 14 € |
| 23 | HOES | 5 | 10.000,00 UGX | 50.000,00 UGX | 12 € |
| 24 | PANGAS | 3 | 10.000,00 UGX | 30.000,00 UGX | 7 € |
| 25 | HAMMERS | 2 | 10.000,00 UGX | 20.000,00 UGX | 5 € |
| 26 | BOWSAW | 2 | 24.000,00 UGX | 48.000,00 UGX | 11 € |
| 27 | AXLE SAW | 3 | 10.000,00 UGX | 30.000,00 UGX | 7 € |
| 28 | PICK AXE | 3 | 20.000,00 UGX | 60.000,00 UGX | 14 € |
| 29 | WATER | 6 Trips-15000litres | 250.000 per Trip | 1.500.000,00 UGX | 345 € |
| | | TOTAL | 73.842.000 UGX | 16.984 € |
Construction Budget Estimate by % of Hard Costs:
| PHASES | % | NOTES |
| Excavation | 3 | Full Basement |
| Structural Concrete | 7 | Footer, Walls, Flatwork |
| Framing | 23 | Floors, Walls, Sheath, Trusses |
| Roofing | 3 | 3-tab asphalt shingles |
| Windows | 4 | Vinyl to energy code |
| Plumbing | 5 | Rough and Finish |
| Electrical | 5 | Rough and Finish |
| HVAC | 5 | Rough and Finish |
| Masonry | 1 | Decorative only |
| Siding | 4 | Walls and Exterior Trim |
| Insulation | 2 | Floors, Walls, Ceiling |
| Drywall | 5 | Hang, Tape, Finish, Texture |
| Sewer Hook-up | 1 | Ditch and Connectors |
| Water Hook-up | 1 | Ditch and Connectors |
| Paint/Stain | 2 | Interior and Exterior |
| Trim Package | 12 | Cabs, Counter, Doors, Millwork |
| Garage Doors | 1 | 2 Doors with Openers |
| Floor Coverings | 7 | Vinyl and Carpet |
| Appliances | 4 | Standard Brand in White |
| Deck | 1 | Structural and Finish |
| Storm water | 1 | Gutters, Downspouts, Drains |
| Exterior Concrete | 2 | Garage Apron and Sidewalk |
| Final Grade | 1 | Machine and Hand Work |
| 100 | |
The soft costs are even more difficult to estimate because they are in proportion to the hard costs. In other words, the higher cost of building creates higher costs in order to build. A review of the following items will provide a general guide of what one must take into consideration for soft costs. Assign a cost to these items based on their percentage of total hard cost estimate.
Construction Budget Estimate by % of Soft Costs:
| PHASES | % | NOTES |
| All Permits (may differ) | 8 | |
| Builder's Overhead and Profit | 10 | (may vary greatly, see below) |
| Site Survey | 1 | |
| Off-site Utilities | 10 | |
| Clean-up and Recycle/Refuse | 1 | |
| State Sales Tax (will differ) | 8 | |
| Landscaping | 2 | |
| Architect/Designer's Fee | 10 | (may vary greatly) |
| 50 | |
Project Implementation:
FIRST PHASE – Preparation (First Quarter)
- 1- Acquiring the needed land.
- 2- Transferring the land documents to the NGO.
- 3- Contracting the engineers and contractors.
- 4- Preparations for the resources, tools, equipments, and necessary documents to be used at the site.
- 5- Preparation of the resources to be used that is the tools equipments and necessary documents.
- 6- Holding community meetings.
- 7- Looking for the needed staff to work with that is manager (part time), secretary/ Cashier (part time), store keeper.
SECOND PHASE – Implementation Proper (Second Third Quarter)
- 1- Purchase of the materials.
- 2- Distribution of necessary equipment.
- 3- Construction setting off.
THIRD PHASE – Terminal Period (Fourth Quarter)
- 1- Assessment/Evaluation of the project.
- 2- Preparation of documentary report to be sent to the donor agency.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
Project monitoring will be done on a daily basis to ensure that the project objectives are in place. This will be achieved through:
QUICK BOOKS
Financial tracking system will be put in place to monitor cash flows, expenditures and purchases. For security and reliability quick books accounting data base is to be used and will be managed by the chief accountant. Income and expenses will be entered into the system and regular reconciliations are to be done.
REPORTING
We expect to send quarterly operational report about the progress of the project, every after two months and a comprehensive report will be sent every after four monthscovering; financial status, project activities so that the participating donors can review how the donations given are used in accordance with the vision of the center.
MANAGEMENT
For any project to succeed, proper and efficient management is essential in order to realize good returns on investment. Both buying materials and construction process are labor-intensive projects. For maximum production, buying materials, monitoring of work, evaluation, must be well coordinated by a qualified manager.
