In 2010 there will be 25 million orphaned children in Sub-Saharan Africa. Orphans that don’t attend school have limited choices for their lives. They commonly end up on the streets, are engaged in child servitude and in some cases, prostitution.



School is the lifeline for orphans and vulnerable children. School is the place where they learn they are not alone, where they can learn the facts about HIV/AIDS and how to care for themselves. We believe that an education can help save a child’s life.

The Empower Campaign is a holistic, community and school based initiative designed to help children, including those that are orphaned or vulnerable, receive an education in Africa. We accomplish this through a four step approach with our partner communities in Uganda.

1. Provide a safe and sound place to attend school by building and reconstructing debilitated schools.

2. Provide educational materials for students attending school.

3. Provide one meal per day for all children attending school.

4. Provide access to health care and information at school.

To meet the educational need of orphans and vulnerable children, Empower partners with communities that are actively seeking a solution to their community’s growing orphan rate. The most common solution communities suggest to Empower is to invest in their local economies and to help educate the orphans and vulnerable children in the community. We have addressed these requests by purchasing crafts and jewelry made by local women’s cooperatives and using the proceeds from selling the crafts and jewelry at Empower fundraising events to support educational needs. We sell the jewelry and crafts at Empower fundraising events in the U.S. and online at store.empowercampaign.org