The Story

Andrea Pauline, Sally Carlson, and Leah Pauline, three University of Colorado students, went on a life-changing adventure to Iganga, Uganda where they discovered 162 children living at an orphanage in the worst conditions imaginable. These kids, aged 4-14, were sleeping in three tiny rooms without beds or blankets on a rocky dirt floor. Rats climbed over them as they slept and their bedrooms turned to mud when it rained. Their bodies were covered in rashes, and many suffered from bacterial infections from the unsanitary latrines. During the day, they would fight over a spot in the long line to receive their one meal a day that only teased their empty bellies. The saddest part about these living conditions was the abuse the children went through on a daily basis. They were abused mentally, spiritually, sexually, and physically…by the people that were supposed to be taking care of them, and by community members. The orphanage was located on an ally with no enclosure, making the kids vulnerable to the public.

At night, the street kids would come and taunt the children through the boarded doorways and the girls were frequent victims of rape. Due to desperation, many of the girls would turn to local hotels to sell themselves for money to satisfy their hunger. The boys would resort to stealing from the market in town. Day to day, these kids were hungry, bored, uneducated, unloved, and completely hopeless.

The Idea

Sally, Andrea and Leah decided something needed to be done. They couldn't walk away. In July 2008 Sally and Leah returned to the United States to begin fundraising for a new home for the children. Andrea teamed up with some awesome Ugandans to establish a safe and nurturing environment for the children.

Hope That Transforms

There are now 80 kids living at Musana. They are happier than they have ever been, getting three meals a day, proper medical care, a good education, and most importantly… LOVE. They finally have a place that they can call home and just be kids. There are six live-in house-parents each caring for approximately one dozen children and there is a nurse that sees children daily in MCH's clinic. Musana Children's Home has grown into more than just an orphanage. There are more than forty-five Ugandans on staff at Musana, making up a primary and nursery school that educates 200 kids, and different sustainability projects that include a farm, a café, and a craft department! Andrea Pauline is the Executive Director and Haril Isabirye, one of the Ugandan founders, is the Director of Operations. Together Haril and Andrea lead the Ugandan staff to impact the lives of the children and the community in Iganga.