Plans & Projects
A lot is accomplished over the last years. The Foundation contributed to that. Read more about the completed projects further on this page.

Also we inform you about current projects and plans for the future. 

Current projects at Mama Jane:

• Transforming the care that Mama Jane provides: A Ugandan law stipulates that children may not grow up unnecessarily in institutions. The intention is that 'family-based-care' will become increasingly embedded in Uganda and orphanages will become less necessary as a shelter. The Mama Jane Foundation wholeheartedly supports these developments. Together with Mama Jane's staff, we see the enormous benefits of taking care of children in a family situation.
  Finding family or a suitable place is difficult in practice. Sometimes 1 of the parents is still alive, but is unable to take care of the child. Sometimes a 'family member' with bad intentions comes forward, perhaps triggered by the financial contribution for school fees that a child receives from the orphanage. Mama Jane has been searching for the children's relatives for years. If successful, the children (with financial support) will go there permanently or during the long holidays. The reception facility in the orphanage remains necessary.
  Carefulness and good agreements are essential when placing children in external families. It brings up many challenging questions, such as: How much do you contribute to living expenses and school fees? How long do you contribute? How do you know if the place is safe for the child? How do you guarantee well-being? How often do you want to monitor the situation and for how long? Do you choose to support 1 child or do you go for family empowerment and help the whole family? And so on and so forth...
• Craft school at Mpummude: a school is being built on the land of the farm. The aim is to provide practical education to children of Mama Jane and children from the surrounding area. It generates new income for the orphanage and there is a great need for this kind of education; so win-win. The project was enthusiastically started by Agnes in 2019. The building is now complete and some materials are already present. It will take a while before it can actually start. Waiting for permits and further furnishing of the school.
• Computer lessons in Mama Jane: in the Covid period the schools remained closed for 2 years. Mama Jane organized various courses 'inside'. A room has now been set up to give computer lessons, with a connection for electricity and internet. The goal here is to teach children from outside for a fee and the children who live with MJ are of course allowed to participate.

Future plans, wishes & needs:

• New batteries for the solar panels: After 14 years, the batteries need to be replaced, a cost of approximately € 4,000. Mama Jane saves about € 750 every year. In addition, the house is assured of electricity (in Uganda the power goes out regularly), so that the children can always do homework after 7 pm and have light in the dormitories.
• Replacement of the car: More and more children live in families in villages/communities ('family-support'), which need regular visits and supervision. Mama Jane can't do that without good transport. The current car is almost falling apart. Costs of a good 2nd hand car are estimated at € 8,500. The Mama Jane Foundation looks at how we can support.

Completed projects over the years:

• Solar panels and a system to collect and use rainwater. This saves a lot of costs for the orphanage. And there is more electricity! The children can now also do homework in the evening, for example.
• Improved dormitories for the children. Wooden levels have been built in and the children now sleep with peers in 1 room. A 'mother' is also present at night. The children feel more secure in this way and if something is wrong. The 'mothers' are the teachers in the kindergarten classes during the day.
• Hospital ward on an extra floor in the orphanage. With a real sister. At night she also sleeps in one of the dormitories with the children. Children can recover separately in the infirmary. Unfortunately, there are regular sick people, including malaria.
• Additional nursery classes. There are now 3 equipped classrooms for toddlers and preschoolers. There the little ones are taught by Mama Jane and children from outside. They pay for this, a permanent source of income for the orphanage. Every year 2 trainees from the Belgian Pabo come to help with teaching. That also appeals to children (the parents) from outside Mama Jane.
• Playground equipment and painting in the courtyard at Mama Jane.
• Mama Jane's farm on a piece of land in Mpumudde, just outside Jinja. A project has started here to guide children to an independent life after their time with Mama Jane. There are always an average of 8 children who are no longer allowed to live in the orphanage because of their age. They maintain the cattle, sell milk and chicks. In this way, the farm provides training on the job and the livelihood of the children.
• Mama Jane's (vegetable) garden in Bukaya. Vegetables such as corn, beans and also cassava, potato and matoke bananas are grown here. The children help on the land and learn basic skills. In addition, the land provides part of the food for the staff and children.
• The Mama Jane Guesthouse In 2006 a beautiful building was purchased and it was renovated until 2009. Part of the property is rented out permanently, which means a steady income for Mama Jane. A number of rooms are available for volunteers, family, sponsors of the orphanage and foundation members. It is now being examined whether part of the guesthouse can be used for 'assisted living', for children who cannot stay with Mama Jane due to age, but who are not yet able to live independently.