Our Story
Buyamba Inc
Our Mission
Our Vision
Bethuel and Florence Dongo
Board of Directors
Financial Information
Our Story
Uganda is one of the world’s least developed and resource-poor countries. It has endured the scourge of civil war and the deadly AIDS epidemic, causing an environment where an estimated 90% of Uganda’s population lives in rural areas with 10% of its population being children.
Uganda’s current population is about 24.7 million (last census 2002), with 52% being under the age of 18 and an orphan population of over 2 million, set to rise to 3.5 million by 2010 (UNICEF, 2002). According to www.avert.org, 51% of Uganda’s orphans are due to HIV/AIDS.
Though Uganda now has a stable government, it is still crippled by debt, lack of industry, and the AIDS crisis. Therefore, the government is unable to support services to rescue its children. Churches and international relief agencies are vital to confront this crisis on a daily basis.
Due to rampant malnutrition, thousands of children suffer from stunted growth, disease and the ravages of neglect. Very few have access to an education. While some children are able to remain with grandparents or other family members, that is not always ideal. Often these relatives neglect the children or use them as servants for the rest of the household. At times these abuses are so flagrant children are forced to flee. They have nowhere to go but into the streets where they become thieves, prostitutes and drug addicts. Ultimately, many become infected with AIDS (HIV) … and the cycle of hopelessness continues. Uganda’s children are lost and dying! Uganda now has a
After seeing such a great need within their beloved country, God put it on Pastor Bethuel and Florence Dongos’ hearts to reach out to His people: People with Aids (HIV), orphans, and children who are abandoned, destitute and poverty stricken.
Recognizing thousands of children lacked love, education, and simple basic needs, Bethuel and Florence started Buyamba Orphan Outreach to provide love, care and assistance to orphans and needy children whose parents were too sick or destitute to care for them.
Buyamba, when translated to English, simply means “HELP.”
Once the Dongos identified these children and met their critical needs, education was next. They knew that the only way they could help Uganda is by educating its children. Due to the lack of free public education in Uganda, only 3 in 10 children are privileged enough to attend school. The Dongos had the vision to start a school to give these children the opportunity to rise above their circumstances and become contributing members of society. They began to share their vision to educate and support these children with as many people as they encountered. In 1999, the first Buyamba Orphan received sponsorship towards his education. The following year, the 2nd child was sponsored and the Dongos’ dream was becoming a reality.
Buyamba Inc., a non-profit corporation, was founded in the U.S in 1999, to support the Dongos’ efforts of the Buyamba Orphan Outreach, through its child sponsorship program and provision of needed resources. As a result, God Cares Nursery and Primary School was started in 2002 with 97 children, in the basement of the church where Pastor Dongo serves as senior pastor. He held tightly to his vision to build a 5 story building that would be a home to orphans while serving as a school. In 2006, the God Cares building project was completed (thanks to a faithful benefactor). The nursery and primary school has a current enrollment of over 700 children. The church basement now houses the God Cares Secondary School with enrollment of 110.
Today, through the faithfulness and generosity of our sponsors and benefactors throughout the U.S, and the tireless efforts of our team of volunteers, Buyamba, Inc. currently sponsors the care and education of 900 orphans and needy children in Uganda.
We are now dreaming of the day when God provides for the construction and completion of a new secondary school building and for the Buyamba Children’s Village; a community of homes that would place our orphans in a family setting.
and Primary School was started in 2002 with 97 children, and today has an enrolled of468.
Our Mission
Buyamba, Inc., a non-profit corporation, was founded in the U.S to support Buyamba Orphan Outreach and God Cares Schools. We provide love, care and support to orphaned and disadvantaged children in Uganda, through our child sponsorship program and the faithful donations from benefactors throughout the United States.
We exist … to lovingly care for the physical, spiritual, emotional and educational needs of Uganda’s orphaned and destitute children while empowering them to become contributing citizens who will impact their nation for Christ.
Currently, Buyamba financially supports the education and care of over 900 children through our sponsorship programs. Our God Cares Nursery/Primary and Secondary Schools provide for the educational needs of over 800 children and is home to over 150 orphan boarders.
This is our commitment to Uganda’s precious children: To offer them love, hope and a future through education … one orphan at a time.
Our Vision
We have been blessed to see the Lord grow this ministry and fulfill the initial vision He set in the hearts of Bethuel and Florence Dongo.
We at Buyamba continue to dream and look to the future as to how we can further the work to which we have been called as we impact the lives of Uganda’s children.
Here are some of our goals as we cast vision for the future:
- To build a High School for the children. The land has been purchased for phase 1 and we are hoping to raise the funds to break ground and lay the foundation by summer of 2009.
- To purchase the additional land for Phase 2 to build the Buyamba Children’s Village.
- To build the Buyamba Children’s Village: a community of homes where orphaned children can be placed in a family setting with 2 adult parents ( a father and mother) to raise and care for them. Each cottage would be home to 8-10 children.
- Construction of an enclosed kitchen at God Cares Nursery/Primary School.
- Teacher Housing.
- Text books and supplies
- A technical school to teach various trades to help our children gain employment.
- University Sponsorships to enable our children who complete their secondary education to pursue a university education.
- A Medical Clinic.
You can make a difference. For more information on how you can help today, go to our current projects page or donate now
Pastor Bethuel & Florence Dongo
Pastor Bethuel and Florence Dongo are the founders of the Buyamba Orphan Outreach and God Cares Schools. This labor of love was birthed out of their passion for the children of Uganda. They have been married since 1984 and, that same year, founded the Kabalagala Pentecostal Church in Kampala City, Uganda where they still serve as senior pastors. The Dongos have 4 biological children and 12 adopted children … a total of 16 children living in their home. Their work is said to be a light in Kampala City and they are affectionately called the “Father and Mother of Uganda.”
Board of Directors
Buyamba, Inc. was first organized as a non-profit in New York, USA in 1999. Kelly Kreps, initially managed the non-profit until her death in October, 2001. She was succeeded by Jerry and Pat Lehman who ran the non-profit’s operations, serving faithfully and wholeheartedly until December 2006. Buyamba was reorganized as a California 501(C) 3 on January 1st 2007. We would like to honor and thank our predecessors for their faithful and tireless service to this cause and for helping to grow this ministry into the vibrant one it is today.
Buyamba, Inc. currently has an active board of directors as follows:
David Dimas President, Board of Directors
david@webpositionadvisor.com
(805)368-1938
Julie Dimas Director of Operations
julie@ugandabuyamba.com
(805)558-0089
Peter & Patty Gillette Vice-President, Board of Directors (Peter Gillette)
gillette.peter@gmail.com
(818)749-2178
Degna Horton Missions and Communications Director
degna@ugandabuyamba.com
(805)405-6431
Donna Leavitt Accountant
donna@ugandabuyamba.com
(818)370-5983
Tony Viera Legal Counsel
tvieira@vieiratriallaw.com
(818)878-0300
Buyamba is pleased to have commissioned Darren Yui as our first Long Term Missionary to Uganda. Contact Darren at darren@ugandabuyamba.com
Financial Information
- Buyamba Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)3. Our tax ID # is 56-2628066.
- Buyamba operates on an overhead cost of 2.85% of all donations according to our 2007 end of the year accounting. Of this, most of the cost is associated with operating the child sponsorship program. This low cost is achievable through the gracious gift of time provided by many volunteers. No officer or board member receives any financial compensation.
Governance
Buyamba Inc is directed by a US Board of Directors composed of lay-people, Christian businessmen, and educators. Many of the board members have been to Uganda and actively support the ministry with time, funding, and experience.
The Board meets at least two times a year – often quarterly.
The mission of the Board is to:
- Provide wisdom and support for Pasto Dongo and the Uganda ministry.
- Serve as an accountability partner for the appropriate use of funds in Uganda.
- Assist in setting the priorities for ministry projects in Uganda.
- Develop fundraising and communication strategies for the ministry.
Buyamba Inc. functions daily through the volunteer efforts of a small staff, consisting of a Director of Operation, an accountant, and a Missions and Communications Director. There are no paid staff positions on the Buyamba team.
Accountability
As an accountability partner with Buyamba Uganda Orphan Outreach, the activities include the ongoing process of ministry review in Uganda. No less than once a year, a board member returns to Uganda to visually inspect the activities of the ministry and review the performance against the initial budgets and goals. As with any new ministry, it is an evolving program. Defining donor expectations and setting the proper processes in place ensure overall expectations are met.
