The Levin House: A Desperately Needed Orphanage in Uganda

This interview with Levin Mugisha Busulwa reflects his experience and is published with his express permission.

A kindhearted man named Levin Mugisha Busulwa founded the Levin House Child Foundation in Uganda to serve underprivileged and orphaned children.

There are 82 children who live at the Levin House currently, and 50 of them are orphans. There are a few parents who live at the House with their children, as well. Among the 82 children, 13 of them are babies, 3 children have disabilities that need special care, and some young children have not started an education yet.

These innocent children are burdened by circumstances that are out of their control and they fight illnesses and hunger, sometimes in extreme cases, every day. They want to be healthy and happy, they want to learn, and they want to survive until adulthood so that they can fulfill their dreams.

They are facing a serious problem right now, they are struggling to pay their rent and cannot come to amicable agreements with their landlord. They are trying to raise £35,000 would love to buy land and build a permanent home for the children they take care of. If the Levin House Child Foundation had their own land and home, the security and safety would allow the children to thrive.

In five years they would love to have a school, medical clinic, and other infrastructures for the community to use at no cost. Education and medical care are often unattainable because of the poverty Ugandans face, and the Levin House would give all citizens fair treatment and education.

The Levin House Child Foundation is an essential institution for Ugandans because the government does not allocate enough funds for public services like education, health care, or orphanages.

Children of the Levin House in Uganda, photos by Levin Mugisha Busulwa.

Unfortunately, corruption in the Ugandan government has been a problem for decades, even though they have the Anti-Corruption Court and laws to prevent theft of public money.

According to the Ballard Brief, up to 20% of public funding in Uganda is misused or embezzled and it often goes unpunished because law enforcement agencies are also susceptible to corruption. There have been numerous reports of embezzlement, bribery, and money laundering.

Government corruption like bribery and embezzlement is not only illegal, but it also harms the economic growth and takes money away from public services that are vital in Uganda. A quarter of the country lives below the international poverty line of $1.90 a day, but there are few resources for the people. The impoverished are also more likely to be forced to pay a bribe to obtain the services or supplies they need.

According to Human Rights Watch this deep-seated corruption undermines human rights. The indication is that the law cannot be depended upon to protect human rights when the government purposefully defies the law, steals public funds, and redirects funding toward sectors other than public health and education.

This is why organizations like the Levin House Child Foundation are so important for impoverished Ugandans, and they require support from donors to continue pursuing their righteous mission.

The best way for people to support the Levin House is to donate to them directly, and to continue following their journey on their social media pages.
Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads, YouTube.

If you would like to donate, you can find their PayPal and GoFundMe links on their social media, or by clicking on this link: DONATE