2022 Update:
After spending the previous 2 years acquiring basic potable water and land for crops and food, Rukundo Ivan, founder of the Wheels of Hope Orphanage in Uganda, had been struggling to keep the orphanage running. With limited resources and funding, the orphanage faced significant challenges, and the situation was dire as a new public latrine was needed this year to avoid dysentery, among other diseases. Fortunately, the RadioCave Corporation (100% Non-Profit), in partnership with their foundation members, known as the Foundation of Families, stepped in to help. The foundation consists of artists, musicians, and poets who are passionate about making a positive impact on the world. Through their vast network and use of online platforms like Meta/Facebook, RadioCave and the non-profit foundation members launched an online donation campaign to raise funds for the Wheels of Hope Orphanage. The campaign generated donations from the community and online users. These donations were used to install a new public latrine which provided safe and hygienic sanitation facilities to the children and staff, and to acquire land for further development. RadioCave and the Foundation of Families aided in providing ongoing social awareness through their official Meta/page and group to ensure that the daily needs of the Orphanage were met. Thanks to the generosity and tireless efforts of the community & team, the Wheels of Hope Orphanage was able to overcome many of the challenges in 2022. The Orphanage now has access to safe and hygienic sanitation facilities, and with the land purchased last year, have already started construction on our first school building. As former educators, Rukundo Ivan & Juliet are poised to best consider the needs of the children’s education as they continue provide for their health and safety. As construction has recently started on buildings for next school year, this school year’s supplies are still in great need. If you can find it in your heart, please help by either sharing our communities story of embrace, or by donating yourself directly at www.radiocave.org/wheels-of-hope
This is the only place where RadioCave’s donations for the Orphanage are given. We will never ask for your credit-card and please make sure you are visiting the proper URL “www.radiocave.org/wheels-of-hope” Donations through this page are 100% Tax Deductible (ID: 86-3461052) 501(c)3/509(a)2
This year donations will allow them to expand their operations and help even more children. We will have pictures along the way throughout the year to show each stage of our community and you can read about previous years on our website (www.RadioCave.org). Donations to the community & pictures will also be listed on our website soon. The collaboration between the RadioCave and the Foundation of Families is a shining example of how different communities come together to make a positive impact on the world. The communities support is truly life-changing for the Wheels of Hope Orphanage and the children and staff who call it home.
~~~~~Original About from 2019~~~~~
Ivan Rukundo and his wife Juliet Niwigaba are both teachers who were working in the private school system after finishing their educations. In their Ugandan village of Rukuba Masha Isingiro in the district of Mbarara; they had both struggled very hard just to become educated, and have their basic needs met. They both wanted to create something that would help the many 55+ orphaned children and many more impoverished residents in their area rise up to become a community working together to sustain and improve the lives of all. Ivan and Juliet acquired an education and survived against all the odds and wanted to assist the children and families facing these and worse odds. Ivan had lived in several places over the years where he saw a common problem everywhere he went: Many youths suffering illiteracy and unemployment, falling into a life of crime just to survive. Most of these youths had become orphaned when their parents died from HIV, typhoid fever, drug overdose, alcoholism, starvation and untreated disease. Malaria, when untreated, kills both the pregnant mothers and their unborn children. There is a cycle of young women becoming pregnant without education or resources to sustain themselves, let alone the new lives being created. The rearing of children often falls on grandparents (if available) who lack education and vocation skills or money themselves. These are the challenges most under-served impoverished neighborhoods face, but especially those which lack enough hospitals or schools to serve their residents. As of June 2020, there is only one school serving 15 village communities including Isingiro, the village in question. The closest medical facility is Mbarara Hospital, over 40km away. Google advises it is a 45 minute drive by car for residents (who don’t own cars) to get there from this Western Ugandan village. With so little motivation or examples of success for youths to follow or draw upon, Ivan knew he had to come up with an idea and a plan quickly for their survival. How could he give these village residents and orphans hope for their future and some way to earn a living without turning to lives of crime? He and Juliet were already using what little they had from Ivan’s salary to feed, clothe, shelter and educate (buying books, paper and pencils) the 15+ orphaned children in their care in 2016. They were getting organized and finding ways to tell their stories and getting some contributions for their cause.In late 2016 Ivan came up with the concept of building and providing wooden wheelbarrows for underserved residents of Isingiro to serve several purposes. The children could place handmade items and the food they had grown into them and bring these to market to sell and become self sustaining. In 2016, teaching sandal-making and farming for food and sales were only future goal ideas. The young mothers could carry water, foodstuffs, hand-crafted items to sell and even their children in these wheelbarrows. Ivan used whatever little money they had from teaching to get some wood and tools to build these simple wooden wheelbarrows, and the older children came forward to learn, create and assist him. He officially set up WOH charitable and educational organization in early 2017. Ivan, Juliet and the WOH charity they created have become a growing and important pillar for their community. Their wheelbarrows are in constant use for bringing food to market, farming and agriculture (also being taught) and are being built as materials and funds become available. The people are learning new ways and developing a sense of pride and accomplishment, as they learn to become self sustained. Ivan even studied and learned about Bachwezi wooden sandals created by his ancestors, and decided it would be a good way to teach the children a craft which they could use to help them in life. They have done very well with what little they have, creating some sandals and bringing them to market. It is a future goal to be able to purchase enough materials and tools to create and sell the shoes and other crafter materials for the local community. Buildings for a school, emergency shelter and a medical clinic are part of their long-range organization plan. Wi-fi connections with computers in their learning centers are also on the list of projects for WOH. Books, paper and pencils all cost money and are what they use now. Not everyone has access to internet learning models during this disabling pandemic. You can support Wheels of Hope with a direct cash payment through The RadioCave Non-Profit Corporation & we will pay the processing fees and use a digital transaction method to send funds directly to Ivan's & Juliet's Orphanage bank account. Simply Send us a Payment Through PayPal Below. You will see we have a note prefilled stating it is for Wheels of Hope Project. During 2020 The RadioCave Foundation of Families provided potable water to the village and since then, many sustainable food crops and projects have been started. www.radiocave.org/wheels-of-hope
Biography & Page Penfield Hondros & Nicholas S.
