The Zee Foundation house collapsed and the kids have no home

A message from Balinda Zahara on behalf of the Zee Foundation:

Dear Philanthropists,

Life is not fair sometimes. Just four days after we posted a GoFundMe to raise money to renovate the Zee Foundation home, the house has collapsed. The children who live in the house are currently without a place to live.

Unfortunately, there's more: My younger brother was in the house at the time and was crushed in the rubble. He is currently in the ICU and the doctors have not yet provided a status update. Please keep him in your prayers.

As a result of this horrible turn of events, we must step up our efforts to renovate the house. Please contribute anything you can today!

Here is the fundraising message we posted two days ago:

For years, Zee Foundation Africa has been caring for orphans and vulnerable children in Uganda. Right now, these children live in a house my grandmother built over 40 years ago. It has never been renovated. The iron sheet roof is full of holes, the floors are cracked, and the walls are dangerously weak.

This house holds many memories but it is no longer safe. Just last week, one of the children was badly injured when part of the structure gave way. We fear that if we do not act now, the house could collapse during storms or heavy weather.

Our dream is to build a safe orphanage that can accommodate at least 20 children. A home where they can sleep under a secure roof, study without fear, and grow up with dignity and love. At the same time, we want to renovate the old family house, because it carries so much history for me, my siblings, and the children who have only ever known it as home.

How Your Donation Will Be Used

• Building materials for the new orphanage (cement, bricks, roofing, doors, windows)

• Labor costs for construction

• Renovation of the old house (roof repairs, flooring, painting)

• Essential furnishings (beds, mattresses, clean water system)

Fundraising Goal: $26,000

Cost Breakdown:

$6,074 - Building shell (site prep, bricks, cement, sand, rebar)

$2,897 - Roofing and rainwater (timber, sheets, gutters, 5000L tank)

$3,514 - Furnishings (10 bunk beds, 20 mattresses, bedding)

$3,429 - Sanitation (2-stance lined VIP latrine + shower area)

$3,143 - Labor & Supervision

$1,714 - Floors and finishes (screed/tiles, plaster, paint, ceilings)

$1,629 - Doors and windows (steel doors x4, windows x6)

$943 - Electric and plumbing

$1,029 - Safety and drainage (anti-snake skirting, nets, extinguishers)

$714 - Transport and logistics

$914 - Contingency (price changes, breakage)

Every contribution, no matter how small, brings us closer to giving these children safety, stability, and a future. Even sharing this fundraiser with friends and networks makes a huge difference.

Please donate today and be part of building a safe, loving home for these children.

Learn more about us: https://zeefoundation.africa

Note: My name is Evan Birkhead, I represent Zee Foundation in the United States because GoFundMe requires a US-based bank. I immediately route all donations to Zee Foundation and pay all the fees out of my own pocket.