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Zijjan David Livingstone ("David") and his wife Sarah send love and greetings to you from Uganda!
David and Sarah operate a multi-faceted organisation in Uganda that focuses on creating safe homes, stable environments, educational and long-term opportunities for vulnerable children. The project is holistic and long-term, seeking to support orphaned children from when they first arrive all the way to adulthood, including secondary/tertiary and skills-based education, empowering them to create prosperity not only for themselves, but for others in like manner. What David and Sarah and their supporters have achieved over the last 15+ years is remarkable. Read on to learn more and how we can help them work through the current challenges so that they can continue to succeed for years to come.
Photo above: David and Sarah
David and Sarah's personal stories are inspiring in themselves. While still a teenager, all three of Davids brothers died from HIV/AIDS, leaving David to care for their four surviving children. David married Sarah, who was also caring for seven of her nephews and nieces because their parents had similarly succumbed to HIV/AIDS. So David and Sarah started their married life together with 11 adopted children! As if that weren't enough, seeing the large numbers of orphans in the local community, David and Sarah starting taking in orphans as they were able. This gradually grew into the FDLM / Dignity to Africa organisation that operates today (formerly registered as an NGO in Uganda in 2005). The organisation began as a more traditional orphanage but has evolved into a system that places orphans into family homes to provide them with a more normal, less stigmatized upbringing. FDLM supports the families that adopt the orphans. FDLM also has many other smaller initiatives that we can explain as the campaign goes on. There are 83 persons under David and Sarah's care.
Somehow whilst operating the FDLM / Dignity To Africa organisation, David also became a Christian Pastor.
But that's not where David's education ended. In addition to operating the FDLM / Dignity To Africa organisation, David was moved by the rampant human rights violations by government agencies as well as child abuse and domestic violence in surrounding communities. This prompted him to pursue legal studies at Makerere University and graduate the Clinical Legal course there. In addition, David is about to complete his LLB course which will enable him to open his own independent legal practice. These two qualifications equip David as an all-round lawyer with particular focus on justice for the poor, a common missing link in Uganda. David has already been involved in pro bono legal services assisting impoverished prison inmates who can't afford lawyers to have representation and guidance in securing justice. Several cases of abused children have already been successfully litigated. Upon completion of the bar course, David looks forward to representing poor and impoverished victims in court to ensure no one misses out in finding justice. More recently, inspired by the same desire to help his community, David is now running for election in the Ugandan parliament with a vision to give voice to the poor and lobby for government support towards rural development in his Butembe Constituency of Jinja.
FDLM seeks to be as financially self-supporting as possible and, ultimately, completely self-sustaining. This is already partly achieved via operating a sugar-cane plantation, dairy, chicken farm and other small businesses. Under this model, funding shortfalls are normally quite low.
However, three recent events have caused the funding shortfalls to grow substantially. First, under cover of a loud thunderstorm, the chicken farm was broken into and almost all the chickens stolen. Next, the charitable organisation in Australia through which David was receiving donations closed down (for unrelated reasons), cutting off a much needed sources of support from multiple partners in Australia.
The third and most challenging blow came with the lockdowns. Many of the children under David and Sarah's care are going to school, and the school system feeds the students. As part of the lockdown in Uganda, the schools were closed, leaving David with a large number of additional mouths to feed. If that weren't enough, international travel is effectively prohibited at the moment meaning that David is unable to travel overseas to raise awareness and funding, something that he normally would do regularly.
Luke, another FDLM / Dignity to Africa supporter, is in the process of hopefully reinstating a tax-deductible donation mechanism for Australians, however the process is quite complicated and not yet complete. As soon as the tax-deductible mechanism is established, we will set up a new campaign that makes tax-deductible donations available to Australians. However in the meantime David and the 83 people under his direct care need to eat, keep the lights on and cover incidental expenses so we cannot wait until the tax deductible conduit is opened.
This GoFundMe campaign is created by John Clark. The GoFundMe platform is not available in Uganda, and so I have created this campaign on David's behalf. I have known David for over 15 years and have been a financial supporter of David and FDLM / Dignity to Africa since the beginning. I can personally vouch for the authenticity of the FDLM / Dignity To Africa organisation, and I have full trust that every cent I give reaches FDLM / Dignity To Africa and is used wisely. More than that, David is man that inspires me and I'm honoured to have him as my friend. David and Sarah's achievements over the years I have known them are remarkable. I also plan to post updates including videos from other people who have known David for a long time and can vouch for him.
In order to prevent David and Sarah and the people under their care from starving, I have substantially increased my financial support to FDLM since the lockdowns began. It works out to about AUD $1.70 per day, per person. But this adds up over time. My wife and I have gladly given over AUD $20,000 since the lockdowns began, but this is putting a strain on our cash resources. David is confident the schools will reopen by around the time of Ugandan elections in February 2021. This will require another $20,000 - $30,000. My wife and I have resolved that we will start selling assets, if we must, to raise the money to keep everyone at FDLM alive until then. However I've decided to try, for the first time ever, to ask the people in my networks if they might join me in helping David. My hope is not only that we can support David and the people under his care through this specific time of need, but also help David to establish new connections with people that might become longer term supporters and help FDLM / Dignity to Africa continue and even expand the wonderful work it is doing.
Part of the plan for the coming months is to re-assess long term plans and objectives in the light of the current global situation and available income and funding sources to re-secure long-term self-sustainability. We'll provide status updates as the campaign progresses.
As the campaign progresses David and Sarah will be providing further updates, including on-the-ground reports as the funds raised are deployed so you can see where the money is going and learn more about the individuals you will be supporting.
Thankyou for taking the time to read and consider supporting David, Sarah and the 83 people under their care.
David and Sarah operate a multi-faceted organisation in Uganda that focuses on creating safe homes, stable environments, educational and long-term opportunities for vulnerable children. The project is holistic and long-term, seeking to support orphaned children from when they first arrive all the way to adulthood, including secondary/tertiary and skills-based education, empowering them to create prosperity not only for themselves, but for others in like manner. What David and Sarah and their supporters have achieved over the last 15+ years is remarkable. Read on to learn more and how we can help them work through the current challenges so that they can continue to succeed for years to come.
Photo above: David and SarahDavid and Sarah's personal stories are inspiring in themselves. While still a teenager, all three of Davids brothers died from HIV/AIDS, leaving David to care for their four surviving children. David married Sarah, who was also caring for seven of her nephews and nieces because their parents had similarly succumbed to HIV/AIDS. So David and Sarah started their married life together with 11 adopted children! As if that weren't enough, seeing the large numbers of orphans in the local community, David and Sarah starting taking in orphans as they were able. This gradually grew into the FDLM / Dignity to Africa organisation that operates today (formerly registered as an NGO in Uganda in 2005). The organisation began as a more traditional orphanage but has evolved into a system that places orphans into family homes to provide them with a more normal, less stigmatized upbringing. FDLM supports the families that adopt the orphans. FDLM also has many other smaller initiatives that we can explain as the campaign goes on. There are 83 persons under David and Sarah's care.
Somehow whilst operating the FDLM / Dignity To Africa organisation, David also became a Christian Pastor.
But that's not where David's education ended. In addition to operating the FDLM / Dignity To Africa organisation, David was moved by the rampant human rights violations by government agencies as well as child abuse and domestic violence in surrounding communities. This prompted him to pursue legal studies at Makerere University and graduate the Clinical Legal course there. In addition, David is about to complete his LLB course which will enable him to open his own independent legal practice. These two qualifications equip David as an all-round lawyer with particular focus on justice for the poor, a common missing link in Uganda. David has already been involved in pro bono legal services assisting impoverished prison inmates who can't afford lawyers to have representation and guidance in securing justice. Several cases of abused children have already been successfully litigated. Upon completion of the bar course, David looks forward to representing poor and impoverished victims in court to ensure no one misses out in finding justice. More recently, inspired by the same desire to help his community, David is now running for election in the Ugandan parliament with a vision to give voice to the poor and lobby for government support towards rural development in his Butembe Constituency of Jinja.
FDLM seeks to be as financially self-supporting as possible and, ultimately, completely self-sustaining. This is already partly achieved via operating a sugar-cane plantation, dairy, chicken farm and other small businesses. Under this model, funding shortfalls are normally quite low.
However, three recent events have caused the funding shortfalls to grow substantially. First, under cover of a loud thunderstorm, the chicken farm was broken into and almost all the chickens stolen. Next, the charitable organisation in Australia through which David was receiving donations closed down (for unrelated reasons), cutting off a much needed sources of support from multiple partners in Australia.
The third and most challenging blow came with the lockdowns. Many of the children under David and Sarah's care are going to school, and the school system feeds the students. As part of the lockdown in Uganda, the schools were closed, leaving David with a large number of additional mouths to feed. If that weren't enough, international travel is effectively prohibited at the moment meaning that David is unable to travel overseas to raise awareness and funding, something that he normally would do regularly.
Luke, another FDLM / Dignity to Africa supporter, is in the process of hopefully reinstating a tax-deductible donation mechanism for Australians, however the process is quite complicated and not yet complete. As soon as the tax-deductible mechanism is established, we will set up a new campaign that makes tax-deductible donations available to Australians. However in the meantime David and the 83 people under his direct care need to eat, keep the lights on and cover incidental expenses so we cannot wait until the tax deductible conduit is opened.
This GoFundMe campaign is created by John Clark. The GoFundMe platform is not available in Uganda, and so I have created this campaign on David's behalf. I have known David for over 15 years and have been a financial supporter of David and FDLM / Dignity to Africa since the beginning. I can personally vouch for the authenticity of the FDLM / Dignity To Africa organisation, and I have full trust that every cent I give reaches FDLM / Dignity To Africa and is used wisely. More than that, David is man that inspires me and I'm honoured to have him as my friend. David and Sarah's achievements over the years I have known them are remarkable. I also plan to post updates including videos from other people who have known David for a long time and can vouch for him.
In order to prevent David and Sarah and the people under their care from starving, I have substantially increased my financial support to FDLM since the lockdowns began. It works out to about AUD $1.70 per day, per person. But this adds up over time. My wife and I have gladly given over AUD $20,000 since the lockdowns began, but this is putting a strain on our cash resources. David is confident the schools will reopen by around the time of Ugandan elections in February 2021. This will require another $20,000 - $30,000. My wife and I have resolved that we will start selling assets, if we must, to raise the money to keep everyone at FDLM alive until then. However I've decided to try, for the first time ever, to ask the people in my networks if they might join me in helping David. My hope is not only that we can support David and the people under his care through this specific time of need, but also help David to establish new connections with people that might become longer term supporters and help FDLM / Dignity to Africa continue and even expand the wonderful work it is doing.
Part of the plan for the coming months is to re-assess long term plans and objectives in the light of the current global situation and available income and funding sources to re-secure long-term self-sustainability. We'll provide status updates as the campaign progresses.
As the campaign progresses David and Sarah will be providing further updates, including on-the-ground reports as the funds raised are deployed so you can see where the money is going and learn more about the individuals you will be supporting.
Thankyou for taking the time to read and consider supporting David, Sarah and the 83 people under their care.