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There is an estimated 210 million orphans in the world, with the majority coming from developing countries. Uganda has approximately 1.8 million orphans, of which almost half are orphaned as a result of the child having lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. Most of these children cannot be taken into the homes of relatives for many reasons including: Uncles and aunties already struggling to feed their own children. The average nuclear family in Uganda is bigger than that of the western world. Grandparents being too old and frail to care for them. Most people not having a will, setting out who should care for the children. In cases where the children are taken into the care of relatives, extra strain is placed upon the family as they have to care for their own children as well as the orphan. The strain can become unbearable and result in the orphan not receiving the love and care a child requires. In the cases where the children cannot be taken into homes by relatives (which there are many) the orphan will either go into the care of an NGO or join the vast number of street children. Becoming a street child will in time lead to the child turning to crime or ending up in child prostitution to survive; thus creating a cycle that will further increase the incidence of HIV/AIDS. Our religious aims as a faith organization are best summarised in James 1:27: "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction…" At AFFPIN we attempt to incorporate this phrase into all our working within the rural communities of Uganda. We believe all able individuals have a duty of care towards the poor and orphans in particular. AFFPIN aims to improve and develop social behaviors and services among the rural population especially among orphans and disadvantaged children. Introducing Uganda: Ugandans suffer in many ways. The resources that first world countries take for granted are non-existent or at best unreliable through most of sub-Saharan Africa. The following information has been derived from the UN Global Statistics Report on Uganda. Life expectancy is 51 years 7% infant mortality rate 4.1% AIDS/HIV prevalence rate 35% are living below the poverty line Only 6% of roads are paved, others are poorly kept and sometimes impassable due to heavy rain Further observations on rural Uganda: The majority of people outside the capital live without electricity, running water and proper communication systems i.e.; telephone. Whilst many can sustain themselves from the fertile land they live on, they earn very little and cannot pay for all the basic medication, school fees, school books, clothing, shoes or housing requirements. African Foundation for People in Need; P.O. Box 230 Lugazi - Uganda Office phone: +256 41 448 110 +256 41 571 112 Mobile phone: +256 772 495 112 Email address: info@affpin.org