Otem Collective
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Poverty, not lack of family, is the main reason children end up in residential care. Without adequate resources, families are left with little choice but to turn to orphanages as a means of caring for their children. We want to see every child in a family, and our work focuses on tackling family separation from both ends of the spectrum—on the front-end by strengthening families to care for their children and on the back-end by helping orphanages get children back into families.
06/05/2026
“Through this group I have learned that saving is not only about money but about planning for the future. Even small amounts can grow into something meaningful when we are consistent and disciplined.” —Bosco, Adagani Village
The village savings groups (or community banks, as our families are now calling them) are going strong! 273 people are meeting and saving together each week. Since the beginning of the year, the eight savings groups have saved $5,791, already surpassing the total amount saved during all of last year.
As Bruno, our Uganda Director, says, “These guys have gone wild with saving!”
“I recently returned from Uganda for the first time in more than two years. The last time I was there, Otem Collective's family strengthening programs in Kole District were still just a dream.
This trip, we heard story after story of lives changing. In one village, 17 of the 53 families we're working with are building or have already completed brick homes—something many families once thought was impossible.
As we approached one of the villages where we're working, it started pouring rain. A group of women came running out of a nearby house and escorted our vehicle down the muddy road for nearly ten minutes, cheering and singing the entire time. Bruno Odur, our Director in Uganda, looked over at me and said, ‘Wow. This is love.’
Standing there, watching these women celebrate in the rain, I was reminded why this work matters.” - Kristen Marks
Want the full story? Read Kristen's reflection from her several weeks in Uganda at https://otemcollective.org/what-i-saw-in-uganda/
05/21/2026
Healing happens in connection.
Last week, 200 children from six districts across Uganda gathered for the annual Trust-Based Relational Intervention Children’s Camp hosted by our partner, Alliance for Uganda Without Orphans.
Centered on this year’s theme of restoration, the week created space for children who have experienced trauma to experience safety, joy, healing, and connection. Counselors were trained in TBRI ahead of camp to help foster that environment, and on the final day, 63 parents joined to learn practical tools they can continue using at home.
It was an incredible week full of learning and fun—and if you asked the kids, most of them didn’t want the camp to end!
05/18/2026
Please join us in praying for Uganda and the DRC amidst the recently declared Ebola outbreak.
WHO Declares Global Emergency Over Ebola Strain With No Vaccine. Here's What To Know The rare Bundibugyo strain, with no approved vaccine or treatment, has killed nearly 90 people.
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