About Us

History

Project Moroto is a faith-based charity that was started in 2011 by a New Zealand woman Jayne Bailey, to provide safe dormitory living for orphans in a town called Moroto in the North Eastern part of Uganda. In 1994 Jayne taught in a Bible College for Pastors in Kampala, Uganda. It was one of these pastors, 16 years later, who asked for Jayne's help with feeding and providing a safe living environment for the orphans in his town. With the kind generosity of great Kiwis funds were raised to build a dormitory building on one acre of land in the town of Moroto (pop: 15,000), Karamoja - the poorest region of Uganda.



By May 2015 final preparations of our one acre compound were completed enabling us to receive 18 beautiful girls aged 9 - 14 to live safely on site. A fence was secured around the compound, gardens and fruit trees were planted, the dormitory building was painted inside and fitted out, flush squat toilets and showers were installed, water tanks erected, the kitchen made functional, the dining room fitted out, paths laid and solar power installed. In 2016 the girls named our home Alakara Home. ‘Alakara’ in Karamajong means thank you, joy, peace, well-being - all the things they have experienced while living there.

In June 2018 a building project began at Alakara Home to enable us to take in more girls. The building was finished in November 2018. It has a large dining room and library and sick bay and upstairs office, bathrooms and guest rooms. The old dining room now becomes a second dormitory for the girls. The girls are very excited and generous about this - the more girls the merrier for them!!!

Staffing

Project Moroto is staffed by 5 local Ugandans: one live-in Mama who cooks and cares for the girls; two night watchman; one gardener/day watchman; and one Manager who oversees the day to day running of our home including ensuring the wellbeing of the girls, staff, and compound. There is also a three person voluntary Management Team of local Ugandans to ensure the smooth running of the Project overall and good care of the girls. Jayne - also a volunteer - is responsible for fundraising and the on-going development of Project Moroto and is largely based in New Zealand. She aims to visit Moroto every year for 3-6 months to oversee the project.

Project Moroto Board of Trustees

Maureen Crombie - Chair: Maureen is a Corporate Manager at NZ Health Partnerships. She has an extensive background in national and international organisations including NGO governance, and is the Past-Chair, ECPAT International. She brings a wealth of experience in strategy, policy, business planning, communications and relationship management.

Lisa Cescon - Member: Lisa was the former NZ CEO of World Vision, following a highly successful financial management career of over 25 years, including as Deputy Managing Director at Warner Home Video in UK & Ireland. She has long had a heart for the marginalized including taking five years out from her career to help create a charity in Cambodia to help vulnerable prisoners and their families. Lisa has felt inspired by Project Moroto and is delighted to now bring her experience to participate in developing its vision.

Dr Bridget Underhill - Member: Bridget is a Pastor at Grace Vineyard Church in North Canterbury. Pastoral care and missions have been her life and so when she first went to Moroto in 2015 she was won over by the needs and the hearts of the girls of Alakara Home, hence there have been several visits since!

Jayne Bailey - Executive Director: Jayne is the founder of Project Moroto and Alakara Home. She is not only the visionary behind all that has happened so far in Project Moroto’s journey but she is also deeply committed to bring out the potential of all the girls who enter Alakara Home. This she does, not just by raising funds, but by visiting Moroto for 5-6 months every year to love, inspire and care for the girls.

The Girls