Project 24: Orphan Rescue Centers

Imagine providing for a household that includes your own children plus two, three or even four extra mouths to feed.

That's the norm in Kenya, where half the population of 32 million is children. Two to three million of those youngsters have lost both parents.

Following a 2005 fact-finding trip to Kenya, seven Lutherans developed Project 24 to address the overwhelming needs of orphans.

The goal:

To build 24 orphan rescue centers near Kenyan Lutheran churches or schools, and provide scholarships for orphans.

• A new facility for 50 children can be built for about $40,000.
• A sponsorship of $400 a year covers the needs (food, clothing, medicine, schooling) of one child at the orphanage. Find sponsorship information at www.lcms.org/1001.

These LCMS members see each center as an opportunity to reach beyond the orphanage walls to also serve as a base of support for families caring for orphans.

Partners

• Project 24 founders: Roger Weinlaeder, Rev. Bernhard Seter, Ed Bean, Mark Hatloy, Bill Sharpe, Bob Wurl and Kurt Daudt
• the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya 
• LCMS World Relief and Human Care