In this episode we continue our conversation with our guest Keren. She lived in Uganda for over ten years. She talks about her experiences in the East African country Uganda and how important it was for her to understand the cultures and integrate into the system and Ugandan society. We take an in-depth look at how important it is to reflect on one's white privilege while living in an African country.
Keren's Story:
Keren Riley is the founder of the "REUNITE" project and works in various capacities, including as , investigator, and photographer. She has lived and worked in Uganda since 2010. She is an adoptive parent of a Ugandan son who is now an adult, and he is one of the inspirations for her work. Her background is in performing and visual arts, but since adopting her son in 2005, she has also become passionate about the issues facing children in foster care and children without parental care in Uganda. She brings this passion to the heart of Reunite.
About Reunite:
Reunite is a small project currently running under the registered Ugandan NGO "Alternative Care Initiatives" with a great concern to reunite children with their families. Love and justice are at the heart of what we do. Since 2011, we have been reuniting children with their families who have been stuck in orphanages, trafficked for international adoption, abducted, or born in the government psychiatric hospital.
We conduct thorough research to find the families of the children we work with, and when appropriate, the child returns home. After reunification, we continue to visit the children and their families regularly. Usually poverty is the reason for the family's separation, so we help strengthen the family economically, and if family mediation is needed, we help with that as well. The families who have participated in our program have started a variety of businesses, including barber stores, dry cleaners, animal husbandry, clothing stores, hair salons, agriculture, etc.
How you can support Reunite:
Donations keep Reunite's work going. Click here to Donate
Get in contact with Reunite
Website: Reunite
Facebook: Reunite
Instagram: reunite1
Email: reuniteuganda@gmail.com
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