Our Mission
To rescue, rehabilitate and reconcile street-connected children with their families. We have a strong belief in the right of all children to have access to an education and a safe place to call home so that each child grows to reach their full potential.
We work to advocate for children to be protected from all forms of abuse and exploitation.
Why street children?
Many children end up living on the streets due to unstable family environments, extreme poverty, abuse, neglect, or the loss of a parent. Some children are forced to work or beg to support their families, while others leave home in search of safety, stability, or survival.
Children living on the streets often lack access to basic needs such as food, clean water, hygiene, medical care, and education. They are vulnerable to exploitation, violence, substance abuse, and ongoing instability, which places their health, safety, and development at serious risk.
We believe long-term change comes through child resettlement, family restoration, education, and ongoing support. Wherever possible, we work toward helping children safely return home to parents or relatives. When returning home is not possible, we look for extended family members or foster care options that can provide long-term stability and care.
Every child’s situation is different. Our goal is to find the best possible pathway forward for each child and provide the support needed for children and families to rebuild stability, connection, and hope for the future.
Our first feeding program in Kampala, 2020.
First food distribution in the local slum community in 2020 during lockdowns.
The Umoya story
After giving her life to Jesus in 2007, Lauren had a dream that she was flying over the ocean and landed in Africa where there was a small boy all alone with a protruding belly. She had been praying and asking the Lord for a long time His will and instantly knew she was called to abandoned and orphaned children in Africa.
Lauren began to serve in her church doing office administration and volunteered with African missions working in Uganda, Kenya and South Sudan for 10 years. She sponsored a woman in Uganda, did website design for other ministries and financial book keeping for African missions.
In 2016, Lauren volunteered with a local community based organisation running a feeding program with street connected children in Kisenyi. She built up her fundrasing skills and in 2017 travelled to Kenya and Uganda for the first time where she fell in love with Uganda!
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, urgent messages began coming from Uganda as families struggled to survive through long lockdowns and economic hardship. Many people were unable to work and families faced severe food shortages. With the help of local friends and supporters, Lauren organised emergency food distribution throughout the community, hiring a truck and distributing hundreds of bags of posho to families in need.
As the relationships and support continued to grow, Lauren realised the need for a long-term organisation committed to supporting vulnerable children and families in Uganda. In 2020, she began the process of establishing Umoya Ministries as a registered charity in Australia.
Today, Umoya Ministries is a registered charity in Australia and a registered NGO in Uganda. The organisation continues to work alongside street-connected children and families while moving toward the vision of establishing a child resettlement home where children can come into care and begin the journey home.