About the Bishop Masereka Christian Foundation

The Bishop Masereka Christian Foundation (BMCF) was started in 2001 in Kasese, western Uganda by a group of committed Christians and members of the local community as a response to the scourge of HIV/AIDS that was devastating many families, and still continues to wreck havoc on people’s lives and the economy of the community.

As of 2003/2004 the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Kasese district was 15.2%. This high rate of HIV prevalence accounts for the presence of thousands of orphaned children and many widows/widowers in the district. This unfortunate situation of HIV/AIDS was largely worsened in 1996-2000 due to the rebel conflict in the area that caused displacements of large sections of the population in certain parts of the district.

Thank God for the defeat of the rebel forces by the Government, but the negative impact of the conflict on the families, the young people, children, the culture, and the economy has continued to show up in many ways. According to the 2002 national census Kasese district has a population of over 530,000 people. BMCF commits it’s self to cause a positive change in the current rapid spread of HIV/AIDS in the community and to promote life in the district.

Vision:
The Vision of the BMCF-US is to assist patients and orphans affected by HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other diseases (in Uganda ) through support of the BMCF- Uganda.

Mission:
The Mission of the BMCF-US is to encourage prayer, publicize the needs, raise funds, and assist in setting strategic priority to support the mission (and sustainability) of the BMCF-Uganda. Medical and educational needs are addressed to improve the well-being of patients and orphans affected by critical diseases in Uganda ).

Specific Objectives:  
*To provide education to the churches, communities, schools and families about the dangers of HIV/AIDS
*To accelerate the fight against HIV/AIDS by fighting stigma, shame, denial, discrimination, in-action and misinformation
*To encourage people to go for voluntary counseling and testing for HIV
*To encourage patients to live positive and productive lives  
*To provide care and counseling to the HIV/AIDS infected and affected persons
*To assist HIV/AIDS patients to obtain medication for opportunistic infections, and encourage them to seek further and more appropriate treatment 
*To assist orphaned children with school fees and provide counseling to the ones who are traumatized by the loss of their dear ones
*Mobilization of resources for the Foundation's ministry.