Not affected by new anti-gay law

Uganda's parliament has passed a law banning homosexuality. The law is condemned by the Norwegian authorities, and cuts in development assistance are considered. The Adina Foundation has decided to continue the work as before.

The Adina Foundation's board in Norway has discussed the situation, and concluded that our efforts in Uganda will continue at the Lira Rehabilitation Center and out in the villages in the family groups. We base all our activities on equality enshrined in an ethical framework and a strategy document prepared in consultation with our employees in Lira and the local board. Our staff has committed to abide by the regulations when they are in our service, but we can not prohibit them from commenting privately on gay law and other relevant matters in Uganda.


RELIGIOUS PEOPLE. Long before this year's debate, the Adina Foundation has experienced that Ugandans take their religious beliefs seriously, and it goes without saying that their faith and practice of the faith must be respected. This has never been a problem for our business in the country.


GOOD CAPACITY. Foreign Minister Børge Brende has signaled that it may be relevant to channel more of aid to Uganda through non-governmental organizations. The Adina Foundation's board believes that we have the capacity to take care of more children, and manage any increased development assistance funds in a cost-effective way. The operation of the Lira center has been streamlined, and the collaboration with the CORSU clinic in Kampala is going very well. We are also gaining positive experience with the decentralized business in Orug, according to our medical staff.
MORE PEOPLE WANT TO JOIN. At the same time, we are experiencing that more and more villages and their leaders want us to get involved. We must interpret this as a sign that our locally based program works and that the efforts of Adina's employees in the field are noticed.
SECURITY. We are occasionally asked about the situation in northern Uganda since it is not many hours' drive to the border with the troubled South Sudan. The guideline for our people is to ensure safety as far as possible in the Lira region, and on the journeys we make with children, parents and physiotherapists between Lira and Kampala.