About

FAQs

What are Biojemmss’ objectives?

Biojemmss believes in children and young people; in their potential and in their right to a safe and nurturing environment. This can only be achieved when they are helped solely for their welfare, rather than for financial gain. Biojemmss strives for excellence, and always puts children first. It is guided by Christian values, aspiring to reflect Christ’s call for justice, hope and love.

Biojemmss collaborates with partner organisations, the community, local government, and families to assist at-risk children, aiming to rescue or prevent them from experiencing abuse. The organisation focuses on long-term and sustainable change, employing family and community strategies to reduce the risk of abuse and exploitation.

Together, these strategies build a protective network around children, leveraging the strengths and resources of both families and communities to achieve long-term and sustainable change.

What are our values?

Child-Centered: We put children first in everything we do.

Servant-Led: We seek collaboration and partnership with the people and organisations of Uganda, respecting their diverse cultures.

Responsible: We exercise the highest levels of integrity, professionalism, and accountability in our work.

Unashamedly Christian: We believe in the transformative and restorative love of God.

Unique: We remain true to our roots and history.

Adaptable: We embrace learning and positive change.

Future-Focused: We promote an organisation that is self-sustainable and are committed to building sustainable change for others.

What is the Biojemmss Rescue–Restore–Release model?

The Biojemmss model is a long-term, relational approach designed to help children move from crisis to safety, stability, and independence. It operates as a structured two-to-three-year case management cycle delivered by Biojemmss Uganda, a fully registered and locally led NGO.

The model has three stages:

• Rescue — Immediate crisis response, safety planning, emergency support, and protection for children facing abuse, neglect, exploitation, or acute vulnerability.
• Restore — Reintegration into school, psychosocial support, caregiver capacity-building, and strengthening family and community systems to create safe, nurturing environments.
• Release — Preparing families for long-term independence through economic empowerment, savings groups, livestock and agricultural initiatives, and sustainable community reintegration.

At any time, the Ugandan team works intensively with around 60 families across Rukungiri District, while also reaching many more children through safeguarding, education, prison-based child protection, and community programmes. In addition, Biojemmss runs annual camps that support over 600 children with teaching, discipleship, and activities that build confidence, resilience, and faith.

What are our main initiatives? 

We run a family home in Rukungiri and a transition home in Kampala, supporting children and young people as they live in safety, gain an education and prepare for adulthood. We run eleven other community-based initiatives alongside our residential care, designed to tackle the cycle of children at risk. These initiatives include:

• Emergency Hampers
• Family-strengthening programmes
• Educational Workshops for Caregivers and Parents
• Sustainable-Livelihood Programmes
• Children's Camps
• Delivery of Safeguarding Training and Support
• Retracing and rehabilitation of street children
• Prison Work with under 5s
• Fostering Initiative
• Land Loaning
• Residential Care
• Emergency Relief Response

Biojemmss purchased a 6.9-acre piece of land in Kanyinya. Our long-term goal is to relocate all our initiatives to this land, transforming it into our headquarters with offices and facilities to deliver all our programmes. Currently, we have started agricultural projects, a water project and outside toilets. We are also planning to build a community centre, with longer-term plans to construct a residential house.

What sort of children do you work with?

We work with children, and their families, where we believe they are at risk. This may include children who are:

• Abused or neglected
• Living in conflict with the law
• Heading up their households
• Abandoned or in need of alternative family care (due to parental incarceration, for example)
• Living in terrible labour conditions
• Living on the streets
• Affected by armed conflict or natural disasters
• Living in hard-to-reach areas
• Affected by disability or HIV/AIDS

Why are so many children in Uganda at risk?

Many children in Uganda face significant risks due to a combination of economic hardship, limited access to essential services, and the absence of formal social support systems. Poverty is one of the most influential factors, restricting families’ ability to provide food, education, healthcare, and safe living conditions. When basic needs cannot be met, children become more vulnerable to exploitation, including child labour, trafficking, and early marriage.

Health challenges also contribute to children losing parental care. The ongoing impact of HIV, preventable illnesses, and the high cost of medical treatment means many children are orphaned or abandoned. Without access to quality education or stable family support, these children often struggle to break free from cycles of vulnerability.

Children may also face risks within their own homes. Domestic violence, abuse, and family breakdown can leave them without protection or stability. In Uganda, where there is no formal social welfare system, children who lose family support have very few safety nets. Some end up living on the streets, while others enter institutional care that is often insufficiently monitored, exposing them to further harm.

Biojemmss was established to address these challenges directly. By providing safe, nurturing, family?based care, we offer children the stability and long?term support they need to grow, learn, and thrive. Our approach is designed not only to protect children today, but to help create lasting, generational change—supporting young people to become healthy, educated, and empowered adults who can build stronger futures for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Is Biojemmss an Elim initiative?

Biojemmss operated under an umbrella arrangement with Elim Missions, UK until 2017, when it registered as an independent charitable organisation. We remain on the approved list of organisations with Elim Missions.

Is Biojemmss a business or a charity?

Biojemmss is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation.

Where does your funding come from?

The majority of our funding comes from supporters in the UK, with additional contributions from individuals within Uganda. People can give through one?off donations or by setting up a Direct Debit for ongoing support using the donate button on our website.

We also receive income through fundraising activities, community events, and special appeals. Our annual Christmas appeal, for example, helps us respond to priority needs throughout the year. Further support comes from presentations, local fundraising initiatives, and collection boxes placed in nearby shops.

This combination of regular giving, one?off donations, and community?led fundraising helps ensure that our work remains stable, accountable, and able to meet the long?term needs of the children in our care.

If I give to Biojemmss, what will my money be spent on?

All donations directly benefit the children in our care and families in the local community. We support our two existing homes, run an annual children’s camp, and fund numerous community-based initiatives. Additionally, we are developing permanent facilities in Kanyinya to centralise our operations and enhance our impact.

In everything we do, we strive to be completely transparent, particularly in the way we handle money. We are extremely grateful to those who give to Biojemmss financially and are committed to using any funds we receive with integrity. We have a structure in place to ensure that funds cannot be misappropriated, and our board of trustees oversees our spending, so we are accountable for every penny spent. We are externally audited in both Uganda and the UK.

At Biojemmss, we pride ourselves on our good financial management and robust financial controls. We use donations efficiently, stretching every pound to make the maximum impact. Biojemmss believes in the importance of transformational action, rather than transactional, and responds in a planned way to every need to ensure we make a genuine impact on those we support.

What is unique about Biojemmss?

We asked our staff and beneficiaries what they thought of Biojemmss and here are some of their thoughts:

• A real family not an institution
• A place of second chances
• Raising leaders
• Comfort zone
• Nurturing
• Loving
• Caring
• Child empowerment
• Focused on the child

Biojemmss stands out in several ways:

1. Long-Term Support: We support residential Biojemmss members through university and beyond, which sets us apart from many other children’s charities operating in Uganda. This commitment to long-term development ensures that children not only receive immediate care but also have the opportunity to build a sustainable future.
2. Family Feel: We pride ourselves on the ‘family feel’ we offer, with many of our graduates going on to work for or volunteer with Biojemmss. This sense of community and belonging is a cornerstone of our approach, fostering a supportive environment where children can thrive.
3. Holistic Care: We provide holistic care to those who are under our residential provision. This means addressing not just the physical needs of the children, but also their emotional, educational, and spiritual well-being, ensuring a comprehensive approach to their development.
4. Innovative Development Plans: Our development plans are designed to meet a critical need within the current provision for children at risk, especially in the areas of short-term crisis care for children with the view to them returning home. This proactive approach allows us to address emerging challenges and adapt to the evolving needs of the children we serve1.
5. Empowerment and Leadership: Biojemmss is dedicated to raising leaders. By empowering children and providing them with the tools and opportunities to succeed, we help them become confident, capable individuals who can contribute positively to their communities.
6. Community Integration: Our initiatives are deeply integrated into the local communities, ensuring that our efforts are culturally sensitive and sustainable. This local leadership and involvement are crucial for creating lasting change.