John's Story: From an Interview with Wayne Cornish, Hope and Homes for Children

My name is John (not real name).

When I was five-years-old, I went to an orphanage in the town of Masaka, Uganda.  

My parents died of AIDS and I had HIV.  

A neighbour called Christine wanted to care for me, but she struggled to pay for my medical treatment. 

Christine was told that the orphanage was my only option.  

They could provide medication, an education, food and clothing. 

Christine was told she could come and see me any time, but she was tricked. 

She was turned away at the orphanage gates. 

So I spent my childhood in the orphanage, alone.  

Volunteers from the UK would come and go.

I would share all my personal problems and secrets.  

But eventually they would go home, to their normal lives and I would never see them again

It was so confusing and made me so sad.

When tourists came we were given clean jumpers to wear and made to sing a song.

If we didn’t sing, we were not fed that day. 

Our clean jumpers were taken from us when the tourists left.

The orphanage was a business, and we were the commodities to attract donations from well-meaning foreigners.  

As I got older, the money no longer found its way to me or the other children. 

I had to pay for my food, clothes and accommodation by working.

Meanwhile, the orphanage owner bought new cars and properties. 

I was also living in daily fear of being abused. 

The orphanage owner used to call me into his office and make me do things I didn’t want to do.

He stole my childhood and many other children who had the same experience as me.

I was asked to leave the orphanage when I was 17. 

I was was no longer of value to the orphanage.

I was totally unprepared for life in the outside world.

I felt completely alone again.

I’ve seen on the internet that my orphanage now offers bed and breakfast for tourists.  

Tourists should never stay in orphanages. It can expose children to abuse. 

I also want orphanage volunteers to think very carefully.

Time, effort and donations need to go to find families for children, not orphanages. 

I should have had a happy and safe childhood with Christine  – not an abusive childhood in an orphanage.