Otem Collective is on a mission to reshape the way the world cares for vulnerable children—by placing families at the heart of the solution rather than relying on the residential care model.

In Uganda, 80% of children in orphanages or other forms of residential care have at least one living parent, and 98% have living family. Poverty, not lack of family, is the main reason for family separation. Without the resources they need, families are often forced to turn to orphanages to care for their children.

More than 80 years of research show that children thrive best within families. While governments around the world, including Uganda’s, have committed to moving toward family solutions for children, limited capacity and support mean many children remain separated from their families. Otem Collective exists to reshape this landscape by strengthening families to care for their children and by helping orphanages move towards family-based care.

Otem Collective’s work is built on an integrated family-strengthening approach that addresses the root causes of family separation. Parent Support Groups build caregiving skills, while savings groups and agriculture initiatives strengthen household stability through financial resilience and food security. Together, these approaches reinforce one another so families can remain safely together. This work is complemented by broader care reform and trauma-informed care, supporting caregivers and systems so more children can heal and grow within families.

Otem Collective

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