ROWAN
Founded: 2008
U.S. Federal EIN: 26-3224919
We exist to bring HOPE to widows and orphans affected by HIV/AIDS in rural Uganda. We empower individuals, families, & communities in Uganda primarily through healthcare, education, entrepreneurship, & emergency response, operating in over 30 villages and serving 345 families. We ensure that your generosity reaches and transforms every widow and orphan we serve through Christ-centered programs that
1. promote self-reliance
2. encourage dignity
3. ensure healthy well-being
Here is our story:
In 2002, co-founder & program director, Kelsey Hargadine, lived with a local pastor in East Uganda named Pastor Paul. One night, under the stars Pastor Paul shared with Kelsey the burdens of his people. He said, “Kelsey, God hears the cries of my people & there is a purpose for you.” This moment was the birthing of ROWAN. A few years later, after Pastor Paul began ministering to the orphans & widows, Kelsey ventured back to visit the project. The moment she arrived into the Pastor’s home she was given a formal report with the title ROWAN on the front! Kelsey read the first sentence, “ROWAN: Rural Orphans & Widows AIDS Network was begun by Pastor Paul & Kelsey Young to bring the widows & orphans of Africa from helplessness to hope…” That’s exactly what we did & that was just the beginning.