How We Give Back
River Bend Consulting is a company dedicated to the development and execution of construction projects, but our heart is in the outreach and charitable opportunities created by that hard work. We strive to be a company committed to our clients and dedicated to the world we live in. Making impactful change in some of the hardest to reach places is our "why", and when you work with River Bend you are part of our "how." Take a look below at some of the past and present charitable work that RBC is involved in.
Uganda 2022
Journey International, Ryan's Well Foundation, Restoration Gateway, Otino Waa Children's Village, Days for Girls
Deep Well Drilling - Aromo Sub-County, Uganda
River Bend Consulting's President Shannon Forrester and a group of RBC clients will be headed to Uganda in May of 2022. In a coordinated effort involving Journey International and Ryan's Well Foundation, RBC will be working to facilitate the construction, operation, and training to provide a new deep well in the Aromo Sub-County of Lira, Uganda. The site for the well is at the heart of Journey International's new "Journey Center" that specializes in caring for children with Nodding Head Syndrome, a form of pediatric epilepsy. Journey International is an in country service organization run by Russ and Rhonda Rhoden, originally from Prineville, Oregon. They work with communities on the fringes of society to provide access to medical care, food, clothing, and clean water. Click the button below to learn more about the work Journey International is doing.​
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Access to fresh water is life saving, but training in the sanitary use of and maintenance of a well is often overlooked. In concert with the infrastructure support provided by RBC and Journey International at the new well location in Aromo, Ryan's Well Foundation has graciously offered their WASH training program and community organization work to empower the community and promote self-sufficiency. Check out the Link below to learn more about Ryan's Well Foundation and the important work they're doing in Uganda.
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Caring for Orphans - Lira & Karuma, Uganda
The second phase of the 2022 Outreach trip to Uganda involves the financial support and physical construction of a new orphan home at Restoration Gateway. Located on a 700 acre plot of land overlooking the Nile River in Northern Uganda, Restoration Gateway provides homes, education, and access to health-care for orphans in Uganda. In the United States orphans make up 6% of children under 18 years old, in Uganda that number climbs 20%. The construction of a new home allows an organization like Restoration Gateway to provide a house to children who have known nothing but hardship. Currently Restoration Gateway cares for 220 orphaned children and babies, widows are employed by Restoration Gateway to serve as House Parents creating a family unit for each of the orphan homes. With access to health care, vocational training, and professional development Restoration Gateway is working to not only support the immediate needs of these children but also empower them with the tools to build a future they would never had access to before.
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Shannon and her team will work to erect a new Orphan Home in 3 days start to finish. Restoration Gateway currently has 20 similar homes, and hopes to increase that number to 30 homes to serve 300+ orphans in the very near future. The in-country team has already completed the sewer and foundation work for the new home as well as hand-making all of the bricks that will make up the home itself. Shannon and her sons are also collecting soccer gear, Beanie Babies, sowing kits, basketballs, volleyballs, tooth brushes, tooth paste, and misc. medical supplies that they will split and deliver to both Restoration Gateway and Otino Waa Children's Village. The joy these small gifts and basic supplies brings to the orphans their widow mothers helps carve out a measure of normalcy and child-like enthusiasm not common in these hard hit areas of Uganda. See below for more about how Restoration Gateway to taking in and caring for Uganda's orphans.
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Otino Waa Children's Village is a home for rescued orphan children in Uganda run by PATH International. They have a similar mission to Restoration Gateway; provide access to fundamental needs for children who have nothing. There are over 2.5 million orphans in Uganda, and facilities like Otino Waa Children's Village are actively saving lives while also empowering these children to build their own future. Change like this comes in many forms, but it only comes from one place, love. Check out the link below to see the work PATH Interantional is doing in Uganda.
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Days for Girls - Safe & Sustainable Products to Help Women & Girls Manage Their Periods.
As a part of Shannon's trip she will be transporting and delivering Period Underwear Kits to remote parts of Uganda. Days for Girls is working to shatter the stigma of menstruation through education and provide sanitary and sustainable products to prioritize the health and safety of women and girls. By combining innovative menstrual health solutions and education with Social Entrepreneurs and volunteers, Days for Girls advances locally driven policy and advocacy to create long-lasting impact. To learn more about the mission of Days for Girls check out the link below.