IRENE GLEESON FOUNDATION

In 1991 Irene Gleeson, an Australian grandmother from the northern beaches of Sydney, heard about children being abducted by Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Northern Uganda. Irene sold everything she owned including her beachside home, towed her modest caravan to Uganda & used the proceeds of the sale to begin a full day care school in Kitgum, Uganda. A schoolteacher by trade, Irene began teaching 50 children to write their names in the dust under a tree & to sing songs. Irene lived through 15 years of war, attacks, poverty & refugee camp life & spent a third of her life with the people of Northern Uganda. IGF has now grown into 4 pre-primary and primary schools that educate, feed & provide medical care for over 4,000 children daily. A health program consisting of school clinics and village & community health initiatives. In addition, IGF manages 91.5 Mighty Fire FM, a community radio station. IGF also undertakes water, sanitation & hygiene (WASH) programs through the maintenance & refurbishment of boreholes in the schools & local communities, the installation of rainwater harvesting tanks, the construction of drainable latrines, hygiene education & promoting the use of sanitary facilities. In 2009 Irene received the honour of Officer of the Order of Australia for “service to international relations, particularly through sustained aid for children affected by war & HIV/AIDS in Northern Uganda” Sadly, Irene passed away 21 July 2013 after a long battle with cancer. She left behind an incredible legacy which continues under the leadership of Executive Director John Paul Kiffasi, and 240 employees who are continuing Irene’s dream of bringing lasting change to the people of Northern Uganda.