Glorifying God, Wherever We Are Called

Through the help and generosity of our partners, Okoa Refuge’s Christian ministry in East Africa has expanded across Uganda and neighboring nations, including Rwanda, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Sudan, Chad, Zanzibar, and the Central African Republic. In each country, this Christ-centered work focuses on caring for vulnerable children, strengthening families, and supporting local churches. Our locations include a residential child rescue center, a full-service hospital, gender-based violence shelters, community empowerment centers, churches, and Bible schools.

As a Christian ministry in Uganda and across East Africa, we intentionally plant and build where there is the most need and the greatest potential for life-changing, Gospel-driven impact. We also have 8 missionaries serving in undisclosed locations and 2 Tebow Okoa Philippi campuses in Masaka and Lwengo that provide safe housing, discipleship, and vocational training for survivors of exploitation as part of our broader East Africa missions work.

  • All
  • Community Empowerment Centers (8)
  • Churches (234)
  • Bible Schools (0)
  • Child Rescue Center (1)
  • House of Joy Hospital (1)

THIS IS WHAT WE DO

If you think Okoa does a lot, you are right. What began as a dream to care for a few vulnerable children became fuel to help bring transformation and stabilization to entire communities in partnership with the local Church. In all things, Okoa encourages indigenous autonomy. That’s simply a fancy way of saying that we recognize we don’t know everything or have all the answers. So we prioritize humility in meeting people where they are, to solve problems that they identify, with solutions they suggest. This approach keeps our Christian ministry in East Africa rooted in local wisdom, led by local leaders, and focused on sustainable, community-owned change that glorifies God.