We’ve changed our name from Otino Waa Children’s Village to PATH International.  Here’s why:

In recent years, we have come to primarily be referred to as Otino Waa Children’s Village. “Otino Waa” literally means “Our Children” in the local Ugandan language of Luo. Since the beginning, our organization has operated as PATH Ministries International, with Otino Waa Children’s Village being the physical location where we work.

But in the past 4 years, God has opened the doors for our ministry to grow beyond the gates of Otino Waa. We’ve begun our Community Based Care program, which supports children while allowing them to remain in their home villages; our Elevate program sends graduates throughout the country for higher education, and our community development work reaches deep into the rural bush. And this year, we’ve made another leap – to Ethiopia!

We needed a name that could encompass all of this growth, both inside and outside the gates of Otino Waa. We also needed a name in the common language of English, which is spoken in both Uganda and Ethiopia. Never fear, Otino Waa is still Otino Waa, that beautiful place of hope and restoration in northern Uganda, and it is at the center of all we do as a ministry.

We love the name PATH International because it represents all the growth – and growth means we are reaching more desperate, orphaned children with the love of Jesus and care that they need.

If you’ve known us for a long time, you’ll remember we’ve always been officially named PATH Ministries International. We have intentionally taken the word ‘ministries’ out of our name, but we want to assure you it is not because we desire to separate ourselves from our faith. Not at all.

We’ve intentionally removed the word ‘ministries’ because in an African context, the meaning and use of the word is more similar to ‘department.’ It does not hold the faith and religious meaning that we in America associate it with. And it has caused some confusion within our African context.

We want to convey that our firm faith and reliance on Jesus Christ is as strong as ever. We’ve carefully crafted our new vision and mission statements to ensure that anyone who knows us, knows we are Christ followers:

We are on a mission to end the global orphan crisis.

As a Jesus-centered organization, we aim to rescue and bring restoration to orphaned children living in the harshest places. We accomplish this by partnering with families, community leaders, and churches to eliminate extreme poverty by: Addressing vulnerabilities, providing education, and creating opportunities to empower those who have been forgotten.

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