FAQs
Our Work
What is Redeem’s relationship with International Justice Mission (IJM)
Redeem’s intervention model is inspired by a pilot project carried out by Redeem’s CEO and Uganda Country Director while they were working for International Justice Mission (IJM). Redeem was launched as a separate organization with the enthusiastic support of IJM in 2020. IJM views Redeem as an early realization of its 2030 vision of catalyzing a global revolution of partner organizations that will rescue millions, protect half a billion, and make justice for the poor unstoppable. To that end, IJM and Redeem still work closely together in combating violence against women and children in Uganda.
What is Redeem’s relationship with local governments?
Where does Redeem work?
Currently, Redeem has launched ten Intervention Teams across Uganda – in Gulu, Wakiso, Iganga, Mbale, Lira, Arua, Soroti, Hoima, Mubende, and Tororo. However, Uganda is not the only country where widows and orphans suffer from the constant threat of land theft. In response to the overwhelming need across the developing world, in September 2024, Redeem’s board of directors approved a pilot program in Zambia, which will launch in October 2025. We will begin with a 12-month pilot program to test the feasibility of our work in country and to clear the way for a fully contextualized implementation of our intervention model.
You are a faith-based organization. What does that mean?
Redeem is a Christian ministry in that we are a diverse set of Christians who are united by our love for Jesus, governed by the authority of scripture, committed to practices of spiritual formation and inspired by God’s work of redemption in the world.
As part of Redeem’s Christian identity, we invest heavily in the spiritual formation of our staff. We do this by “tithing our time” – investing 10% of all staff time in individual practices of prayer, worship and spiritual growth. While the rhythms may differ slightly from team to team, they typically involve (a) daily periods of stillness for individual prayer, scriptural study and meditation; (b) daily times of corporate prayer to worship together and pray for each other, our clients, our partners, our donors and even our adversaries in the work; (c) quarterly team prayer retreats to celebrate what God has done and pray for the work that is before us; and (d) annual days of solitude to follow Jesus’ example of drawing away to a quiet place to spend time with our heavenly Father. We believe that these practices help us to become more and more like Jesus and to ensure that our Christian faith infects everything we do as an organization.
In delivering our programming, we seek to live out the Christian calling to “care for widows and orphans in their distress” in a real and tangible way. While we don’t have explicit spiritual metrics for our client interactions, we view our work through the lens of biblical redemption, talking openly about our faith and informing our clients and our partners that restoring the things that have been lost, broken, stolen and destroyed to widows and orphans is a direct reflection of God’s redemptive character and work in the world. In addition, in providing rehabilitative services to our clients, we partner with a number of churches and Christian ministries that focus more directly on spiritual growth, development and discipleship of those they serve.
Can I interview someone at Redeem?
Giving
Does Redeem issue tax receipts for gifts?
How can I access Redeem’s financial statements?
Land Rights
What Sustainable Development goals does Redeem address?
Please see our Impact page.
How do Land Rights impact Climate Change?
In our work, we have seen that preventing land theft has significant climate change resiliency benefits, particularly for women and girls. According to Landesa, “over 70% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population depends upon land that is threatened by climate change,” and according to Oxfam, “unequal land rights and lack of land tenure for women exacerbates their vulnerability to climate change impacts.” Indeed, Equal Measures 2030 reports that “women make up 80% of climate refugees around the world.”
By securing the land of these women and children, Redeem is ensuring that they can avoid climate change-related displacement. Secure land ownership provides them with the assets and income needed to withstand negative events/shocks and ensure long-term financial sustainability. According to Landesa, women with strong property and inheritance rights earn up to 3.8 times more income and have up to 35% greater savings. Moreover, our survivor rehabilitation program reinforces climate change resiliency for our clients, working with them and partner providers to ensure that each client’s household maintains adequate income and has access to an adequate financial safety net.
How do Land Rights address women’s health?
Redeem International contributes to improving women’s mental and physical health by protecting widows and orphans from land theft. In Uganda, land is life. A widow’s land represents her family’s primary source of food, shelter, income, security, and social standing. Unfortunately, it is also a coveted asset that attracts the attention of violent criminals who tear these women and children from their homes. Absent intervention, one in three widows will lose her land.
Research demonstrates that victims of land theft often suffer negative health consequences. One study found that within 12 months of victimization, 65% of land theft survivors reported a decline in health and 20% suffered the death of a dependent. Nearly 25% tested positive for HIV for the first time. In our 2023 baseline study, Redeem found that 73% of land theft victims reported health deterioration, missed meals, and/or weight loss as a result of the violence. Further, the experience of land theft leaves widows and their dependents traumatized, fearful, distrusting of those in their community, and in need of psychosocial care to ensure healing.
To combat land theft, Redeem deploys teams of Ugandan professionals who partner with local law enforcement to restore victims, prosecute criminals, and rehabilitate survivors. This approach not only secures land rights but also empowers women, improving their health and the well-being of their families.
For more information about sources and studies, please contact us.