1. How much of each dollar goes to programs?

Hope’s Cry operates with a 2026 annual budget of $529,000.

Approximately $405,000 goes directly toward prevention programs, survivor support, and the field staff who run those programs.

Leadership and operational roles ensure financial accountability, program oversight, and long-term sustainability. Those roles represent part of the remaining budget.

At the moment, a significant portion of that leadership capacity is actually being donated by our team.

In total, more than $150,000 of staff labor is currently donated so the mission can continue to grow responsibly.

Because of that generosity, the actual administrative payroll funded through donations is about 15% of the budget, while the majority of resources support program delivery.

The long-term goal is not to rely on donated salaries, but to build a sustainable organization capable of expanding the work responsibly.

2. Do staff raise their own support?

No.

Staff members are compensated through the organization’s operating budget rather than being responsible for raising their own personal support.

However, several members of the leadership team are currently donating a portion of their salaries so that more resources can go directly toward the programs themselves.

This generosity allows the organization to invest more heavily in the programs during this season of growth.

3. Why does Hope’s Cry focus on Uganda rather than Kansas City?

We love our local anti-trafficking organizations here in Kansas City. They are doing amazing work and deserve to be supported.

Our heart is for those who have no other options. In Uganda, extreme poverty, lack of opportunity, and limited community support systems create vulnerability without viable solutions.

Additionally, because the cost of living is lower, we are able to attract high-level local staff to run our programs at competitive salaries, at a fraction of the cost of running a US-based shelter.

This allows us to validate programs quickly and maximize impact to help the greatest number of the most vulnerable people.

4. What makes Hope’s Cry’s approach different from other anti-trafficking organizations?

Many anti-trafficking organizations focus primarily on trauma care.

Hope’s Cry focuses on a holistic approach to ending trafficking.

While trauma care is a critical part of our work, we don’t stop there. Our groundbreaking leadership development, economic empowerment, and prevention education programs work together to accomplish our mission; to empower communities to create environments where trafficking is not allowed to exist.

The programs work upstream by addressing the factors that make trafficking possible in the first place. These include economic vulnerability, lack of education, and absence of strong community support.

By strengthening families and equipping young people with opportunity, the organization helps remove the leverage traffickers often use to recruit victims.

5. How do you know the programs are actually preventing trafficking?

Prevention is measured by tracking changes in vulnerability.

Programs monitor factors such as:

• participation in mentorship and education initiatives
• economic stability of families involved in programs
• school engagement and youth opportunity
• involvement of community leaders in prevention efforts

When communities gain stability and opportunity, trafficking recruitment drops significantly. This pattern has been documented across many global prevention initiatives.

In our local area, we see prevention as the elimination of risk factors. For example, dropping out of school is known to significantly increase vulnerability for trafficking. Our initiatives have decreased dropouts and increased school attendance, leading to a predictable decline in trafficking rates in the districts where our programs are active.

The goal is to reduce the conditions that traffickers rely on before exploitation occurs.

6. How does Hope’s Cry avoid creating dependency?

The programs are designed to strengthen local leadership rather than replace it.

Community leaders and local partners help shape and implement the programs. The goal is to equip communities with the tools and support structures they need to protect their own people.

All of our local staff is native Ugandan and many speak the local language of Karamoja. We partner with government leaders, schools, and village chiefs to ensure the work outlasts us. 

This approach focuses on long-term resilience and opportunity rather than ongoing aid dependency.

7. How are Ugandan leaders involved in the programs?

Local leadership is central to the model.

Hope’s Cry works alongside trusted community leaders and partner organizations within Uganda who provide cultural insight and local accountability.

Programs are developed collaboratively so they reflect the real needs and realities of the communities involved.

This ensures that solutions are sustainable and locally owned.

8. Are survivors involved in shaping the programs?

Yes.

Survivors and vulnerable youth provide critical insight into how trafficking networks operate and what kinds of support are most effective. Most notably, we track progress through interactive reporting tools like Freedom Lifemap. These tools give us real-time insight into what is working and what each participant needs to be successful in our programs.

Their experiences and feedback help shape program design so the organization is responding to real needs rather than assumptions.

Listening to those directly affected by exploitation helps ensure the work remains practical and relevant.