Many charities operate without accountability, and DBL has been identified as failing to meet essential standards. Its shortcomings are evident in three key areas:
- Prevention
DBL lacks a clear formula to prevent unborn children from facing the impacts of the climate crisis. Without integrating birth entitlements, its approach has led to increased mortality in vulnerable communities. This failure is exemplified by the tragic death of Mbabazi Judith, whose parents lacked the means to prevent her from dying of malaria—highlighting the consequences of symptom-focused, rather than root-cause-driven, charity.
- Protection
DBL’s approach to protecting communities from the climate crisis is top-down, rather than empowering families from the ground up. Many nonprofits repeat this mistake by neglecting decentralized family planning reforms, leaving the most affected populations without real solutions.
- Promotion
Because DBL fails in both prevention and protection, its promotion efforts are ineffective. Instead of advancing universal well-being, it focuses on providing basic needs like food, shelter, and education—without addressing birth equity, wealth redistribution, or reparations. DBL’s model does not meet UN or Fair Start standards, nor does it support true family planning reform.
The Cost of Inaction: Mbabazi Judith’s Story
Mbabazi Judith, a three-year-old from Rutoma village, Uganda, died from malaria and anemia because her family was too poor to afford timely treatment. Her mother, Kansiime Rovina, borrowed money and walked miles to seek care, but Judith passed away before reaching the hospital.
“Judith died because I was poor and did not have money.” – Kansiime Rovina
This tragedy is not an isolated case—it is the result of charitable models that fail to address systemic poverty and health inequalities.
A Call for Reform
The Women Care Group model, used by the Rejoice Africa Foundation, is based on the 3P standard: Prevention, Protection, and Promotion. We urge DBL and similar organizations to adopt these principles and ensure their charity work addresses root causes rather than temporary relief. Without systemic change, preventable deaths like Judith’s will continue.
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