Western Reader
HBO’s new three-part series, “Savior Complex,” delves into the controversial life of Renee Bach, an American missionary who has been accused of causing the deaths of over 100 Ugandan children.
The series unravels the harrowing tale of this Virginia native who, driven by her faith, established a ‘malnutrition rehab center’ in Uganda in 2009.
Bach, who was once hailed as a savior, soon found herself embroiled in controversy. Her organization, Serving His Children, was accused of providing unlicensed and potentially lethal medical care to babies and children.
Witnesses claimed that Bach, often seen in a clinical coat with a stethoscope around her neck, performed medical procedures without direct supervision from a medical professional. This led to her being branded as the “Angel of Death.”
If the documentary #SaviorComplex was created to make us empathize with or understand Renee Bach’s actions, they failed. She needs to be brought to justice. Lock her up.
— Rev. Mrs. Mommy (@revlaurelj) September 27, 2023
The case sparked outrage both in Uganda and the US, with critics arguing that the children had fallen victim to Bach’s ‘white savior complex.’ Despite the backlash, Bach maintained her innocence, stating that she felt like she had taken the hit for every single white person who’s ever stepped foot in Uganda.
Bach’s journey began when she first traveled to Jinja, Uganda, for a 10-month trip as a teenager in 2007. She felt ‘called by God’ to do more and returned to the country in 2009 to establish a malnutrition rehab center.
Funded by her church in Bedford, Virginia, the Serving His Children clinic aimed to combat malnutrition in impoverished regions by providing free meals and community engagement programs.
However, Bach’s blog posts, which documented the charity’s work, indicated that she was doing more than just providing meals. She wrote about performing medical procedures on babies, despite having no medical training.
This evidence was later used against her in court.
Renee Bach is a narcissist who killed hundreds of children. She played doctor with children’s lives. If they wanted to help they should’ve donated that money to the hospitals, or work extensively with doctors. #SaviorComplex
— Mel (@TheTinyGojira) September 28, 2023
The controversy surrounding Bach escalated when four more families took legal action against her, seeking compensation and an apology. They also demanded that criminal charges be brought against her.
Amidst the growing clamor against ‘white saviors’ and questions about the ethics of foreign aid work, Bach returned to America and reportedly has no plans to return to Uganda.
In 2019, a civil case was filed against Bach at the High Court in Jinja. Two mothers, whose children died after receiving treatment at the Serving His Children center, sued Bach.
The following year, without accepting liability, Bach and the organization agreed to pay each mother 35,000,000 Ugandan Shillings (about $9,000).
“Savior Complex” presents a chilling account of Bach’s actions in Uganda, raising serious questions about the ethics of foreign aid work. As the series unfolds, viewers are left to grapple with the complex narrative of a woman who started as a missionary, but ended up being accused of causing the deaths of over 100 children.
This article appeared in Our Patriot and has been published here with permission.
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