I'd like to introduce you to the students on the Two Tone Garment Making Course. 15 single mothers who live in the Kosovo slum in Kampala. They have children and they have a drive to improve their lives. They commonly experience violence, extreme poverty and loss of incomes as their homes are flooded every time it rains. They face illness, from drinking contaminated water and their children struggle to attend school. And here they are, about to sit their examinations, to be awarded a nationally recognised qualification which will springboard them to a life of improved security, income and opportunity. Thanks to the HUGS donors who have supported their education.
I'd like to introduce you to their children. When families, who live in the slum, receive an improved income their number one priority is to invest their children's education. Most families struggle to pay for books pens and school uniform. Many children do not own a pair of shoes. Through the dedicated work of a local Ugandan NGO (CEFOVID) and working with an exceptional, caring UK organisation called Jamies legacy 100 children now receive a bursary to attend school and they love it. Thanks to the HUGS donors who have supported this initiative.
Children from the slum, miss about a month of school a year due to illness, mostly caught fro drinking filthy water. HUGS has been working with generous individuals and Rotary International to supply clean water points to the poorest households. We are progressing a project to fit 200 new public standpipes which will be used by 10,000 people, 6,500 are school aged children.
Finally I'd like to introduce you to the builders who are constructing the next HUGS school. They have completed the foundations and now are building the classroom walls. 300 of the Kosovo slum children will attend this school. It is north of Kampala in the countryside, boarded by woods, farmland and valleys. It is a place where children will have space to play, peace to learn and security to flourish. It has 8 acres of land to grow food, to feed hungry minds and growing bodies.
HUGS is able to help improve this community from every angle, only because of the generous support of our donors. If anyone would like to help any of these projects further please donate here or contact me on hugs.chair@gmail.com
Thank you
Richard Bircher. HUGS Chair