Supporting vulnerable children in Uganda's slums

Watch our special thank you video, especially for you.

Thank you so much for all of your kind support for Kids Club Kampala over the past year.

What a year 2020 has been, one I am sure many of us will never forget. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit we had to quickly adjust our operations here in the UK, with all staff suddenly navigating working from home and many planned fundraising events cancelled. More importantly, we also had to work out how to respond to the devastation caused by a strict lockdown in Uganda. The majority of people we support suddenly lost their incomes overnight and were at risk of starvation.

Yet despite the global pandemic and all the challenges this has brought, we have been able to have a huge impact and change the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. We converted our community classrooms into foodbanks at the end of March, and over the last 9 months we have, with your support, been able to distribute over 1.5 million food parcels to over 32,000 families in need – that is over 15 million meals provided to over 165,000 people! This vital food support has been such a lifeline, and I am so proud that we have been able to help so many people throughout this challenging time. 

Alongside this, we have also installed 15 hand washing stations, built 1 new toilet block and have distributed masks and PPE throughout communities to help fight the spread of COVID-19. Alongside this, we have provided 450 girls with vital sanitary items, and supported 311 children with home learning whilst schools have been closed.

Our Ewafe project has rescued 35 more children from abuse and abandonment this year, and despite the restrictions on travel in Uganda, we have still been able to reintegrate 10 children back with loving families. Furthermore, 62 women have successfully graduated from our tailoring training course, with another 5 young people also graduating from our carpentry training course – including our first female carpentry student! 

We could not have done this without your support. Thank you so much for being a part of it. 

Sadly, COVID-19 means that poverty levels in Uganda have been set back five years, and a further 3 and a half million people have fallen into abject poverty.

As a direct result of this, we have seen a huge increase in domestic abuse, family breakdown, homelessness and children being abandoned. To respond to this awful situation, for 2021 we are focusing on our ‘Road to Recovery’ to rebuild these communities and protect the most vulnerable to ensure that they not only survive, but thrive.

To do this, we are focusing on 4 key areas: feeding - continuing to run our food banks to supply emergency food for families in crisis until they are no longer needed; protecting - increasing our safeguarding work to keep children safe from harm, and increasing the capacity at our Ewafe project; educating - because we know that education is the best route out of poverty for the thousands of children we support; and skilling - giving lifelong skills and a way to provide a sustainable income for families.

Your support this year has literally saved lives and I cannot thank you enough.

We hope that you will continue to partner with us for the coming year, as we work together to help vulnerable children survive and thrive and communities recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic. 

On behalf of everyone at Kids Club Kampala, I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for the coming year.

God bless you,

Olivia

P.s. see our Road to Recovery plan here, and our most recent impact stories here. 

Our Impact During COVID-19