Why help a child in Africa? It so happens that at some point in our life, we come across something that resonates with us so profoundly that we cannot look away. When we first saw the children in Mugoya’s care, we knew that we will go along with him and support him in each and every single endeavour – because seeing a child being lifted from the most horrible condition and helped to become a beautiful flower – this is a feeling without equal.
When we joined HOCT back in February 2019, there were only 8 kids who had sponsors. It has been a long journey, but keeping up the good work made us gain people’s trust; thus, at the end of last year we had sponsors for all our 29 kids. Adopting a child from Uganda transforms your life completely: you are not only a long-distance parent, but you also became a member of HOCT community. Our organisation developed so much within the past six months, that now we are helping 80 children! Only imagine how wide HOCT Family is, with good-hearted people from Australia, Malta, Romania, UK, USA, all brought together by the will of helping children in need.
We do a lot of things at Help One Child Thrive. We work hard to ensure that the children have clothes to wear, food to eat – and in good quantities, so that they gain weight – also that they have clean water and perhaps a toy. When they get ill, we take them to the doctor and good people pay for their treatment. We pair one good-willing adult with one child and let them become to each other what they are meant to be: parent and daughter / son.
Last week was a different kind of week for us. We have found two families in extremely difficult condition – Babirye Family and Namugaya Family. Both, single mothers with two small children. Furthermore, Babirye was very ill, with extreme deformation of the spine and difficulties breathing, whose children were the result of abuse. The children in both families had not eaten for days and were feeling weaker and weaker. We did what we knew best: good, documented action-plans, and then we presented the cases to the public.
The answer was beyond our expectations and both families received a lot of help: mattresses, bedsheets, blankets and mosquito nets (extremely important to protect against malaria), shoes, slippers, clothes, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste and, most important, bags of flour, vegetables and eggs. We also managed to cover rent for two months from donations.
The two families were absolutely stunned at the sight of the things they had received. “I have never seen so many things, ever,” Babirye said, whose house was empty, save for some dirty scraps on which the girls were sleeping. She had never lost hope, even in the most difficult moments of her life, she had always believed that one day, her future will change – and she was proven right. Not losing hope is what ultimately keeps us alive. Babirye’s two daughters are named Gift and Favour.
The Namugaya Family’s two daughters showed courage beyond words and they are only 3, respectively 4 years old. The oldest girl came to our office and fell on her knees, begging for help. Our entire team believes firmly that no child should ever be put in the situation of begging. We deployed emergency funds for them and bought them food, and later on our beautiful community offered them mattresses, blankets, bedsheets, mosquito nets, shoes, charcoal and more food. Each child even got a doll. It is not the most extraordinary doll you will see, but at least they will feel like children who can play freely, and not like children who must run about on the streets to ensure their daily living.
There is always hope, and it is well worth holding on to it. Look at this little child, hugging her new shoes (she has never even had a pair of slippers).
We often take our lifestyle for granted, while for a child like them even having clean water is luxury. They sleep on a rough mat made of banana fiber, which sits directly on the floor: no blankets, no bedsheets, no pillow. Electricity is rare and even those who afford to pay for it experience daily blackouts. Hunger is everywhere and real toys are something they can only dream of.
Take a look at the pictures below, and see the difference that our team and extended family has made in their lives. They will be well. From now on, they will only flourish. Be glad that there is still kindness and love and generosity in our wounded world.
Diana SĂSĂRMAN
Veronica ANGHELESCU
Mugoya SWALIKI
Help One Child Thrive 