I Cannot Hide My Joy At The Gift You Have Given Me

Zion’s father, Michael, died in 2016 of HIV/AIDS. Following his death, Zion’s mother had a nervous breakdown. She went to her parents’ home to recover and has never returned. Zion lives with her aunt, Alice, on paternal clan land. Alice herself and her brother, Julius, are young adults who dropped out of school after being orphaned in 2009. Both siblings are unmarried and together they care for their young niece. The trio lives in a 2-roomed thatched house on one acre of clan land.

Essentially a child-led family, Zion’s family unit just about survives; Alice works digging land and Julius drives a boda boda (motorbike taxi). They work hard to ensure that everyone has one meal a day; leftovers are kept for breakfast when possible. They also send Zion to school whenever they can.

“I cannot hide my joy and excitement for the gift of sponsorship that entered into my family. This has been most kind of you.

“I have been surviving by digging on other people’s land for money where I managed to save and buy 1 piglet which I intend to sell when it is big and get more money. Thank you too for the offer of the borehole which is to be drilled very soon. Thank you.”

“How are you my sponsors? How is England? For me in Uganda I’m happy for you all.

“Thank you for allowing me to stay in school.

“I have been struggling but you are good and kind to me.

“Thank you so very much.”

By sponsoring a child, you won't just enable a child to get an education, you will support an entire family for a fixed period of three years. Throughout that period, your sponsored child will be safely learning in school; by the end of the your sponsorship, their caregiver will have learnt good farming and marketing practices which will enable them  to continue to support their families independently in the future. 

Post sponsorship, your family will continue to be supported by a local community extension worker - a graduate of Kira Farm Development Centre. In this way, our programmes work cohesively to offer long-term support to entire communities.