I was delighted to find some chickens at their poor home.

When I arrived at their home, everyone was away except the two chickens that you will see when you look closely. I had to look for them around the place. 

Dear friends, 

Let me tell you something. Some of you know, but others don't. 

Some families in our communities are so poor that all they have is life. They are so poor to the extent that they have no hope. The reason or plan for the next day. It is day by day for them.  

At the beginning of August this year 2021, I visited Kakumiro District to see one of the boys that we support. For this post, let me call him Baguma (not his real name). I like the name Baguma. It men's 'real men are courageous or strong'. We support Baguma under a program called Road to Hope at the organisation I head called PCAU. How would Baguma live without courage? How could stay alive if he was not strong?

Baguma is in Primary Four at a nearby school to his home. Of course, this is low for his age. He is fifteen years old. Normally,  a child should have finished Primary school at that age in Uganda. Unlike other children, Baguma started school when he was ten years old. He had other things to do first. I will tell you about that shortly. But Buguma is hopeful. He is so confident that when schools open, he will move on with school. In Uganda, schools have been closed for over a year due to Covid-19. Information around shows that schools will remain closed until January 2022. Some parents are teaching their children at home. 

Baguma is a 'total' orphan. His father died when he was seven years old. At that age, he was the one staying with his Dad in a two-roomed house. His Dad suffered cancer that put him down for many years. All that Baguma remembers about his Dad is that he suffered and cried all night. He was always in pain. He died when Baguma was seeing him. This memory disturbs the boy sometimes. He thinks about it whenever he sees children walk around with their parents. He thinks about it whenever he lacks food to eat at home and whenever it rains heavily at night. A downpour at night means that Baguma and his family will stay in the cold. Their makeshift house has a bad roof. It leaks almost everywhere. 

Baguma has no recollection of who his mother is. It is a long painful story that I could share another day.

Baguma stays with his maternal aunt. She is an elderly woman. She could be seventy or thereabout. The woman drinks alcohol a lot. Let me say this. She is a drunkard. Is it rude to say that of an older person? I am sorry.

But this grandmother has a big heart. She is housing Baguma and two other children.  The other children were abandoned by their mother who has mental health challenges and moves around small towns. The woman name is Mugwiraro (that's what Baguma referees her as...Mugwiraro means a mad person). Once in a while, Mugwiraro comes home and threatens to kill everyone at home. Baguma thinks she is dangerous. So he keeps guard.  One day the woman came and 'stole' the youngest child of three years. She took her by force and left her at the top of some hill. Baguma fetched his sister back home after a full day. He was so excited he found her. She had cried her head dry. 

Guys at home. 

During my recent visit, Baguma told me that he is getting 'a a little' stressed. His aunt drinking habits have worsened. Every evening, Baguma moves around looking for her along the paths. It is his duty to carry her home. He feels back pain. She is too heavy.  He also told me, that girls in the village tease him and mock him always. He hates it. But his aunt (by the way he calls her maama which means my mother) doesn't care. The boy does odd jobs to fend for food. But Maama will do everything possible to get money for alcohol. She recently sold a small piece of her land to a bar owner. She drinks on credit. The family is not left with the piece of land that has their 'house'. 

This family is poor. They lack almost everything.  If we didn't support them, I am not sure how Baguma would cope. During my last visit, I was glad they got two chickens in their compound. Baguma is hard working. He saved to buy them. So the family could have something. 

I have engaged in this kind of work since 2009. Right away from the University. I worked on a project on Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children (OVC). This was the EMPOWER OVC Project. I was a social worker and letter a District Supervisor on the project. My, I and my colleagues on the project did so much and learned a lot. You can read about that here. 

That was then. This particular program of Road to Hope is unique. The program focuses specifically on children who are heading families while caring for sick parents is unique. It is work that is real. 

I will not write much more. It's already soo long! I don't think some people will read it all. 

I need your help to keep this work going.  I need you to partner with us. I request your donation.  Also, share this with your contacts.  

I promise you, I will return with a positive story. 

One of the boys we supported in another project is part of the Presidential  PR team in one of the East African Countries. Imagine that? A guy like Baguma coming through! God is alive! 

On this very project, one of the boys is doing his final year at medical school. I bet he will be a kind doctor.  He knows what it means.  

Please use this link and do all you can to support. 

I am counting on you. Thank you so much.