This July sees twenty of us pack our bags and head to land unfamiliar. We go with hope in our hearts and prayers on our lips for the work we plan to undertake serving those seeking help from the SA in Uganda. We have prayed hard and discussed the work to be done, the resources required and the target of money to aid us in this undertaking.

The Home of Joy is the first SA project that we as a team will be involved in. In the Home of Joy there are 45 children who have various disabilities.The beds in which the children sleep have no mattresses, no covers and the children sleep on the springs. In Northern Ireland, this would be completely unacceptable however the adults involved in this project are doing the best they possibly can. The rooms in which the children sleep are dark, dirty and uncomfortable. When the rains come, the children awaken cold and wet as not even the roof provides safe shelter from the elements. They fight a daily battle with mosquitoes which can cause sore skin, ill health and sometimes death.

Our team plan to address each of these daily struggles by replacing the roof in advance of our travel, painting both in and outside of the dormitories, employing local workers to help brighten the walls and making the project sustainable. The main concern for us is the lack of suitable beds/bedding. A bedroom should be a safe place, somewhere to rest and regain strength. Bunk beds with mattresses, covers and mosquito nets will provide comfort and protection for each individual child so we plan to give 23 bunk beds, 45 mattresses and 45 mosquito nets. Each bunk bed will cost approximately £45, one mattress will cost approximately £21 and one mosquito net will cost £7. Two children can have a safe and comfortable sleep for just £101.

The second project we will be involved with is Kampala Nursery. This is a project again associated with the SA but is based at the headquarters. This project is self-sufficient however the playground available to the children is unsafe at present with rocks and broken equipment currently being used. We have been asked to aid in the replacing of equipment and clean-up of the area.

Help us as a team to raise our target and to make a difference for these children in Uganda.