Uganda is battleing a deadly third wave of Covid and another strict lockdown.
The poorest and most vulnerable women and girls are once again left without income, food, education and without the support systems that protect them from violence and exploitation.
We urgently need your help to supply food packages and support children, especially girls, to stay safe.
Can you make a donation to protect girls like Joy?
Today I need tell you about the shocking situation unfolding for girls in our community.
Lockdown has pushed families here further into extreme poverty and hunger. Parents and guardians have lost income and are unable to feed their families. Restrictions on movement have limited access to healthcare. This has caused caregivers to become sick and left children to fend for themselves.
This has forced many children into dangerous work to support their families.
Uncertainty and long periods confined to small homes has led to an increasingly stressful environment.
Every day we get more reports of girls in danger, but we cant reach them without your help.
We have been dealing with a sharp increase in children being abandoned, child abuse, poor mental health and homelessness. Cases of gender based violence have increased by more than 150%.
Our team went to find Joy when we received reports of a young girl in a dangerous situation.
Joy had lost both her parents to HIV when she was 10 year. With no other relatives around, she was taken in by a neighbour. The neighbour herself fell ill during lockdown and couldnt work. She told Joy to sell alcohol (local brew) from their home. When Joy asked not to, she was violently beaten.
Joy worked alone all day and into the night which put her at huge risk. She was repeatedly raped and abused by the men that came to buy the brew.
With nowhere else to go Joy feared that she would be beaten again or end up on the street if she spoke up.
Thankfully, our team were able to rescue Joy. We have found her safe new home and are providing the counselling and support she needs.
We must not allow these crimes to continue to multiply.
Your donation will help us expand our vital community safeguarding, education and skill training work.
We can't do it alone - can you join us?
My team are working around the clock to help girls like Joy, but we cant do it alone.
We realise that this continues to be a challenging time for everyone, wherever you live. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for any support you can give us.
My love and thanks on behalf of all women and girls here in Bwaise.
Florence
How your gift will help save girls like Joy:
£250 could cover the cost of school fees for a girls like Joy, ensuring her chance of an education is not lost forever.
£35 could cover the cost of a food package for a family for one month, making sure children don't hungry.
£50 could help us provide a room for women and girls in need of emergency shelter.
£95 could provide training for girls so they can earn a living without putting themselves at risk.
*Joy's name has been changed to protect her.
* Charities pay a small fee for our service. Find out how much it is and what we do for it.
