Greetings from Uganda
I have just returned from a trip to Uganda to spend time with our incredible team there and see first-hand the work that they are doing. I also had the opportunity to witness the practical and positive outcomes their dedication to youth on the streets is having.
One of our recent success stories is the transformation of children who were in our tailoring programme and all they have achieved. While I was there our social workers visited one young man who, once on the streets, had been resettled home and enrolled into our vocational training programme for tailoring. Having successfully completed the course, our team found the boy was inundated with orders! His new clothes were proving so popular that he was struggling to keep up with demand. Thanks to the skills he learnt he has a thriving business and a career for life.
Similarly, we had the opportunity to visit another of our tailoring graduates and found that her whole village had thrown a party to celebrate her achievements. So many children who were once on the streets can be looked down upon by community members so, to see this hugely positive impact as a result of her returning with a trade, was humbling.
These transformative changes, as a result of vocational education, really inspire me and I hope they do the same for you. None of this is possible without your support and our dedicated team on the ground.
On my trip, I also had the opportunity to spend a significant amount of time with our Drug Rehabilitation team. Our research last year showed that 80% of young people living on the streets full-time are regularly using mafuta (aeroplane fuel). They are typically harder to encourage to leave the streets due to the drugs impacting their physical and mental well-being, as well as the desire to continue to access the inhalant.
We know that, in order to better support these addicted young people, we need to expand our offering so that we can help more of them leave the streets and live happy, healthy lives. That is why for this year’s Big Give Christmas Challenge, we will be fundraising to support this specialist service.
We are aiming to raise £20,000 between 3rd December – 10th December. Please can I encourage you to save these dates in your diary as we will need as many people as possible to get behind this cause. This is a great time to give as your donations will be DOUBLED, meaning we can help twice the number of young people.
#30daysofSALVE
We are launching an online campaign called #30daysofSALVE to help showcase our work. We understand that for many people – perhaps who have never been to Uganda or experienced homelessness – it can be difficult to truly appreciate what life is like for street connected youth in Jinja.
We also appreciate that, even for our most loyal supporters, as S.A.L.V.E. has changed over the years we have added different services, teams, departments and even buildings to help accommodate the needs of the young people on the streets.
We are lucky to have been gifted hundreds of photos from non-profit organisation, Taking Pictures Changing Lives, documenting our work.
Throughout October and November 2024 we will be running a #30daysofSALVE campaign across all of our social channels to showcase these images.
Find them on our socials between 27th October – 26th November.
Latest S.A.L.V.E. news
💃 We are co-hosting a fundraising ceili on Friday 18th October in Manchester. No previous dancing experience is required and everyone is welcome. Buy your tickets online via our website.
⚖️ Children at our residential rehabilitation site have enjoyed learning with the Legal Aid Project of Uganda Law Society, Jinja this month. They have been teaching the children about children’s rights and who to report to in case their rights are being violated.
🏏Young people at our Drop in Centre have enjoyed a cricket coaching session organised by Cricket Without Boundaries and East Enders Sport. This is the first of a programme of regular cricket sessions designed to give street connected boys and girls access to sport that they wouldn’t otherwise have.
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