You might remember Grace from previous messages. We talk about her a lot because she is a driving force for change in the slums of Bwaise.

Despite striving to bring up her children on her own, she has also given a home to five orphaned children. Children who were abandoned, traumatised and needed the love and security of a stable family home.

She is also a community volunteer, giving all her time and energy to help others. She supports vulnerable adults and children to navigate the medical system. Helping them to access healthcare, know their HIV status, adhere to their medication. Escorting them to appointments when they need someone on their side or to counsel them.

She is a legend.

But we have some terrible news. Grace’s home has been torn apart.

A storm ripped the roof off her house, the iron sheets landed 20 metres away. The rains that followed caused the walls to collapse.

Thankfully, the family escaped unhurt and sought shelter in the office.

The heavy rain caused the open drains to flood. The filthy water washed away many of their few possessions and contaminated everything else.

In the days that followed, the local authority instructed her to demolish what remained of the walls for safety.

The home that has given the children in her care the stability and safety they need has gone.

They have nothing left and nowhere to go.

Standing together

Grace is so loved and valued by her community that they have come together to form a committee. Their aim is to raise funds to help her rebuild her home.

At great sacrifice, they have raised over £480 and have been donating bags of sand, cement and bricks.

They’ve also negotiated with the local authority to waive the fees and have got a licence to re-build.

So we have agreed to help them raise the rest.

Could you join us in helping Grace to rebuild her family home by making a donation today?

Key costs

The total cost to rebuild is £2783.90, her community have raised over £480 so we need to raise £2,303.

What your donation could buy...

£448 could buy all the bricks we need (10,000)

£270 could buy the door and windows

£60 could buy a warm blanket each for five children

£32 could pay for all the nails we need

£12 could buy two an iron sheets

£6 could buy a bag of cement

A donation of any amount will go a long way. Thank you.

Pictures:

1. Grace, showing the cracks caused by the inital storm before the heavy rains made the walls

2. Grace trying to repair the roof after the winds ripped the roof off

3. Nothing left of her family home after the ruins had to be demolished for saftey

4. The house full of water before it collapsed

5 & 6. Grace with the children she has taken in to her family

7. Grace bailing out the house during previous floods