Sometimes we are guilty of showing you a glossy version of life in Bwaise as we want to share all the incredibly positive work and change being delivered by the awesome, determined women and children we work with there. 

The flip-side of their lives is the staggering reality and vulnerability that extreme poverty creates for families. 

This isn't easy to tell you about. 

The mother of one of our children in our education programme has been killed.

She tried to stop two men stealing from a neighbour and was beaten, raped and murdered by the thieves.

Her body was dumped in the open sewers close to her home, so close her children saw her body before the police were called to the scene. 

Two suspects, young boys aged 18 and 19, have been arrested and are being held in remand but this doesn’t lessen the trauma and loss felt by her children and her friends.

She was a widow, her husband died some years ago and she was working hard to bring up her children aged 3, 9 and 12 years. 

We won't share their names now because we want to protect them. 

Our group of community volunteers immediately rallied to the children, took them in to ensure they are safe and looked after.

Grace, one of our community volunteers who may remember from previous updates, knew the children’s mum well and she took the lead in looking after the traumatised children. 

The team traced relatives of the father of the oldest child and they are prepared to take him in, but they can’t take the youngest two.

Grace is prepared to give the children a permanent home with her extended family. She’ll make sure the young ones are cared for and feel settled in her home and ensure the siblings see each other regularly.

With no relatives around the alternative is an orphanage or the streets.

We’ve been able to help with some emergency funds to help make sure there is enough food for all the children but now we want to make sure she is able to give the children the support, care and settled home life they need after the trauma they have been through.

To do this, we want to help her grow her small business so she is able to earn more income and can afford to and enrol the children that are old enough into school.

Could your help Grace provide a home for these young children who have just lost their mum by making a donation today?

They will never forget their mum or what happened but with your help Grace can give them the loving home and care they need. Thank you.

key costs

It costs £20 a month to put a child through school.

Could you set up a regular donation to cover school fees, uniform, jumper, shoes, books and pens for one of the siblings?

£269 could help grow Grace’s small business so she can support herself and all the children now in her care.

Her market is selling second-hand bedding and women’s bras, there is a demand for both of these in Bwasie. This is something she can do from in and around her home which means she can be around for the youngest children).

£50 could buy some new clothes and shoes for the youngest children.

£25 could go towards the costs of travel for Grace and the children when she takes them to trauma counseling over the coming months.

£15 could allow us to buy a few toys and books for the youngest ones to help them settle into their new home.

£30 could buy a large sack of rice to help boost the families diet whilst Grace is growing her business.

Thank you for all the support you give Awamu.