It is Christmas time again! A time to buy and make gifts, bake cookies, spend cherished time with our loved ones and, most importantly, celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. There is always something special in the air at Christmas time. People are kinder, warmer, friendlier. We smile at strangers, we say hello to our neighbors, and we treat our friends and families just a bit better. We exhibit Jesus’ example of giving to and helping those who are in need. We’ve all heard that it is better to give than to receive. Knowing that you are helping to make someone’s life just a little bit easier or helping to make someone happy is an indescribable feeling.

As I’m sure you realize, while you are busy buying and making gifts for your loved ones this Christmas season, there are so many people in need. While most of us take for granted having a merry Christmas, some among us can only pray and dream about it. For those of you with children in your lives, you know their joy when they open gifts on Christmas Day. It’s very sad for me to think of all the children in our program who won’t have even one gift to open this year. In fact, they may not even have a meal to eat on this special day. But there is hope for them, and that hope is you.

Here at Hope Ndoto Africa, we pride ourselves on the help we have provided to those in need. But we honestly couldn’t do it without your generosity. Please consider putting a smile on one more person on your Christmas gift list this year, and donate to Hope Ndoto Africa. Many of these children have never experienced the true meaning of Christmas.

For this Christmas, purpose to change a life by sponsoring or finding a sponsor for a child to go to school, purchase items they need most to survive in the remote villages of Uganda.

Please order by 4th December to enable us to deliver these precious gifts to the children and their families in time for Christmas.

With schools closed across Africa, our sponsored children have not been able to attend school in the same way as normal. This month, all exam candidates have returned to school (final year of Primary, Ordinary and Advanced Level Secondary(High School)). The rest will not return until early 2021. But this does not mean that we have not been working hard to ensure your sponsored child is cared for. Here are the main programmes we are currently implementing:

Home Education – All our sponsored children have received working from home packs. These consist of workbooks from which they have been able to learn and answer questions in the safety of their homes. These packs have then been marked by our teachers and feedback provided to the children. The children have also received a home stationary pack with pencils, rubbers, and sharpeners to ensure they have all they need to continue studying from home.

Mosquito Nets and a Mattress: The World Health Organization have raised concerns that due to fear of COVID-19, fewer mosquito nets have been purchased and distributed, and over the next year they expect to see a rise in the cases of malaria and subsequently more deaths from malaria. We would like to purchase two mosquito nets per family (normally 2-3 people will sleep under one), and also a mattress for each sponsored child. This will not only help the family have a better night’s sleep, but should keep up to 500 people protected from malaria while sleeping!

Will you help us keep as many free from malaria !

Teacher Home Visits: This school term, along with the education packs, sponsored children will receive a home visit from their teacher. This is partly to allow the children to ask questions, but also for the teacher to provide feedback (while social distancing) and ensure that the parents are encouraging their children to continue with their studies.

Relief Packs: Along with the Christmas presents, our staff will be delivering a family food parcel to every sponsored child’s family. With lock-down in Uganda there have been many challenges in accessing some of the necessities. Many families have not been able to earn any income and there are reports across the country of food shortages. These food parcels will boost not just the child’s diet, but that of the whole family and will release some pressure parents are facing over Christmas to provide for their families.

We trust that these actions will also send a message that the children are very much in our thoughts and that we and their sponsors still care!

Our staff in Uganda will also be making contact with all sponsored children and families over the next few months. We will be endeavoring to collect a letter from each child as well as take some photos, so we hope to bring you reports of all these later on this year and into early 2021. We will be passing on to the families in Uganda just how important sponsorship is, and how vital their roles are to help in keeping their children in education. All this is only possible because of you! Thank you for your continued support and for your prayers too!

We here in Uganda are expecting schools to return to normal in January, but until this time we remain committed to caring for and loving these children. There has never been a time that sharing God’s love practically has been so important on a global scale. These are challenging times, and often those who are impacted the most are those living in poverty. Your prayerful support and practical giving continue to make an incredible and immeasurable difference!

So on behalf of the Hope Ndoto Africa team, both in the U.S.A and in Uganda, may we thank you for standing in the gap and helping to fight on behalf of the children that need it most.

John Kiboneka & The Hope Ndoto Africa Team