What it Means to Carry Her Cross?
Lately, I have been thinking a lot about what it means to carry my cross. We know why Jesus carried his, but what did he mean when he said that to follow him, we must take up our own cross? And He summoned the crowd with His disciples and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Mark 8:34 (NAS) For Hajara, it means using her story to help the other children suffering from sexual abuse. For us, it means helping her by dedicating our lives to Save Sunshine Shelter Kids. Sharing her story isn’t easy, but it’s a burden she’s willing to shoulder because she believes God is using her story to end child sexual abuse.
Our team members on the ground carry heavy loads every single day too as they respond to allegations of abuse, rescue children from unimaginable situations, and work to bring them safety, justice, and healing. We all have crosses to bear. Some are heavier than others, but fortunately, we don’t have to carry them alone. And they compelled a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to carry His cross. Mark 15:21 (NAS) When you support Save sunshine shelter kids, you step into Simon’s shoes and lighten our team’s load so they can help more children while working to bring an end to sexual abuse in Uganda.
When you support our work, you make the following possible:-
(1)Safe housing
(2)Medical care
(3)Trauma and emotional care
(4)Prosecuting cases
Prevention programs Your support also ensures our social workers, counselors, mentors, and other team members receive the support they need to continue helping survivors every single day. Thank you for the many ways you help us carry our cross.
Helping Kids Get Their Day in Court
Justice is a critical piece of the healing process. It’s the one piece all my shelter daughter for this case Ssanyu, did not find as she watched her uncle get bribed out of jail. At Save sunshine shelter kids, one of our core missions is to create a pathway to justice for children who have experienced sexual violence. The journey toward justice is fraught with challenges. In addition to rampant corruption, families often try to negotiate settlements privately, outside of the courts and the public’s eyes – a practice that denies victims the justice they deserve and puts countless other children at risk of becoming a predator’s next victim. But corruption and private settlements are no longer viable options in the
We have helped: Facilitate 12 Arrests
(1)Get nearly 2 cases committed to the high court
(2)And because our model ensures high levels of transparency and accountability, these predators are staying where they belong; behind bars.
(3)The path to justice is long, but we are determined to see it through.
Because we know from personal experience just how crucial justice is in the healing journey. The demand for our programs is growing considerably. We couldn’t do it without your support. When you donate to Save Sunshine Shelter Kids, you literally transform lives. Nationally televised news story about a teacher arrested with help from our Community on charges of aggravated defilement of seven primary students.
Because of you, we are able to: (1)Facilitate crime scene investigations and arrests
(2)Collect evidence in a way that minimizes further trauma (3)Provide children and non-offending family members with all the legal support they need Your support also ensures child survivors receive the love, care, and emotional support they need to mend the pieces of their shattered lives back together again Proverbs 31:8-9 reminds us to “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Your support is a direct response to this call. Thank you for all the ways you support us. Together, we can ensure every child survivor has their day in court.
The Real Heroes in the Fight against Child Sexual Violence
We could tell you we are the heroes. We could tell you we are the ones rescuing girls. We are the ones working hard to meet their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs; we are the ones bringing an end to sexual violence in Uganda. But the truth is, we are not the heroes. They are. Our primary partners (the police, local government and the responsible citizens, they are our boots on the ground. They are the ones rescuing and caring for survivors. They fight for justice together with us as they forward cases about different forms of violence and they stand with us until the cases are surely one and won. We believe the local Church, local leaders, and community-based organizations are best.
Based on our the Children’s Advocacy model, Communities are multidisciplinary teams consisting of local law enforcement officers, probation officers , prosecutors, medical & mental health professionals, and church leaders who we work together with to develop effective, coordinated strategies for responding to cases of child sexual violence.
The goal of each model or any of our center is to provide survivors of sexual violence with the following core services:
(1)Safe shelter & resettlement
(2)Child-friendly police interviews
(3)Medical evaluations and health care
(4)Trauma-informed therapy Our on-the-ground heroes are empowered by our support. Thank you for all you’re doing to make this work possible.
A Mission for Clean Sanitation
“We couldn’t let mothers, children, the elderly, and the communities suffer when we could do something about the pit latrines.” Access to sanitation is not just a luxury; it’s a fundamental human right. Sadly, many mothers and children in our communities face daily challenges due to inadequate sanitation facilities. Poor hygiene conditions have led to countless tragedies, particularly among the most vulnerable populations. When we discovered the dire state of pit latrines in various neighborhoods, we knew immediate action was essential.
Recognizing the Crisis Our mission began with community advocacy and awareness meetings aimed at addressing the sanitation crisis. Initially, we encountered skepticism from landlords who were hesitant to collaborate.
To our surprise, we found many areas without even basic pit latrines. Recognizing this alarming gap, we took it upon ourselves to construct eight new facilities in high-need communities, significantly improving hygiene and health for countless mothers and children. The positive impact on living conditions has prompted families to express their profound gratitude.
Trust and Collaboration The relationship between affordable housing and sanitation is stark: the cheaper the accommodations, the worse the sanitation facilities. Our journey began with the challenging task of advocating for change and raising awareness about the critical sanitation issues in various neighborhoods. Ensuring the health and well-being of mothers and children became our primary focus. Initially, we faced resistance from landlords who misconstrued our intentions as threats to their properties. With patience and perseverance, we worked for two months to establish trust and foster dialogue with local leaders and counselors. This collaboration allowed us to align our goals and
Taking Action Through mobilizing community members and leaders, we created a cooperative approach to improve sanitation, empowering residents to take an active role in their development. In our efforts, we have successfully improved and renovated numerous pit latrines across various communities, installing eight new ones in areas we serve. This initiative has greatly eased the lives of both children and mothers, who have expressed their deep gratitude for the improvements in hygiene and sanitation. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and it motivates us to continue our work.
Looking Ahead Our commitment to expanding the pit latrine program remains strong, as many communities still urgently need support. Your generosity can make a lasting impact on the lives of these families. Together, we can ensure that access to clean and safe sanitation becomes a reality for every mother and child in our communities. Join us in this mission to create a healthier, more equitable future.