Celebrating International Day of Families

R-R: Harriet, Andrew, Florence (holding Mariam) and David stand outside their home in Butagaya.

  

Did you know that May 15 marks International Day of Families? Every year since 1993, the UN has recognised the problems and needs of families across the globe on this day – and helped bring people together to find solutions to these issues.

Together with its local partners, All We Can works to help vulnerable families – those most impacted by disasters, poverty, and injustice – to flourish and thrive.

Florence and David are one such family. They live with their son and six of their grandchildren in Butagaya, Uganda. They work a number of different jobs to provide for their family – including bricklaying and rearing pigs. Alongside caring for their grandchildren, Florence and David must also support Florence’s elderly mother, who lives on their other side of their village, an hour’s walk away.

There is a great burden of care on the couple – and in their advancing years, Florence and David often struggle to provide for their family. Their work is physically hard, and with various health issues, they can find it difficult to make ends meet.

‘One of the biggest challenges that we encounter at the moment is that we have a big family with so many dependents, and we spend a lot although our daily income is very small… it becomes hard to support them’ shared Florence.

The couple are passionate about the importance of education for their grandchildren. Florence was educated to a primary school level, but her husband David received no education at all. Now, they hope that their relentless hard work and commitment to their family will mean that their grandchildren can attain a good education. Florence wants her grandchildren to have better opportunities than she has had: ‘I strongly hope that if they go to school and excel, they will be able to support themselves and sustain themselves for the future.’

Thankfully, with the help of All We Can’s local partner in Uganda, change is beginning for families like Florence and David’s. All We Can’s local partner in Uganda has helped provide their grandson, Andrew, with a bicycle. Their family home is far away from the local school – but with his bicycle, Andrew is able to access school quickly and safely, and prioritise his education. Education unlocks potential by opening the door to opportunity – and helps children like Andrew break free from the vicious cycle of poverty.

Alongside accessing school, with his bicycle Andrew can help his grandparents earn a little extra money, by transporting bulky fishing equipment, and any fish he catches to market to sell. The money this makes supports Florence and David, and helps provide school fees for his younger siblings. Not only is he helping the family to secure an income – he is also paving the way to a better future, and inspiring his younger brothers and sisters.

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Your ongoing support can help more families like Florence, David and Andrew’s to see change begin. Find out more here.

 

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