Once again this year, we have decided to continue our support of the Kireka Home in Uganda as an alternative to distributing seasonal gifts to our clients. It's not easy to explain the difference that a little love and support can provide for these children, as the living conditions in Uganda are so far removed from our own, but we hope the pictures speak for themselves.

2005/6
Just to remind you, the orphanage that the donations we make on your behalf are supporting is situated on the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda, in an area called Kireka. It cares for children who have special needs and/or are disabled.

A few of the children are not actually orphans, but have been abandoned by their parents as they just cannot cope with the attention that their child needs.

Conditions at the home were very difficult, there were no medicines for basic healthcare and the general conditions at the orphanage were very run down.

2007
The support of initiatives such as this seasonal donation have been critical to the survival of the Kireka Home and have resulted in some much-needed improvements and valuable additions to the orphanage's facilities: with our continued support we aim to help improve Kireka even more. The self pride at Kireka is now demonstrably visible: the place is tidier, smarter and the children are happier.

The children are now being taught skills including agriculture, animal husbandry, sewing and the making of handicrafts that are sold locally to help the orphanage.

Donations such as ours have helped to fund a full-time nurse to care for the children and manage day-to-day illnesses, ensured a supply of the necessary drugs to treat everyday ailments and allowed a healthy nutrition programme to be established. The home has seen many changes to its facilities including improvements to the dormitories, the addition of a brand new kitchen and dining hall and the purchase and installation of a sanitation furnace to ensure contaminated waste can be disposed of hygienically.

With last year's donation we established a reference library for the orphanage, containing books on treatment methods and strategies to attain the best development of the children.

Kireka is now filled with joy, hope and love, and this has been made possible by the support that the orphanage has received to aid its development.

Although the home has come a long way in the last two years, there is still much to be achieved if it is to become a place for the children to acquire, learn and develop skills for independent living.

2008
In April this year, I was fortunate enough to be able to visit Kireka. Kireka is region to the north of Kampala, and the location of the children's home is at the end of a dusty and dirty track.

Most of the children have severe learning difficulties but thanks to the orphanage they at least have the opportunity to live in an environment where they can feel safe, and learn with each other.

Given their difficulties, it is just as important for these children to be able to interact with others as it is for them to have to have more formal learning.

This year's donation to Kireka will continue to help to provide food and the necessary medicines to maintain the day-to-day health of the children, and will also help in the further development of the vocational training at the orphanage.

Thank you for taking the time to find out more about Kireka. May we take this opportunity to wish you the season's greetings and our very best wishes for the coming year.

Yours sincerely,

Stephen Cameron
Chairman and CEO, Nucleus