Helping families like Winnie's get back on their feet

"We can sleep soundly here. I used to lay awake all night worrying that the rain would come and my children would be hurt. Thank you from all our family."

We're so thrilled to be able to share these words from Fatuma and her family.

You may remember that about five weeks ago we reported that there was very heavy storm in Kampala that caused fooding in the slum areas where we work. News reports say that four people in that area perished during the floods.

During the night the water rose so high that it caused the wall of Fatuma's rented house to collapse. Bricks fell on Winnie and her little brother Akram who were in bed, thankfully, they were lucky to get away with only scrapes and bruises.

The water was deep and moving too fast for the family to make an escape, all they could do was pile up their belongings and try to keep themselves higher than the water until it subsided.

The family didn't have many possessions but lost much of what they did have, including the money Fatuma had stashed away to pay the rent and buy food for the next few weeks.  They were destitute.

This was extra heart breaking as just a few days before Fatuma had been proudly telling me how, for the first time in her life, she had saved enough of her own money to buy a bed complete with a mattress for the family "Can you believe that I could buy my own bed and even paid for school fees" she had said amazed.

She was devatsed.

We 've been able to give the family some cash to buy food and, thanks the generoisty of a family in the UK, we have been able to find them a safe, dry room in the area for them to live in until Winnie can get back on her feet.

We now want to offer Fatuma a start up loan so she can buy her own sewing machine and a few materials and put all the skills she has learnt into action.

Despite everything she and her family have been through Fatuma is full of joy and determination

"This year has been so wonderful for us. I have been able to learn  new skills and I have made friends with lots of other women who understand me and we really support each other.

"I feel the tide has turned my life. I have more control and I can see there is a light ahead, the sun is going to shine for my family. I know this next year is everything will change for us. I'm so, so happy. Thank you.

Thank you for helping families like Fatuma get back on their feet and take control of their lives - we hope the sun will shine for you this year too :)