We thank the Lord for the many lives that are being saved through Potter’s Village. The Crisis Centre has steadily continued to receive babies, and currently we have 26 resident babies at Potter's Village and 57 on community support.  All the babies are currently doing well and are healthy.

With grateful thanks from the trustees here in the UK and in Uganda for the support you have given throughout this year. Without your generosity we would not be able to provide these vulnerable babies with the love, care and stimulation they require to thrive and develop.

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and peaceful New Year!

One of the most difficult jobs at Potter's Village is finding appropriate community care for babies who have been abandoned.  Trying to trace families is hard, and it can take years to work alongside other agencies to do this.  Our social workers have been trying for a number of years to trace the family of a little boy called Gift. 

Gift’s story has been a sad one, but we believe God is changing it for the better. Gift was born in summer 2021. His mother abandoned him at birth by throwing him in a pit latrine. He was rescued by bypassers in a critical condition and brought to Potter’s Village. After one year Gift was placed in a foster home. The family did not manage to look after him properly, and after 7 months, the foster mother brought him back to Potter’s Village very sick, and he was readmitted to the Crisis Centre.

In Autumn 2023, Gift was placed into another foster family that took care of him until Summer 2025, when he was transferred to his family. Potter’s Village managed to trace his mother, but she is not mentally stable enough to care for him.  Finding a relative to care for Gift has not been easy, as nobody was willing to take this responsibility. 

Gift was finally taken by a paternal uncle who is taking good care of him, and Gift looks very happy now and they are bonding well.
Gift’s story has been that of resentment and lack of belonging, but we believe God is now changing it to a ‘Story of Love’. 

Staff at the Disability Rehabilitation Unit recently completed ‘baby Ubuntu training’. The training included the three rehab staff and three other staff picked carefully from the medical centre and crisis centre. Our intention was that the trained staff will pass on the knowledge to others, and that way, we shall improve our early intervention systems, and when the team is bigger, the impact increases. Two mothers from the community were also part of the team that was trained.

Ubuntu hub is a non-profit research and educational team.
Our aim is to help improve the lives of children with developmental disabilities, and their families. We are a nonprofit research and educational hub based in the International Centre for Evidence in Disability at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

https://www.ubuntu-hub.org/

It was a blessing to host the team from All Saints' Marple Church and School a few months ago.  The financial support and participation in different activities was so amazing and encouraging to all the staff. From the money raised by the school we were able to purchase several pieces of office equipment

 

We have managed to meet the community children together with their carers, and the children were given some clothes for Christmas. It was a lovely gathering and fun for the children.

 

 

 

We are so grateful for the active participation, teaching and encouragement from the Diocese through the management board. We had Cannon Sam (vice chairman of Potter's Village Ugandan board) offer to provide some teaching and encouragement to the staff of both the medical and the crisis centre. This motivates the staff, which in turn supports them in their care of the children.

Admission to Potter's Village during the last few months has been steady. We have received a number of babies into the crisis centre since September, and a few have been resettled into the community support programme. 

Blessed was brought to Potter's Village in September, after her mother abandoned her. She gave birth to the baby in hospital, but then she brought the baby to Potter's Village under false pretences, saying she had found the baby abandoned.  The police are currently looking for her. Blessed is doing well, and she is putting on weight and looks very healthy. 

Lawrence was brought to Potter's Village in the middle of September at around two months old.  His mother is struggling with her mental health, and she is unable to feed or care for Lawrence at the moment.  He is currently having cow's milk and feeds very slowly. He has no health issues, and we hope he will continue to grow and develop well.

Susan was born in September and came to Potter's Village at around 10 days old.  Her mother delivered without problems but later haemorrhaged and died.  Susan is doing well and has a good appetite. She is having cow's milk, and she looks very healthy. 

Joyce was also born in September and came to Potter's Village a week later after her mother died. Her father does some casual labouring of digging in Kampala, so is not close to Kisoro, however, she will be resettled back to the family when she is around 1 year of age.

Maria was born in November and her mother died due to complications with an operation post birth. Maria was immediately brought to Potter's Village at just a few days old.  She is feeding well and putting on weight. 

Norah was born at the end of November in Kisoro Hospital. Her mother died after birth from haemorrhaging and the baby was brought to Potter's Village.  Currently Norah is very sick with breathing problems due to asphyxia during birth.  We hope she will recover in time, but she will be monitored closely by the Medical Centre team.

A number of children have been resettled back with their families recently.

Elizabeth was born in September 2024 and was admitted to Potter's Village later that month. Her mother struggles with mental illness and did not bond with the baby after birth.  She refused to feed her, and therefore the baby was put at risk of malnutrition.  As her mother is still not able to care for her, Elizabeth has been resettled with her maternal grandmother.

Vastina was resettled in September with her paternal grandmother, and they brought her last month for her first support; she has settled well and was looking very well cared for.  Her grandmother is caring for her so well, and they have a lovely bond. 

Jonan lost his mother shortly after he was born and was brought to Potter's Village in September 2024. He grew and developed well and was resettled with his aunt when he was 1.  He has settled well with her and comes to Potter's Village for his monthly support. 

Faith was only born in November this year, but her mother had complications after delivery, so she was rushed to hospital, and Faith was brought to Potter's Village.  By God's mercy Faith's mother was saved, and Faith was resettled back with her a few weeks later. She is growing and developing well. 

Annet was born in November 2024 and admitted to Potter's Village after the death of her mother. Annet has been resettled back with her family to stay with her paternal aunt, and she will be coming for monthly support.

 

The disability rehab unit has received 6 new baby walkers from one of the diocesan partners. We are thankful for the donation of such useful equipment. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At Potter’s Village we continued to run small projects for local income generation to supplement the funds from the supporters. Currently we have hens, cows and pigs, and they are all doing well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We thank God

• For the crisis centre, that it can continue to care for all those babies in need
• For the Child Sponsors making such a huge difference to children's lives
• For all those supporters across the world praying and giving to this work
• For supporting church communities
• For the staff and their dedication to this work
• For volunteers giving up their time to help
• For the new pick up truck and all those who donated towards this appeal
• For the support of ubuntu-hub
• For Gift, may he continue to thrive with his Uncle

Please pray

• For all the Potter's Village families this Christmas
• For a more stable economy in Uganda, where families are struggling
• For the children re-settled in the community, that they may be cared for and thrive
• For all staff, whatever their role, that they feel valued and show compassion to all those needing the support of Potter’s Village
• For the children recently admitted, that they may feel loved despite such a difficult start to life
• For Idah (Administrator) and the Board of Governors, as they manage Potter’s Village
• For Friends of Potter’s Village, that they will continue to have sufficient income and for good stewardship of donated funds
• That we find more long-term foster carers
• For continued commitment and unity among the staff
• For financial stability for the medical centre.
• For all the income generating schemes