WHO IS THIS SHIPMENT HELPING?

“Teenage pregnancy is high in this area,” write Crossroads’ partners, about their small region in southern Uganda. “Many teenagers who become pregnant are ostracised and drop out of school. It’s very unlikely that they’ll ever return to school.” Most families in this region work hard as farmers, growing crops like bananas, maize and beans, but life can be difficult, and most families are very poor. For teenagers who are kicked out of home when they fall pregnant, the future is desperate and uncertain. They rarely have the skills and education to find a job that can sustain them and their children.

Our partners on this shipment target young, ostracised mothers and other vulnerable women, and offer counselling, child care, and vocational training in skills like tailoring, knitting, hospitality, laundering, gardening and animal husbandry. Starting just two years ago, they have already taken 50 young women through their programmes, and seen success stories like Jacent and Sylivia (featured below and to the right), but they are eager to expand their services to reach and train more women. They are now building a larger facility in an area closer to where many of the women live, and they have asked Crossroads for help filling it with furniture and equipment to run these valuable projects. Our shipment will include goods like furniture, clothing, recreational goods, health supplies and more.

SYLIVIA’S STORY

“Dropping out of school in grade nine as a result of teenage pregnancy did not stop Sylivia from looking at life positively,” wrote our partners. Sylivia was eager to improve her life, both for herself and her new baby. She enrolled in our partners’ tailoring classes, using their childcare for her baby, and made so much income from her handmade clothing that she bought two sewing machines, and now trains other young women like her.

This shipment will include goods to help train women like Sylivia.

The future can seem bleak for teenage mothers like Jane (above, with her children) without the support, practical skills training and care that our partners can offer. They know it’s hard for young mothers to attend classes with their children, so they offer childcare with nutritious food for the children while their mothers learn.

Construction is underway on our partners’ new, larger centre, but they need help fitting it out with furniture and other goods to help them serve more women in need.

JACENT’S STORY

Jacent was abandoned by her boyfriend, and father of her young children, leaving her with no source of income at all. Like many teenage mothers in her region, Jacent had to drop out of school when she became pregnant, so she couldn’t finish her education or go on to any further skills training. Thankfully, Jacent was brought into our partners’ vocational training programmes. 70% of the women in their skills training are teenage mothers, ostracised by their families and desperately poor. With our partners’ help, Jacent  took classes in knitting and dressmaking (pictured above with one of her creations!) and she now feels like she and her children have a secure future. “I can now take care of my children,” she says. “I can buy them food, I can pay rent, and more.”

This shipment will include goods to equip the training centre that helped Jacent and many other young, vulnerable women.

WANT TO BE A PART OF THESE LIFE CHANGING STORIES?

Sponsor a container: We need HK$ 50,000 to send any of our waiting shipments on their way. Email us for a list of projects needing funds: partnerships@crossroads.org.hk

Give goods: We can help your company or group find projects that need your quality superseded goods. Email partnerships@crossroads.org.hk

Volunteer: We need regular volunteers in a huge variety of roles across the work, from manual labor to administration and specific skilled roles. Email volunteer@crossroads.org.hk

Reference No : S4963