Visits to Uganda and South Africa

We are very pleased to be able to inform you that after visits to Uganda and South Africa this year we have observed first-hand how well Metro Kids Africa (MKA) is doing. It is great to share good news, isn’t it!

Uganda

James visited Uganda in March and had a fantastic time with the 11 staff there. This was the first trip to Uganda since the coronavirus pandemic began and James enjoyed having one on one catch up sessions with each staff member, team development talks and attending school programmes where he met with school principals who all gave positive feedback. The Ugandan government closed down all the schools in March 2020 and schools were finally opened up after 2 years in February. We wondered if many schools would be able to continue with the MKA programmes due to the difficulties of helping children settle into school life again after such a long absence. However, MKA has a committed, hardworking staff team led by David. The team have been amazing in their communication with school principals despite schools being closed. Because of these healthy relationships, the principals were very keen to have MKA be involved in their schools from February. We have now exceeded the number of children we were working with before the pandemic. Pre-covid there were 21,567 children (82 Schools) in the MKA programmes each week. Presently there are 29,360 children and 93 schools in the MKA programmes.

God is certainly working in Uganda! Large numbers of children attending programmes is good and very exciting, but what encourages the MKA staff and you, I am sure, is when individual’s lives are affected by the love of God. A teacher told us about a 5 year old pupil who had been having behavioural problems at home and school. However, his family said that after he started attending the MKA programmes, they noticed small changes in his behaviour. His family said that he started to be more thankful for the blessings in his life and at school the teachers noticed how polite and willing to listen he was when being taught the lessons. Another boy was very excited to see David and said to him how happy he was that MKA was back in his school. He thought after 2 years absence that MKA would not come back. These small stories show how important MKA is in children’s lives.

South Africa

James and I were both encouraged greatly with the time we spent in Cape Town in May. All of the programmes are thriving and the staff team have developed and matured greatly in the last few years. This team are very special to James and I as we have known many of them since they were children attending the Sidewalk programme in their area. We take great pleasure in seeing the staff passionate and full of love and care for the children in their communities. Ncedisa, Tham Tham, Nosie, Inga, Nomaphelo and Yandiswa have all grown up in the MKA programmes. They started as children attending Sidewalk each week, then as volunteer leaders whilst in high school, before joining the MKA internship programme and finally becoming employed full time. This progression from child attendee to a staff member caring for the children around them is a huge testimony of the success of MKA.

Cape Town has been affected greatly by the pandemic. It is a beautiful city and has millions of tourists visit each year to experience and enjoy the many delights of Cape Town. Sadly thousands of people have suffered with unemployment as restaurants, markets, hotels and day trips stopped. A common story told by all the staff was that pre-covid they would be responsible for financially helping 2 or 3 family members but now they have 7 or more people depending on them to pay for children’s school fees, food, clothing, rent money and more.

We see this decline in people’s income with terrible consequences. Time and time again we see letters from children, who have received a food gift, writing how there was no food in their home and their mother was afraid and anxious about how she would feed her children.

One little girl named Chuma wrote this letter to her sponsor:
“Some days can be very difficult because there are days we can go to bed without having anything to eat because my mom is unemployed and we live off social grant. Stressing about food is draining and it is one of my mom’s biggest problems. My aunt sometimes makes/cooks food and brings it to us. I truly thank you for this great food parcel it is such a great help.
I am happy to receive it. I thank you so much.”