Charity: Sanyu Babies’ Home
Sanyu Babies’ Home is well known in Kampala for providing love and care to abandoned babies. Most of the babies who arrive at the Home have been found dumped in rubbish tips, pit latrines, ditches, or left on the side of the road. The orphans they receive range in age from just a few hours to two years old, with no known parents or relatives. Sanyu Babies’ Home then takes the role of being the child’s family, taking care of all their every day needs, and housing up to 40 children at any given time.
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The Home actively tries to find foster parents if possible, trying to place the child back into a family and society. Failure to find new foster parents will mean the child stays at the Home until it reaches the age of 4 ½ years old, when they will be transferred to other orphanages or Homes, if not before. Baby Ivan’s is a typical case. He was found abandoned and wrapped in a black plastic bag at just a few hours old, and the umbilical cord was still attached. He was in a poor state when he arrived but recovered well after a few weeks. He has spent all his life at Sanyu, and is growing up a healthy, happy, loving little boy. |
Numerous staff are employed in various roles at the Home, including nurses, domestic staff for 24hour care, cleaners, grounds men, security men, a driver etc.
It is a round the clock task caring for such young children, there is a constant demand for the young babies to be bottle-fed and nappies to be changed, whilst coping with the differing needs of the older children. The Home also has a kindergarten, providing the children with education and stimulation on a regular basis.
HISTORY OF THE HOME
Sanyu Babies Home was started as a venture of love, faith and hope in 1929 by a missionary sister, the late sister Milnes Walker. She was a midwife in the nearby Mengo hospital and realised the increasing number of abandoned babies within the hospital. She started collecting the babies and providing them with much needed care. As the number of children increased she eventually opened the ‘Sanyu Babies’ Home’ now located on Namirembe Hill, overlooking the city.
The mission originated as, and continues to be to provide care for the parentless and needy children regardless of race, tribe or creed and to bring them up in a happy atmosphere.
FUNDING THE CHILDREN’S FUTURE
Unfortunately, Sanyu Babies’ Home receives no regular contribution from any church or organisation. It relies almost entirely on donations to meet its running costs, as well as much needed repairs and improvements. Due to the instability of regular income, the Home frequently faces difficulties in affording to buy the many essentials for the babies, such as baby milk, washing powder and medicines, and paying the water and electricity bills.
More recently, the Home has been looking at ways of creating long term self-sustainability, in the form of income generating projects. Sanyu Babies’ Home has already set up a craft shop on the premises, selling local crafts and gifts at competitive prices, with all profits going directly to the Home. They have also begun work on a rainwater-harvesting project, in order to reduce the enormous water bills of around 800,000/- per month!
Other ongoing projects include the chicken hatchery and guest house, both with the aim of raising regular income for the Home.
They are also currently setting up a Friends of Sanyu scheme, whereby donors will be able to make a financial commitment to the Home, and receive regular newsletters and updates on the babies’ and Homes’ progress.
WHY DO PEOPLE GIVE?
Put simply, people enjoy expressing their generosity in a tangible way, and at Sanyu Babies’ Home they can clearly see the results their contribution brings. Some friends donate towards general running costs, others raise funds for a particular project. Sometimes gifts are made to commemorate a loved one, or because they have been resident at the Home and want to return their thanks. Mostly, friends of Sanyu want to support those less fortunate, and are able to see their generosity making a real difference.
As one visitor put it:
“When I see babies and toddlers in need like the ones in Sanyu Babies’ Home, I see my daughter, and I think that if my circumstances were different, she could be one of them. So to me these children are a bit of a part of me, and bringing them clothes, or spending time with them or funding them gives me reasons to believe that we can all make a difference to their lives. I take away with me so many smiles, hugs, kisses, and love, that I feel I am the one receiving and them the ones giving.” (Isabel de la Fuente)
HOW YOU CAN HELP:-
Check the Home’s notice board regularly to find out current items needed- Shop at our on-site Craft shop, where all profits go directly to the Home
- Ask about the Home’s current funding priorities and conduct a fundraising activity to support a specific need or project
- Take up a collection at your school, workplace, church or community group
- Volunteer to assist at the Home on a regular basis
- Ask about fostering programmes and help us raise awareness
- Volunteer your expertise and skills, for example in publicity, promotion, accountancy and outreach programmes
- Join ‘Friends of Sanyu’
Contact:
Joyce Lulindya, 0772 627527
Joseph Cummiskey, 0772 913001
