The first batch of chicks was bought 3 years ago with $300 worth of chicks. They were distributed among 5 families. Chickens are a valuable source of income because they can be sold for food. They also lay eggs which can be sold. We plan to buy more chickens for needy families as funds allow.

Namuganga School has a goat project. Some time ago we acquired a few goats which have multiplied into a flock of 10. This little flock provides a nice income for the school. The flock is cared for by school children under adult supervision. Eventually we would like to expand our goat project by giving goats to needy families.

School children always need supplies, anything from pencils to text books. Esther always takes school supplies with her when she travels to Uganda.

A surprising need that Esther discovered was for simple over-the-counter medications. On her first trip, she came across a boy with a stomach ache. He was holding his tummy and crying out in pain. The school did not have anything to give him, not even a pain killer. Since then Samaritan’s Hand has been supplying the school with over the counter medications which we bring from the USA. Medications like Tylenol, creams for bug bites, Vicks cream, cold medications, etc., come in handy.

The children in the picture above are barefooted. These children walk 2-3 miles one way to get to school. Walking barefooted over rocks and through mud puddles can be painful and unsanitary. Moreover, the children are susceptible to bugs that live in the dust. They burrow into the childrens’ little feet and lay their eggs there. The larvae have to be dug out one by one with a sharp needle or pin, a painful procedure for tender little children.

We’ll be conducting a shoe drive for the children soon.