| We are so glad to hear that the Malayaka House kids are able to return to school. We hope that we will be able to resume our annual trip to Uganda in 2023! ~Christina |
  Back to School!!   Although many U.S. kids have been in school all year (albeit with masks and restrictions) Ugandan schools were mostly closed until February, when our kids finally got to return to in-person classes. The Delta variant of Covid took a particularly devastating turn here in Uganda, and we are grateful to have escaped that dark time without any serious illness. We cannot tell you how excited the kids are to be back at school! Malayaka House is set up perfectly for homeschooling…and with a family this size, the kids are rarely looking for something to do. But…there was definitely a bit of a “groundhog day” feeling here, with the kids having to spend every waking moment in the same space, with the same people, and using the same learning tools, games, and toys. When Uganda announced that schools had reopened, it seemed to be the best news our kids had ever received! We definitely celebrated that day. Now, with the older kids at boarding school (which is traditional for high school-age students in Uganda), the compound is unbelievably quiet. It is always quiet when the kids are away, but the juxtaposition of the past year’s chatter with today’s silence is almost deafening! We miss having them around all the time, but are so happy that their lives are finally returning to some semblance of normalcy (a feeling I believe people all over the world can very easily relate to!).    Catherine Project Updates For those of you following the Catherine Project, our outreach project in support of children with HIV in our local community, the past year has been filled with good news! We are now supporting 17 children and their families, by providing nutritious food and medications, and by assigning a social worker to each family to ensure that nobody slips through the cracks. Recently, we have also begun helping several of the mothers start small businesses that should, one day, allow them to provide for themselves and their children. Although we continue to support these families, the end goal is for them to be in a position to support themselves, without the need for intervention.   Some Very Good News About Joshua! Our little Joshua is growing fast. After a difficult start, he is one of the healthiest, happiest toddlers we’ve ever known! Although Joshua lives with us full time, we are also helping his family (mom, grandma, and three siblings) with medications (his mom and sister are HIV-positive), transport to medical appointments, and other expenses. But the best news yet is that – last week – Joshua tested NEGATIVE for HIV!! Born to an HIV-positive mother, we had to wait until Joshua reached a certain age before tests would be able to accurately detect his HIV status. We are over the moon at these results. Although HIV isn’t the death sentence it used to be (at least for people with access to proper medication and nutrition) it does make a person’s life significantly more challenging, especially in Uganda. And this is even more true during public health crises (such as the COVID-19 pandemic), during which immunocompromised individuals are extremely vulnerable. We are so grateful for Joshua’s clean bill of health. So many causes for celebration in 2022, and it’s only March!!!!   Congratulations Viola! We would also like to say how proud we are of Viola, who in addition to being our first to graduate from University, and the best big sister any kid could ever ask for, is now officially a businesswoman. She recently fulfilled her dream of opening a hair salon, and she even has an employee. Congratulations, Viola! We are so proud of you!! “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairytales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairytales. ” ~ Albert Einstein  Thank You  Thank you, friends! We couldn’t do any of this without the love and support of friends and family around the world. If you would like to make a tax deductible contribution to Malayaka House, you can do so right here today, or by mailing a check to: Malayaka House, Inc. PO Box 9352 South Burlington, VT 05407 Thank you so much for your continued kindness, generosity, support, and love. |