Recent News -
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Smiling Hearts News - June 2023
Smiling Hearts News - March 2023
Smiling Hearts News - January 2023
Smiling Hearts News - December 2022
Smiling Hearts News - July 2021
Smiling Hearts News - June 2020
Smiling Hearts News - February 2020
Smiling Hearts News -December 2019
Smiling Hearts News - September 2019
Smiling Hearts News - June 2019
August 4th - A P L A C E T O C A L L H O M E !
We have some VERY exciting news to share! Two years ago, when we took out a two-year lease on the current Smiling Hearts Centre, we set a goal to be in the position to buy our own “forever home”. We are so proud to announce that with your great support, and with just a week remaining on our lease… WE DID IT!!! We had always hoped to purchase the existing Smiling Hearts Centre, but despite our best endeavours, raising the funds necessary (especially in the current climate) was sadly not a reality. Needless to say, our disappointment evaporated when another location nearby was identified as fit for purpose. To hear our beautiful Hellen say “it felt like home” was all the assurance we needed to know that we were onto something special.
Located just 1.5km from our previous centre, and equipped with everything we need, the new Centre is a perfect fit for our Smiling Hearts family. Set on beautiful grounds, with a separate boys dormitory and plenty of room for the kids to enjoy, the new Centre is full of character and life. Hellen has shared some heartwarming photos of the kids at the house, already setting up their beloved craft shop and making the space their own. We will continue to share photos of the new Centre with you as our beautiful kids transition it from a house into our home. We feel so excited, blessed and so incredibly grateful to each and every supporter that has contributed to bringing this dream to life.
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.
'You put your arms around me, and now im home'
May 28th - C O V I D C H A L L E N G E S
Life is always harder in Uganda, but COVID-19 has certainly added more hardship. Of our children, 6 of them remain at the SH Centre, the remaining 7 and the 3 outreach children are out in the villages. After speaking with Hellen, the greatest need for these children and their families is access to food. People are not able to earn anything, shops are closed, there is no ability to sell crops and those who used to buy now have no money to do so. Hunger and starvation are very much front of mind. At present, the greatest way we can help our children and their families with an opportunity is to provide them with food. We are excited to report that transport has been organised and very soon beans and posho will be delivered to the children in their villages. This will also give Hellen the ability to see the children again and assess how they are going. Once again, our amazing supporters have made this possible. We hope you really know the difference this is making. We are not only saying our kids are worthy and valuable but this is living evidence to them and their communities that children with disabilities are precious and deserving. Today we applaud all our supporters who even in these tough times have continued to help us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Until next time, may your hearts smile ❤️
April 13th - C O V I D 1 9
A quick update to let you all know that the kids and Hellen are safe and well. Hellen was able to get most of the kids back to their village with a family member where they are safer than being at the Centre in the middle of Masaka town. She has 5 of the kids still with her at the Centre, along with teacher Oliver and her baby. Uganda currently have 54 confirmed cases of COVID -19 and are under similar lockdown restrictions as Australia, with Hellen only leaving the Centre to get essential food supplies. All schools and apprenticeships have ceased.
Hellen and all the kids have high spirits, remain smiling and send love and strength to all on this side. We remain united in love, strength & hope.
January 7th - U n i t e d.
At this saddest of times in Australia, our Smiling Hearts family unite with us in prayer and in love. Their hearts are very concerned and sorry for the tragedies happening in our beautiful country. With this is mind, and after much consideration, we have decided to cancel our 'Million Dreams' fundraiser. At the present time we know there are so many of our own Australians needing ongoing financial support and assistance and we understand all contributions must be directed towards the current bushfire relief efforts. Our goal to secure the property for our Smiling Hearts continues, and we trust that this dream can still become a reality through another source.
As Australians, we will pull together and prevail over this crisis currently faced by so many people and communities. Our Ugandan family are united with us.
December 29th - W E D I D I T 🚌
We are so excited to announce that with the help from more amazing garage sales, community tins, auction items and cookbook sales we have hit our $10,000 vehicle target. So incredible to see this little beauty all coloured in and our wheels coming to life. To our Smiling Hearts supporters, thankyou for believing in our program. We continually see evidence of how committed our kids are, and the positive outcomes coming from the program. We could not do this without you.
May your hearts smile ❤️
December 25th - M e r r y C h r i s t m a s 🎄
From our family to yours, Merry Christmas.
December 20th - Special moments continue to happen. Recently a little 10 year old gave us her saved money to help someone in need. Such a beautiful act from one so young️.Scovia our newest Smiling Heart has a great love of Sewing but due to having no use in her legs, has not been able to use the treadle machines. And so, using the money from the act of kindness above, we have just purchased a hand operated sewing machine for our Scovia and she is so excited. Congratulations Scovia, we are so proud of you. Thankyou, to the kindest little girl with the biggest heart, who made this gift possible and our Scovia so happy.
Smiling Hearts had several reasons to celebrate at the recent Suubi Secondary School Awards. Congratulations to our Sylivia who was one of three in Senior 2 to receive an award to the best performing academic students and to our Gertrude who received an award presented to those tailoring students who completed a backpack “on their own”. We are so proud of you both.
Our wheels are so close to coming to life. With the help from more amazing garage sales, community tins, auction items and cookbook sales we are sitting at $9670!!! we are hoping to close the year out hitting our $10k target.
November 30th - 💙T H E ❤️A R T🧡 O F💛 L O V E 💚
Last week the incredibly talented Melbourne felting group, lead beautifully by Lis, had their annual felting exhibition. The group generously donated all funds from the evening to Smiling Hearts. An overwhelming amount of over $3000k was raised. A large percentage of this will put Sylivia through her last 4 years at Suubi Secondary School.
To Lis and all your students, your creativity and generosity has blown us away. With arms wide open, we thank you ❤️
October 25th - Waswa, our very brave and strong 7 year old from our Outreach Program visited the Centre with his Mum this week to show Mbabazi Hellen the progress he is making! Waswa has proudly taken his first steps in his Callipers. We are hoping he will be able to fully mobilise in time! We have purchased Waswa a walker to help his legs get strong and use to the walking motion! Check him out on his walker. Smiling Hearts is again, creating an opportunity, making a difference
October 21st - Darren Hall from Prominent Group, you and your team are the best! Due to demand, you have printed a second run of 250 cookery books and again all generously donated. Thank you Darren and all at Prominent Press. You really are helping us inch closer to purchasing our vehicle at the Smiling Hearts Centre! 🚌. Darren is pictured here with Co Founder of Smiling Hearts Loretta Lilford
October 16th - So great to see our very own Smiling Heart and Suubi Secondary student, Sylivia feature in this post from Uganda Marathon - An Adventure Like No Other. Fantastic to see this organisation is inclusive for all and we thank them for recognising that disability is not inability. Our Smiling HeARTs had a wonderful time participating in the marathon, and are already in preparation for 2020. See you on the start line 🏃🏿♀️🏃🏿♂️💪🏿 — in Uganda.
September 17th - After some incredible cookbook sales and very generous donations, we have raised $4605 towards our $10k target to buy a much needed vehicle for the Smiling Hearts Centre! Cookbooks are selling so well, we have sent another order to print! Can’t wait to see this little beauty all coloured in! 🚌
September 11th - C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S We proudly share with you the news that Sadam, our very first Smiling Hearts apprenticeship recipient, is now successfully independent and self supporting! Sadam has left the SH Centre, and living nearby and continuing to work at the salon where he did his hairdressing apprenticeship. Congratulations Sadam. You had a dream and you never gave up hope. When disability knocked you down, you rose above it. Your story inspires our other SH participants, and our supporters. WE BELIEVED YOU COULD, AND YOU DID. We are so very proud of you. You will forever remain a precious Smiling Hearts family member. Special thanks again to Hinchliffe & Greed Real Estate for providing Sadam this opportunity.