Message of hope

By Kath Gannaway
AS A six-year-old Nambowa Ruth Bulyaba would run back home during school breaks to feed her younger brothers and sisters.
Her childhood as the oldest daughter of a single mother living in poverty in a Ugandan village is so far removed from the lives of the school children she is talking to in the Yarra Valley that she shares her experiences carefully.
Ms Bulyaba, now 30, saw three of her siblings die of Aids related illnesses, one to measles and another to floods but she survived, gained a university education and founded an organisation which cares for more than 50 Ugandan children affected by Aids, child abuse, civil war and poverty.
She says some adults who have read or travelled may be aware to a degree of what life is like in Third World countries, but the grim reality, and in many cases the horror of everyday life for children and families, is something she talks about at a level primary and secondary school students can work with.
Ms Bulyaba’s visit is sponsored by Healesville woman Kate Bilton who visited Another Hope Children’s Ministries last year.
She was touched by Ms Bulyaba’s experiences and inspired by the work she does as executive director of Another Hope.
She said the organisation relies on volunteer aid and foreign sponsorship just to survive but was working towards building a self-sufficient rural centre to provide a better life and opportunities for the children.
“We hope Ruth’s visit to Healesville will raise awareness of her cause and make a difference,” Ms Bilton said.
“Ruth has been talking to students about the issues faced by developing nations such as poverty, homelessness, Aids and education.”
They hope to establish correspondence between local students and students at Another Hope.
The sale of dolls, hand-made by the Ugandan children, are another way of raising awareness, and money.
The dolls have been sold for several weeks at Jyali gift shop in Healesville and at AutumnFest in Healesville on Saturday.
“The dolls portray how women in our culture, very often girls from a very young age, have the responsibility to taking care of children,” Ms Bulyaba explained.
“That is why the dolls are carrying a little baby on their backs.”
The dolls are available at Jyali, 242 Maroondah Highway, Healesville, through Ms Bilton on 5962 3869, or visit www.anotherhope.org.