Bring Christmas Joy to 200 Families in Rural Gulu

As we prepare for this year’s Christmas Kind Cover event on December 22nd, our team has begun the early groundwork to reach the most vulnerable households in our community. This year, due to limited time and resources, we plan to support a few deeply affected families with more substantial Christmas packages—ensuring that those facing the hardest situations experience comfort, dignity, and renewed hope during the festive season. So far, one family has been identified, and their story has touched all our hearts.

Annet is a mother of eight children who lost her husband just one month ago. Before his passing, he had begun building a small home for his family, hoping to bring them together under one roof. His sudden death left the house unfinished and the family facing overwhelming hardship. With all eight children depending entirely on her, Annet struggles to provide meals, school support, and basic daily needs. When we visited her home, the weight of her loss was visible, yet her determination to keep her family afloat was equally powerful.

In this reporting period, our activities have included visiting Annet’s household, assessing their needs, and beginning preparations for the Christmas package—consisting of food staples, hygiene items, ingredients for Christmas meals, and a mattress. In the coming weeks, we will continue identifying additional families who urgently require support. We look forward to sharing more updates and the impact of this year’s initiative in our next report.

At Friends of Children Circle (FOCC) Uganda, the spirit of giving doesn’t pause when the Christmas lights come down it lives on in every plan we make for the year ahead.

Project Update: The Gift That Keeps on Giving

We believe that love doesn’t expire with the season and the joy of Christmas should never be limited to just one day. While our Christmas Kind Cover 2025 will take place in December, the spirit of giving continues to inspire our community, and your past support has left a lasting ripple of hope.

Earlier this year, we shared how your support made our Christmas Kind Cover 2024 an unforgettable blessing for 60 families benefiting over 400 individuals in Omel Subcounty. Over 300 children laughed, played, and left with gifts, sweets, and memories that remind them they are not forgotten.

Donor Impact & Community Story

One of our local volunteers recently shared:
"A few weeks ago, I visited one of the homes we delivered a basket to last Christmas. The mother still had the empty rice sack folded neatly. She told me, ‘I kept this to remember the day strangers became family.’”

This is the power of your giving it lasts beyond the moment. The impact of just one gift has continued to build trust, restore dignity, and reinforce our presence in the communities we serve.

Planning Ahead: December 2025

We’re now actively laying the groundwork for Christmas Kind Cover 2025, where we plan to reach even more families in need in Omel Subcounty, Gulu District. We’ve learned from previous years and are improving our logistics, mobilization strategy, and engagement of local leaders and partners.

Our team is mapping out the budget, identifying vulnerable households early, and seeking both in-kind and financial support. Our prayer is to double the number of families reached this year and with your continued support, we believe it's possible.

A Special Thank You to Our Donors

To our GlobalGiving donors, your support continues to light the path. Your generosity made Christmas possible for many last year, and we’re deeply grateful. Whether you gave $10 or $200, you helped create moments of celebration for people who often go unseen and unheard.

To those who gave during Giving Tuesday, supported us through raffles, shared our posts, or simply cheered us on thank you. You are part of the FOCC family.

Our local givers, we extend our deepest gratitude to you all who gave so generously whether through financial donations or in-kind items to make the Christmas Kind Cover 2024 a reality. Your kindness brought hope, joy, and dignity to families who needed it most. Thank you for always standing with us and sharing the true spirit of giving.

What You Can Look Forward To

As we move closer to the festive season, we’ll be sharing:

• Updates on this year’s planning process
• Stories from families impacted by past Kind Covers
• Early fundraising goals for December
• Volunteer spotlights and ways you can get involved again

We are excited, hopeful, and more energized than ever to keep this beautiful tradition alive.