Birthday Blessings

alicebates132
May 7
5 min read

On Sunday, we celebrated the birthday of an extraordinary woman, Barbra, the CEO of Ziingo. A woman who spends every day giving, serving, and advocating for women and children across Uganda. Instead of focusing on herself, Barbra chose to spend her special day spreading joy and hope in places where it’s needed most.

Our morning began with a visit to a local government hospital. I wasn’t prepared for what I saw. Patients lay outside on the hard ground, waiting for care. There was no personal protective equipment in sight. The floors were dusty, and the conditions were deeply troubling. I felt a lump in my throat - not just from sadness, but from a sense of helplessness. The overworked nurses care for many patients at once, but with so much compassion and care for each and every one.

I couldn’t ask for photos with patients. It felt invasive. I wasn’t there to document suffering for praise - I was there to witness, to listen, to learn and to offer a smile of encouragement.

For those wondering - no, I didn’t get treated in this hospital. That realisation hit me hard. It made me feel incredibly privileged, and a little ashamed. Knowing I had other options while so many others don’t reminded me of how uneven the playing field really is. Healthcare should not be a privilege - it should be a right.

Barbra, with her usual grace and compassion, came bearing small gifts. She brought a bag of sugar a loaf of bread and soap for three women who had just given birth. It was a modest gesture, yet in this setting, it felt huge - a reminder that kindness, even in small doses, can carry great weight.

Later, after a joyful church service, we traveled to Barbra’s home village. In true celebratory spirit, Barbra brought along a birthday cake to share with the village children. They lit up with joy as each was handed a small piece. Watching their faces light up was beautiful, but the joy was bittersweet. The way they clung to even the smallest crumb revealed the deep hunger they suffer.

And yet, amidst all of this, there were blessings. A goat at Barbra’s parents’ home had given birth that very morning - new life. Her mother’s house, the only one in the village with solar power, became a cinema that evening. Around 30 children squeezed into the small living room to watch part of a movie on the TV. For a few moments, it was as if the entire world outside faded away. The children were captivated, thrilled, almost like they had won the lottery.

Children watching the only TV in the village

That day, I was reminded that joy can live beside hardship. That generosity can bloom in the toughest places. That celebrating a birthday can be about so much more than cake and candles - it can be about giving light, even in the darkest corners.

Happy Birthday, Barbra. Your life is a blessing to so many.

Barbra cutting her cake to share with the village children

And the blessings didn’t end there.

The next day, we were invited by St. Gracious School, based in a nearby slum community, to visit five families in desperate need. These families are just a few among many struggling to survive without access to even the most basic necessities - food, healthcare, clean water.

Let me share just a glimpse of what we saw and the challenges they face:

Diana, a woman of quiet strength, is raising her late sister’s five children. One of them, 17-year-old Rita, is disabled. They have never been able to afford a doctor, so they don’t even know her condition. Rita can’t use the toilet, needs constant bathing, and Diana does all of this without complaint, and with almost no support. Ziingo agreed to sponsor a child from this family to alleviate some of their financial pressures and to ensure at least one child gets an education.

Then there’s Florence, a grandmother raising three grandchildren in a single room they share with animals. The children suffer from skin diseases, likely from living with the animals, but they help bring in income. Florence washes clothes to pay school fees, but it’s a daily struggle just to survive. All three children sleep on one ripped piece of foam, like most. Again Ziingo agreed to sponsor a child from this family.

Florence and her grandchildren who she cares for

On the street, we met a young girl with a serious burn on her arm. We later learned she had been cooking beans alone when it happened. She lives with her grandmother. There’s no support, no emergency care, no help unless someone steps in. We're now working to get her some burn cream, but how many children go without such basic care?

Thanks to the generosity of supporters, we were able to offer each family a small blessing of bread, sugar, and soap. For Jessica, who is HIV positive, it meant she could finally take her medication. Without food, she can’t take her pills. Without her pills, her life is at risk. According to statistics from 2021, an estimated 1.4 million people in Uganda are living with HIV. While the government does provide free medication for this condition - unexpected given the strained healthcare system - many are still unable to take it consistently. The reason? Poverty. Taking these life-saving drugs without food can cause extreme side effects, and many simply can't afford to eat regularly. So the medication, though free, remains out of reach in practice for too many.

Giving Jessica and her Family a bag of food

But amidst all the hardship, there was hope.

Ziingo was able to select six children from the school for full sponsorship. That means their education is now secure, and they will receive meals at school - often the only food they’ll eat all day. Knowing we will provide education, safety, and nutrition brings me so much joy.

Of course we brought fun aswell! We got the school a football, and for a little while, the children just got to be children rather than doing water runs or household tasks. Running, laughing, chasing the ball like it was the most important thing in the world. And for those moments, it was.