Plumbridge women’s generosity set to bring comfort and hope to vulnerable young mothers in Uganda

THE kindness and community spirit of the Plum Club in Plumbridge is set to make a lasting difference to the lives of vulnerable young mothers in Uganda, as a team from Northern Ireland travels to the African country this week.
For more than 20 years, Waakisa Ministries NI has been supporting the life-changing work of the Wamukisa Teenage Pregnancy Crisis Centre in Uganda.
The centre was established by Northern Ireland founders, Valerie Duff, Fred Hand and Sharon Moore, in response to the devastatingly high rates of teenage pregnancy and maternal deaths in the country.
The centre provides a haven for young girls who have become pregnant through abuse, offering them care, protection and hope for a brighter future.
Among those helped over the years was a young mother who was just 11 years-old when she gave birth.
Girls who come to Wamukisa receive comprehensive support, including pre and post-natal care, access to safe hospital deliveries and trauma counselling. Many require Caesarean sections due to their young age.
The programme also equips the girls with valuable life skills through training in tailoring and hairdressing, helping them become self-sufficient and build independent futures.
Since its founding, the centre has supported more than 2,000 girls and celebrated the safe birth of over 2,000 babies.
On Monday, a team of six women – Jane White, Donna Watson, Joyce Millar, Sharon Walker, Sharon Fletcher and Alison Barr – departed to Uganda for a two-week visit to the centre.
During their stay, they will deliver training in parenting, women’s health, CPR, choking and burns response, as well as dental and general hygiene.
They will also organise fun-filled activities for the girls and their children, including a sports day, craft sessions and a visit to the zoo.
However, the team says the heart of their mission is to share the Gospel and demonstrate God’s love to the young women who have experienced such hardship in their lives.
A particularly touching aspect of the trip has been the support received from the Plum Club.
After Jane and Donna shared details of the ministry’s work with club members in December last year, the ladies enthusiastically began knitting and crocheting blankets for the mothers and babies at the centre.
On Thursday, June 4, the team had the pleasure of meeting the talented group and collecting the beautifully handmade blankets, which will now make the journey to Uganda alongside them.
The blankets represent not only warmth and comfort but also the compassion and generosity of the Plumbridge community, reaching thousands of miles across the world to support young mothers and their babies.
As the team prepares to depart next week, they have expressed their sincere gratitude to the Plum Club for their outstanding support and kindness.
They are also asking for prayerful support as they travel to Uganda and minister to the young girls whose lives are being transformed through the work of Wamukisa.
Thanks to the dedication of local volunteers and supporters, the message of hope, love and practical care from Plumbridge will soon be making a difference in Uganda, one blanket and one life at a time.