“There will always be a family that stays in your memory longer than others”

Everyone is important, everyone is worthy, and need the several Littles Gestures from Sponsors… from Donors… from Friends and naturally from all the ALG/UPG team in UK, Portugal, and Mozambique!

We cannot be indifferent to certain situations that come to our attention through our local partners, especially during our regular visits to the ground, and the “Williamo Family” in Chokwe is one of these cases.

Contrary to the general tendency of having the father of the family deceased, absent and/or unknown, Lucas, Maria, and Enoque have the good fortune of still having with them one parent, their FATHER with capital “F”.

Their mother Sonia, passed away 2 years ago, victim of AIDS a disease that afflicts so many Mozambican people. Since then, the father has been unwell but he was never seen by a doctor, or been to the hospital. With 32 years old he used to work in construction doing a bit of everything to provide for his family. In every job he managed to save a sack of cement and, little by little, he started to build the foundations of what is now his family home (see picture)

It is not possible to help everyone but emergency cases like this one makes us feel how every Little Gesture is truly a Great Help! This is the reason why we are here after 12 years - to help in situations of great vulnerability. The whole family showed signs of malnutrition, the father could barely stand but he never let the children go – and the children never let the father go either – the tenderness and love we witnessed was overwhelming.

We took them home where we had the opportunity to see how they lived … Immediately UPG Portugal took the responsibility of sponsoring the 3 children, we delivered some food and the father promised to look after his health.

The sponsoring of the two older brothers enabled them to start attending school on the following day under the SVP Sponsoring Programme. They receive a Monthly Basic Basket, school material and also have a daily meal at school under the After Class Support Programme.

On the following day we had good news – at dawn “Daddy” Williamo went to the Carmelo Hospital, managed by the Daughters of Charity Vincentian Sisters. After the check-up he was diagnosed with advanced HIV and began treatment. His frail and weak appearance and constant coughing were already revealing this possible condition.

The food, the guarantee of family support, and the medical treatment were certainly the trigger for the improvement we observed throughout this week regarding the family living conditions.

Khanimambo Cordeiro da Silva Family for accepting to support the Williamo Family with open arms and open heart.

Together we will continue to look after these children.