There’s something about this season that brings us back to what matters most—home. Not just a place, but the people around the table. The feeling of being known and cared for. 

At Otem Collective, we believe every child deserves that same feeling and a place to call home. Across villages in Uganda, we’re seeing that become a reality as families grow stronger so children can stay where they belong.

Walk down a dirt path at sunset and you might hear laughter coming from a family’s home, where before there was silence or shouting born out of stress and struggle. One of those homes belongs to Dickens, a father and local village leader.

When he first joined Otem Collective’s Parent Support Groups, Dickens said his home was filled with conflict and distance. He believed boys deserved more opportunities than girls and that showing love made children weak. Over time, he began to see things differently. Now, he connects with his family and speaks proudly about the potential of both his daughters and sons. As he says, “I have seen peace and unity in my home.”

Stories like Dickens’ are becoming common. Through Parent Support Groups, 190 caregivers have learned new ways to care for their children and each other. Families are finding stability in savings groups—learning financial literacy and saving for school fees, start small businesses, and weather hard times. And through the agriculture initiative, 90 families are planting seeds, both literal and figurative, producing food, income, and strength.

This is what home looks like: parents equipped to care for their children, families standing together, and children growing up in families filled with love, belonging, and hope.

As we approach the end of the year, we’re asking for your help to make this possible for even more families.

Your support will help with things like:

• Launching the Otem Collective Uganda office so our team can better respond to families’ needs

• Expanding Parent Support Groups to reach additional families 

• Equipping hundreds more parents through initiatives that build stability and prevent family separation

Would you give a year-end gift to help keep children in families? Together, we can help more children be home for the holidays—and every day after.