What a devastating year 2022 has been for so many people around the world. ACT International is especially concerned that so many children have never known what is like to grow up in a peaceful, healthy and joyful community where all their needs are met.  We know that what we do is a drop in the ocean, but at least we can help some children to recover mentally, be more resilient and prepare for a better future.  This includes children in Gaza, the Yemen, northern Syria, Colombia and those who are refugees in UK from the war in Ukraine.  Our Trustees have just prioritised training for people working with children in all these areas in 2023.   In doing so we have not forgotten Uganda, where our work is now so well established.  In November at total of 18 more CATT counsellors were trained by wonderful senior trainers Elias Byaruhanga and Sister Florence Achulo. You can see them all in the photograph, and most of them are working with children who have been abused or trafficked. This brings the number of counsellors we have trained in Uganda since 2012 to 179, working in a wide variety of settings across the whole country. We are delighted that the impact of this work has been powerfully demonstrated in Jenny Cuffe’s recent Uganda Impact Assessment which you can read here.

On behalf of all ACT International’s Trustees and volunteers, we wish you a joyful, peaceful and healthy New Year 2023!