Christine’s First Hello: a seven-year photo journey of a mum and her baby

What a privilege it was to walk alongside three Ugandan Mums from their pregnancy to their baby’s first birthday, through Compassion's Survival Program - Mums and Bubs. Now, those babies are seven! We've called this longitudinal photojournalism assignment The First Hello. Recently, photographer Helen Manson was back in Uganda ‘to catch up with these gorgeous girls.’ 

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Meet Juliet – the first of these brave young mums whose babies started their sponsorship journey in Compassion Uganda’s Mums and Bubs programme, seven years ago. 

“I don’t know what life would look like if my baby Christine wasn’t sponsored. I know if she was sick, I wouldn’t be able to help her. She wouldn’t have many clothes to wear. Going to school would also be a challenge because of school fees—but now she is learning about God and going to Sunday school.”   

Juliet’s story began in a family of ten children, where money, meals and education were often hard to come by. Juliet loved school though she didn’t always get to go. “Sometimes we could go to school for a week, but other times we couldn’t afford to go for an entire term,” she recalls.  

When she was only 16, Juliet moved to a larger town near the capital of Uganda to work fulltime. Juliet met her husband Edward, and soon after fell pregnant. Her bouts of sickness coupled with the fear that she wouldn’t be able to support her child. They had a chapati business that brought in just enough money to get through the day (around $2 USD) but often not enough for buses to hospital checkups. When Juliet did get to the hospital, “they told me that I might lose the baby, and I was very worried.”  

Juliet receiving medical support during her pregnancy through Compassion’s Mums and Bubs programme. Photo: Tearfund

But when Tearfund's sponsorship partner, Compassion entered Juliet’s story at her fourth month of pregnancy, it wasn’t just hospital care that arrived – it was the glimpse of a brighter future. The child sponsorship organisation offered hope that her own childhood had been missing. Despite working tirelessly to provide for herself and create a home fit for a newborn, Juliet was struggling. This made the child sponsorship support from Compassion even more important.  

“The baby got sick immediately after we left the hospital. I told the Compassion project, and they sent us back to hospital. We got some drugs and she got better.” 

Christine rides on a motorcycle with her mother and father, Juliet and Edward. Photo: Tearfund.

Through Compassion’s project, Juliet received breastfeeding support and had visits from a Compassion worker weekly in her daughter’s early years. Juliet’s ongoing story isn’t without challenges though. Christine’s father is no longer part of their lives. Today, she lives in the capital of South Sudan, working as a cleaner for a family who treats her with little respect. She is currently upskilling in several areas and hopes to quit this job. Christine still lives with Juliet’s mum and sister and attends the Compassion centre in their town. Christine misses her mummy. 

Christine in her school uniform at five years old. Compassion supports millions of children around the world just like Christine through paying for their school fees. Photo: Tearfund

But thanks to Juliet’s perseverance and the support of Compassion, Christine’s story is turning out differently to her mother’s. Instead of limited education, unpredictable meals, and needing to start earning too young, Christine is flourishing. Her sponsor has made it possible for Christine to attend school five days a week, have three meals a day, and be part of a wonderful church community she visits each Sunday.  

Christine, now 7, and Juliet play on the swing together. Photo: Tearfund 

Juliet says her greatest joy is being a mother, and her love means being away from her daughter right now  to provide for her family- but with the support of Tearfund and Compassion, Christine has been gifted a safe and promising first seven years of life, and the foundation to build her own better future.  

Learn more about sponsorship here.