This Christmas season, we're excited to support three incredible organisations that are making a real difference in people's lives. We wanted to take a moment to share more about each of these causes and the important work they do.
Yimba Uganda: Bringing joy to families in rural Uganda
Yimba Uganda's does vocational training and youth empowerment in rural Ugandan communities. They provide programs that equip young people with practical skills, enabling them to become self-sufficient and generate their own income. This focus on education and empowerment helps break cycles of poverty and creates lasting change in the community.
In addition to their year-round training initiatives, Yimba Uganda also comes together each Christmas to support disadvantaged families through their food hamper program. These hampers are filled with essential staples like rice, beans, sugar, fresh vegetables and fruit, along with treats for children and practical items like laundry soap and toilet paper. Some hampers are even packed in basins that families can continue to use long after the food is gone.
This year, Yimba Uganda is expanding their Christmas initiative to include gifts for children in their community. In rural villages where toys are considered a real luxury, many children don't receive anything on Christmas Day. Through this new program, they're working to change that by personally packing and distributing gifts to kids who need them most. The genuine joy these hampers and gifts bring to families is truly heartwarming and demonstrates how meaningful this support is to the community.
The Hard Places Org: Bringing Hope to Vulnerable Children
In the slum areas of Siem Reap, The Hard Place's team works with families where children have historically been at high risk of entering the sex trade at a young age.
Their social workers network with anti-trafficking police to reach children in vulnerable situations, while professional counsellors provide long-term support and healing programs. The team walks alongside children through difficult journeys, including supporting them through the justice system when needed. At their centre outside Siem Reap, they meet daily with nearly 300 children in their program, showing them care and creating pathways to safety and restoration.
Through The Hard Places' support, this vital work continues - providing online safety education, economic empowerment programs, therapy services, and creating safe spaces where vulnerable children can heal and build better futures. Together, they're making a difference in the fight against child exploitation, offering children hope and the chance for a brighter tomorrow.
The Salvation Army: Our collective_100 Wishing Tree
We're proud to be running our own collective_100 Wishing Tree this Christmas in partnership with The Salvation Army.
This initiative brings our community together to support Australians facing hardship during Christmas and beyond, helping families experiencing crisis, hardship, and cost-of-living pressures.
Our wishing tree works simply: members of our community can donate practical gifts—books, school supplies, headphones, everyday essentials like socks and towels or gift cards—items that remain useful well beyond the holiday season.
Food donations and monetary contributions are also welcome. These gifts will be collected and delivered to The Salvation Army, where they'll be distributed to families in need, ensuring that everyone can experience the joy and dignity they deserve at Christmas time.
How you can get involved
We're proud to support these three incredible organisations, and we invite you to join us in making a difference.
To learn more about how you can support these causes, visit:
- Yimba Uganda: www.yimbauganda.org/donate
- The Hard Places Organisation: https://thehardplaces.org/punlok-themey-siem-reap/
- Salvation Army Wishing Tree: https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/christmas/get-involved-this-christmas/
Together, we can do so much more!
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