Who We Are
Lullaby Africa is a Christian charity which works with community leaders in sub-Saharan Africa to run baby bonding programmes.
We are governed by a team of trustees and the teaching is delivered by a team of volunteers from the UK and a dedicated and growing team of local leaders. We train local leaders in each of the locations to which we are invited.
Vision and Values
Our vision is to raise a generation of emotionally healthy children throughout Africa
We will achieve this through bringing the benefits of baby bonding to mothers and carers in the crucial first 1,000 days of their child’s life.
Lullaby Africa is a Christian charity, and our values are:
1
Unconditional love for everyone
2
Empowering women
3
Guided by science
4
Respect for local communities
Founder’s Message
— Helen Howes, former counsellor and play therapist is the founder of Lullaby Africa.
“When I first visited a feeding centre in Kibera, Nairobi, I saw small children who had just been orphaned and had no-one to care for them. What broke my heart was the total lack of understanding that the leader of this centre had - he thought that, if the children had one meal a day, their needs would be catered for.
Then I visited orphanages in Kisumu. I met silent babies, and carers who had no idea that a baby needs to be looked at, talked to or sung to. I realised that living in extreme deprivation where violence and trauma are part of life means many mothers have lost their ability to bond with their babies.
My dream is to break a cycle where people who are emotionally and intellectually damaged give birth to a generation of people who are emotionally and intellectually damaged. If we can reverse this process, we will change the future!
My faith drives this passion: the bible says God sings over us and calms us. When we have experienced God’s love for us, we simply have to show that love to anyone we can help.”
“Your God is present among you…. He’ll calm you with his love and delight you with his songs.”
- Zephaniah 3:17
Governance
We want to be as open as possible about how we use the money we raise. Our trustees publish an annual report of the charity’s operations.
The impact of our work is evaluated by measuring maternal sensitivity before and after each course.
In the UK, the charity is governed by a board of trustees.
Trustees
Helen
Howes
Helen is a qualified Play Therapist, Counsellor [MBACP] and teacher. She has worked with children for over 38 years. She founded Lullaby Africa and has visited Kenya and Uganda numerous times teaching women and men to bond with their babies.
Isobel Tutt-Leppard
An experienced charity fund-raiser and administrator, Isobel has worked for Tenovus, RADAR and Winchester YMCA. She spent a decade in management positions with the NHS in London. Isobel is a partner in 360 integrated PR and a trustee of Churches Together in Winchester.
Imogen
Smith
Imogen is a qualified primary school teacher and mum to a two year old. She has experience of leading teams both in school and church as well as being part of the church safeguarding team.
Sue
Earnshaw
Sue is an experienced health visitor specialising in working with families with children under five. She has been to Africa on several occasions with the charity. Her understanding of perinatal health is particularly valued.
Nidhi Trimble
Nidhi works as a Human Element Specialist and is also a mum to a toddler. After graduating with a degree in Psychology and International Experience she was a student worker with UCCF. Nidhi has also served in treasury and preaching roles with several different organisations.
The charity is actively seeking new trustees to augment its team.
Local Leaders
Day to day operations in Africa are coordinated by the charity’s local leaders, who support and visit the local Lullaby Africa groups in their area. The charity is also grateful for the services of its local translators, drivers, church leaders and guest house managers, who make the trips possible.
Reverend Jackline Nyiragakizaj
Kisoro Leader – Jackline has been working with us since 2014. She is vicar of a large parish on the outskirts of Kisoro and is married with two children.
Reverend Venaida Ainomugisha
Kisoro Leader – Venaida joined the growing Kisoro team in 2017. She is married to a fellow vicar and they have three children.
Enid Kviri
Kampala Leader – Enid has recently helped us launch our work in Kampala. She is married to the Reverend Herbert and they run a large parish in one of the poorest areas of Uganda’s capital.
Pastor Joseph Obadha and Lillian
Kisumu Leader – Joseph and Lillian have been working with us since 2013, and now oversee the work in Kisumu, together with Rose Ochieng.
Catherine Onyango
Catherine has been leading groups and translating since 2014 around Kisumu. She also wants to take the teaching to Homa Bay. She has 4 children and works as a hairdresser.
Zack Ochieng
Originally from Kisumu, now working in Mombasa, where he hopes to start baby bonding teaching. We first met him in 2014.
Volunteers
Andy Cadle-Mills
Andy is our Bookkeeper. He keeps all our accounts in order. Andy is a teacher and IT expert who has acted as treasurer and bookkeeper for several charities over the past decade.
Helen Revans
Helen is a qualified primary school teacher (BEd. Sci) and is currently working as a childminder. Over the past 25 years Helen has worked as a children’s and youth worker at her local church.
Jane Aslet
Jane has worked in primary education for many years majoring in special needs and emotional literacy. She has been to Kenya with the charity many times. She is a dedicated fundraiser, always looking for new ways to help us.