The Brickworks is a charity that works alongside the church in the very needy nation of South Sudan, helping people to rebuild their lives after years of civil war. Many South Sudanese are now in refugee camps in Uganda due to insecurity and The Brickworks supports Dioceses with their work with refugees.
The challenges faced by the people of South Sudan are huge. They have had many years of little investment and still have some of the worst health statistics in the world. There’s very high maternal mortality, few homes have access to clean water or a latrine and many children die before their fifth birthday. UNICEF announced in 2016 that more teenage girls die in childbirth than finish secondary school.
The Brickworks supports the local church in discipleship, running a very busy health clinic, improving schools and training teachers and medics.
It also funds three under-tree schools in the camps, catering for over 3,500 primary school children living as refugees in Uganda.
The Brickworks is based in Bristol and has no paid staff. It is run by John and Poppy Spens (who are members of St Michael’s Church) and a Board of Trustees. John and Poppy try to visit South Sudan and Uganda once a year to check on progress and to understand the current needs and priorities. In doing this they meet all their own expenses so that everything given to The Brickworks can be put to work on these varied church projects.
Website
Mission updates
July 2022
Read the update here – click here
View the video here
July 2021
Read the update here – click here
View the video here
July 2020
Read the update here- click here
View the video here
August 2019
Read the update leaflet here
view the powerpoint here
October 2018
In October, John and Poppy travelled to Uganda on behalf of The Brickworks to visit the under tree schools again. This time they took with them a large box of children’s reading books which had been donated by St Michael’s CE Primary School, Stoke Gifford. They made a short film of the presentation of the books to the Good Samaritan Primary School in a refugee camp and there was great thankfulness and rejoicing for this gift and for the link to St Michael’s Primary School.
Watch the video
May 2018
Read the Information Sheet
View the PowerPoint
watch the video
