Supporting Love Mercy: transforming healthcare in Northern Uganda

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At Ancient + Brave, since inception, we have balanced profit with purpose, striving to make a positive impact on both people and the planet. As proud members of 1% for the Planet, our mission and commitment has led to meaningful partnerships, and we are so excited to be able to share this journey with you. 

If you’ve been following along for the past few years, you’ll know how deeply rooted our commitment is to the Love Mercy Foundation and the extraordinary work they do in Northern Uganda. Their impact is nothing short of life-changing. 

For those new to our community, read on for an introduction to the incredible story behind the foundation.

Love Mercy’s Story 

Founded in 2010 by Olympic runners Eloise Wellings and Julius Achon, Love Mercy is dedicated to empowering communities in Northern Uganda, creating lasting change where it’s needed most. Both of their stories are empowering and inspiring. 

Eloise Wellings had always wanted to participate in the Olympics, but unfortunately, her path was anything but easy. After enduring 13 stress fractures and missing three Olympic Games, her dream felt almost out of reach. But with resilience and the support of her coach, she kept going, eventually training in Portland, Oregon—where she met Julius Achon.

After training together for a few weeks, Julius began sharing his extraordinary story. At just 11 years old, he was abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and forced to fight as a child soldier. Against all odds, he escaped and found his way back to his family. His talent for running became his lifeline, leading him to two Olympic Games and multiple world records. But it was a life-changing moment in 2003 that shaped his mission. 

When on one of his runs, he found 11 orphaned children sleeping under a bus. Without hesitation, he invited them home to his family, who were living in a refugee camp in Lira. By 2009, when Eloise and her husband visited, Julius and his family had taken in 18 orphans. Deeply moved, Eloise knew they had to help—and the Love Mercy Foundation was born.

Developing Love Mercy’s Projects

In 2012, just before qualifying for the London Olympics, Eloise travelled to Uganda, where she spent her mornings training with Julius. During her time there, she met with the 750 women who had joined their Cents for Seeds programme, supporting the introduction of a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) program, to work alongside agricultural workshops. 

In August, fresh from the London Olympics, the team gathered for the official opening of The Kristina Health Centre (KHC), named in honour of Julius’ mother, who tragically passed away in 2004. Had they had access to adequate medical assistance, she potentially could have been saved, highlighting the urgent need for better healthcare infrastructure.

KHC became a beacon of hope, and immediately began to treat patients, dispense vital medications, provide first aid, and administer vaccinations. It was a moment of pride and emotion, the start of something completely transformative for the community. 

Since then, Love Mercy has continued building these life-changing initiatives, providing sustainable incomes, food, and water to communities in Northern Uganda. 

Our pledge - an update

The KHC has already made an incredible impact, with trained, qualified staff treating over 75,000 patients and safely delivering more than 1,500 babies. The centre provides essential medical care, maternal health services, inoculation and treatment for preventable diseases. With limited healthcare access in rural Northern Uganda, KHC is a lifeline for thousands of families who would otherwise have no access to medical assistance. 

Yet, critical medical emergencies still require a two-hour journey to the nearest hospital in Lira which is time many patients simply don’t have. 

That’s why we’re incredibly proud to support the next stage of KHC’s evolution: transitioning into a Level 4 clinic with a fully equipped surgical theatre.

Thanks to the purchases you have made, not only did we donate a total of £72,150 in 2024 to help KHC reach Level 4 status. We also backdated our donation to match our 2% commitment from 2021 to 2023, doubling our original pledge. This additional donation now ensures the hospital is fully equipped and financially supported, covering essential running costs and staff salaries. With this expansion, KHC will be able to offer emergency surgeries, specialised maternal care, and paediatric services, ensuring that the most vulnerable members of the community receive the care they deserve.

The work that Love Mercy is doing with this donation is transformative. The new expansion will introduce a surgical theatre, a NICU, an upgraded maternity ward, patient accommodation, a laboratory, a dental clinic, and a cafeteria for staff and patients. Most importantly, it will eliminate the need for long, dangerous journeys to access critical care, saving numerous lives. The centre’s growth, and the ongoing projects run by the foundation, represent a fundamental shift in the well-being of entire communities. The work is due to begin in March 2025 and, weather dependent, will be complete around October. 

The work at KHC is helping create a world where quality healthcare is not a privilege but a fundamental right. As we look ahead to 2025, we are filled with hope and excitement for the future of KHC and the communities it serves and will be back here with any updates along the way. 

Thank you for being part of this journey - your support makes our donations and charity partnerships possible.

If you want to learn more about Love Mercy do, or make a donation, head over to their website - https://www.lovemercyfoundation.org/our-story