Teso Development Trust partnership in relief, development and mission

Teso News - May 2012, Issue 53

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IN THIS ISSUE OF TDT NEWS

Great relief effort complete Working for food security Women’s savings groups take off Schools to give a future Water projects get on stream New TEDDO director

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GREAT RELIEF ... AND NOW MOVING ON !! The heavy rains of last summer and autumn meant yet another disaster in Teso, not just in the Amuria and Katakwi areas - which have normally suffered most - but also in the Kumi and Pingire communities close to Lake Kyoga. By February the trust had provided £72400 in aid to: 3680 households receiving food aid 1200 households receiving mosquito

nets 116 malnourished children getting

specific nutritional aid This means that we helped an estimated 22300 Teso people with essential aid through the crisis. We provided an extraordinary 76280kg of maize flour, 16000kg of millet flour, 1000kg of soya, 43000kg of beans and 1160kg of salt. We are especially grateful to the Barnabas Fund who contributed £65527, the Rowan Trust for £5000 of the total and for TDT supporters giving the remainder. Our partners – the Church of Uganda, PAG Kumi, Katakwi and Soroti and the effected communities express their huge thanks to their UK Christian Friends who have helped them in their distress. The crisis being over, our partners now want to move on to improve the conditions and facilities for the people

of Teso and particularly for the next generation. This newsletter recounts the ways that we want to improve the hospitals, schools provision, water, the income and food supply through projects led by Teso people. Our aim is to do our utmost to make this happen as we recognize the huge needs - but also the vision and energy of the Church leaders and their development teams.

A SECURE FOOD SUPPLY FOR THE FUTURE Now that the floods have gone and immediate food aid and relief are less needed, our partners and ourselves are keen to address the longer term development needs of food supply. Government statistics indicate that an incredible 2/3rds of people in Teso are moderately or extremely food insecure which means that 1 meal a day is normal and most families are “on the edge” in terms of food availability and nutrition. This has major consequences for health, the welfare of children and especially the vulnerable, elderly and disabled. Teso has plenty of fertile farmland, a good climate for growing and a people with enterprise and energy. There are good prospects of developing a good agricultural base to feed the people adequately and produce cash crops. We have been supporting programmes

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that improve food security, diversify kinds of food - helping people grow drought and disease resistant crops, restock farm animals, and bring in environmental measures such as water harvesting and tree planting. Since 2010, we have worked to contribute to the Church of Uganda’s programme of food security - mainly funded by TEAR fund - in Ngarium and Morakakise. These have had good results in diversifying crops, improving the skills of farmers’ groups, planting citrus, restocking with chickens and introducing water harvesting schemes.

Other smaller-scale projects we have aided are: Revivaltime Ministries renewal

programme in Wera and Aberillela where we have helped with a microloan fund and provision of seeds and trees

a new project (called ECEDA) in the villages of Ceele and Nyakoi in the Kumi area where 80 women (with 240 household members) are being trained in agricultural skills and supported with planting materials and some livestock. 40 are already undertaking crop production, microenterprises or heifer rearing

a livestock cooperative in Kapir developed through PAG Kumi Below: flourishing mango crop

PAG Soroti, Katakwi and Kaberamaido have developed food security projects. These include: helping 400 households in Apapai,

Kaberamaido with training and planting of mangoes, citrus and a high nutrition groundnut called Bambura

creating a farmers’ cooperative for

240 households in Gweri, planting mangoes and oranges, improved cassava and vegetables and tomatoes

helping 100 households in Katakwi

grow improved cassava, groundnuts and oranges.

These will provide high yielding drought/flood-resistant long term cash crops and a significant increase in income and household security in some of the most vulnerable areas.

Our wish is to continue to support these excellent projects as we can. Will you get behind this

and sponsor a package of training, trees and seeds? £50 will bring a household planting materials, training and fruit trees and prospect of a far better future income and food supply (see back page and separate response form for details).

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WOMEN’S SAVINGS GROUPS TAKE OFF In the UK debt has been a growing problem among the poor with very expensive credit companies making a killing. Loans for enterprise or any need are equally prohibitive in costs from the banks in Teso, especially for the poor. In January, therefore, we launched a new programme of developing women’s village savings groups in the Soroti area through the Soroti Women’s Cooperative. The target is 28 such groups and we are pleased to say that progress has been good, directed as it is by the dynamic Margaret Amongin!!

SOWCUL: Kamu Women’s Association

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We aim to keep momentum and continue our support for Soroti Women’s Cooperatives enterprise programme. We have a number of regular

donors but would like more.

Right: Louise Third (on the far right in the adjacent picture) speaking at International Women's Day in Nottingham where proceeds went to SWCo-op.

BUILDING SCHOOLS TO GIVE CHILDREN A FUTURE Supported by TEAR fund, the Pentecostal Assemblies of God have been working hard in many communities to help them devise solutions to their own problems using Bible Study material and deep discussions about what needs to be done and who can do it. This has meant that the communities themselves have identified the problems clearly and devised action plans resulting in many projects to address the needs. Many villages have a rapidly growing number of children and no local schools. The result is many children starting school drop out because of the distance to go or not starting at all. Recognising this issue, an increasing number of the communities, encouraged by PAG, have started new schools. The Church and the parents know that their children only have a good future if they can get as good an education as possible. We have already supported the

building of the community school at Takaramiam in the Gweri sub county 15km north of Soroti. This was set up by local parents in 2006 and now has 600 children. The latest achievement is the completion of a third classroom funded by the Kitchen Table Trust. The Local Council regard this school now as better than many of its own.

PAG is asking us to help provide classrooms, to ilets, equipment and books for the following primary schools: At Takaramiam school, Gweri – a school with 600 children which needs a further 2 classrooms to give proper

Takaramiam school

classroom completed in

January

accommodation; a pit latrine; and additional furniture. Exodus Primary School at Kanyangan, Kateta uses rented shop premises with 361 children in 7 classes. The school has a site and needs urgently to build two classrooms and provide a water source and pit latrines. The primary school at Owii, Agule in Bugondo has 5 classes with 213 children currently using grass huts. This needs three classrooms to give it the chance of getting proper recognition and government funds (see Owii School - below - in August 2011). One classroom costs £5000 and desks,

chairs, blackboards etc a further £1000. Parents make a contribution in providing construction labour and its running costs.

If we can assist, it will make a huge difference to hundreds of children who currently have such poor facilities and a strong

disincentive to have any education. We are currently approaching various foundations to seek funding but we know that they are only likely to help if we can provide some match funding. This is our challenge (see back page and separate response form for details).

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Believe it or not this is Owii school in August 2011!

MORE WATER PROJECTS ARE GO! Many of you will know the impact on the health of a person in Teso - especially a child - from drinking polluted water. This is why TDT has tried so hard over the years with PAG to support a clean water programme. We have achieved 66 projects helping 32000 people. In December 2011, PAG sent us an ambitious programme of 12 wells and 3 boreholes aiming to help a further 1900 households.

We are pleased to say that we have funds from Wilmslow Wells for Africa for 4 of the wells, had a grant from the Drinking Fountain Association for another, and TDT supporters’ fundraising has funded 2 wells and a borehole.

We would love to complete the programme and need £10000 for 2 boreholes and £7000 for a further 5 wells (see back

page and separate response form for details).

Or could you organise a fund raiser for a well?

We are always happy to ask PAG to designate one for your Church or family with a plaque.

A water project visited in 2011

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NEWS FROM NGORA HOSPITAL Sister Angella Ikelybot of Ngoro Maternity hospital had an excellent visit to Nottingham Hospitals in January, benefiting much from learning about maternity care in the UK and giving very helpful input on our plans to help Ngora hospital further. Five medical staff from the group will be visiting Ngora Hospital in June and July to provide fresh input and further progress the detailed plan of improvements. A key project has made firm progress. The crucial operating theatre at Ngora has needed re-equipping and

reconstruction for many years. Working with Rev Jeremiah Acelun - the diocesan hospital board member - we now have a detailed plan to rebuild the unit and re-equip it and the funds for the rebuild have been secured.

Now we need the funds for the equipment!! (see back page and separate response form for details).

Visit

www.teso.org.uk for up to date news and information

on all TDT’s work.

You can also give securely online at

www.justgiving.com/tesodevelopment

The Nottingham team with Angella in January

UPDATE ON KUMI HOSPITAL Dr Chris Atkins visited Kumi Hospital and has provided a detailed and inspiring overview of Kumi Hospital’s achievements and setbacks. The hospital has many friends and has had lots of support during its recent difficulties: A Dutch team have helped the

hospital tackle how it can be more energy efficient and gain a greater stability in its energy supply

Dutch friends have helped with urgent revenue funding for the hospital to pay staff

The Christian Blind Mission has provided funding to provide assessment and treatment for children with sight issues in community outreach clinics in Wera. The hospital is very keen to extend its community health work

TDT friends over the years have had a strong concern for the leprosy patients

who live in the hospital. There are currently 25 and another 17 who live in the community but are supported from the hospital. These adults are totally dependant on the hospital’s help. TDT supporters helped with some funds last year and we have just sent more. As we write the Director, Dr Ruth Obaikol, is on maternity leave. We wish to see how we can help with additional resources and business plan development and this will be the focus of our team’s visits in July. There is much in common between the issues at Ngora and Kumi hospitals and our growing medical links in future are likely to include Kumi as well as Ngora Hospitals.

An immediate need is continued funds to aid the leprosy patients whose running costs total £50 per month per patient.

Contributions are very welcome to support these very needy individuals (see back page and separate response form for details).

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Leprosy patients at Kumi Hospital in August 2011

TRAINING THE LEADERS In a conversation with a Church of Uganda minister on one visit, the stark realities of working as a Christian leader came home very powerfully. He described that he had oversight of 14 congregations across a wide area and his sole transport was a bike. He stressed the crucial importance of his lay readers in running the Churches, each of which has over 100 in the congregation. The PAG bishops talk about similar challenges. Of late we have been able to complete the Lay Readers’ Centre at Soroti and

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provide funding for training and support for PAG pastors and Kumi lay readers. Bournemouth Deanery recently helped the lay readers currently in training in Kumi with a small grant to help them with food and medical care and to buy books and a Bible. We would like to help those at Soroti similarly on a rolling basis. Under half of these Church leaders have any training and their Bishops are keen to see the programmes sustained.

Support for one year to train a lay reader costs £25. A Bible costs £5 (see back page and separate response form for details).

Morning service at the Pentecostal Church in Soroti

NEW DIRECTOR: THE CHURCH OF UGANDA DEVELOPMENT TEAM (TEDDO)

On 3rd January, Rev Canon Naphtali Opwata MA MBA (left) was appointed to the post of Director of the Teso Diocese’s Planning and Development Office (TEDDO) replacing Sam Acodu

who left for personal reasons related to his family in Kampala.

Naphtali brings 15 years’ experience of working at senior management levels in the Martyrs Christian University at Mbale and as Diocesan secretary for Soroti diocese. His MA in theology was gained at St John’s Theological College, Nottingham so he is no stranger to the ways of the British!

We very much look forward to working with him.

FUNDRAISING

We are more than happy to support your fundraising with: our leaflet – as many copies as you want a PowerPoint explaining TDT extra copies of the newsletters - as many as you can use a speaker from the committee

Contact Dave by email or phone and discuss how we can help.

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TESO DEVELOPMENT TRUST www.teso.org.uk

Administrator: Dave Watts B.A. M. Phil. MIED 24 Sandhurst Avenue, Stourbridge West Midlands DY9 0XL 01384 376494 David@drwatts.co.uk

Management Committee Chairman Jim Sampson 2 Homefield, Cupernham Green Romsey, Hampshire SO51 7WG 01794 514722 jimandjanet@talktalk.net

Hon Treasurer Dr Frank Guinness 29 Grange Road, Ryton Newcastle upon Tyne NE40 3CV 0191 413 5623 Guinness@slashmail.org

Hon Secretary Clement Dixon 64 Musters Road, Ruddington Nottingham NG11 6HZ 0115 921 1565 clement.dixon@ntlworld.com

Dr Hugh Mason Catherine Emaru Florence Odeke Philip Good Dr Peter Walker Andrew Third Lucy Hefford Christine Moyes Website and publicity: Stewart Hills

A Registered Charity 1005139 HMRC number XN84557

SEE FULL DETAILS OF HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT TDT PROJECTS OVERLEAF

Teso Development Trust partnership in relief, development and mission

PROJECT DETAILS

FOOD SECURITY Support for the provision of livestock, citrus trees, equipment and agricultural training for programmes to stabilise and enhance local food production in particularly needy

communities. £14 buys a goat, £13 buys 10 fruit trees,

£80 a cow for breeding and ploughing

WATER PROJECTS A programme to provide boreholes, hand dug wells for village communities with poor water supply from swamps or water holes. The results are a significant improvement in

adults’ and especially children's health. A hand dug well costs £1400, providing clean water for 300 people.

A borehole costs £5000 to help up to 1000 people

SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT We are developing a fund to build new classrooms and provide basic equipment for

community based schools A classroom for 60 children costs £4500

£1000 will equip it

COMMUNITY PROJECTS Small grants to provide local projects with funds for small loans for small

enterprises ,training and agricultural improvements £50 will help a women develop a new business

HOSPITAL SUPPORT Donations to help buy equipment and support advice and training for staff

CHURCH MINISTRY HELP Small grants to help train pastors, clergy and lay leaders

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PLEASE USE THE SEPARATE FORM ENCLOSED FOR YOUR RESPONSE. Thank you