Teso Development Trust partnership in relief, development and mission

Teso News - September 2012, Issue 54

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IN THIS ISSUE OF TDT NEWS

Starfish saving time Signs of hope

Hospital and Celebration visits Fundraising achievements

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STARFISH SAVING TIME "Another Starfish saved". Many of you will know the story of the child found on a beach that was covered with thousands of starfish dying as the tide went out. The child was busy throwing them back in one by one so they could live. A man walks along the beach and says to the boy that he is just wasting his time. In reply, the boy says - as he hurls another starfish back into the sea - “well it made a difference to this one". Two of our teams have just visited Teso in North East Uganda. We could get a bit cynical and depressed that what we and our Church partners are trying to do seems to be small and ineffective in the face of the huge needs the people struggle with. We were especially aware of: The acute poverty The impact of climate change causing flooding and drought So many families struggling to look after orphans or single parents who had lost their husbands in the insurgency The devastating impact of malaria and waterborne diseases The shortage of health provision The overcrowded and ill equipped schools Appalling housing in the villages and shanty town areas of the main town of Soroti On the other hand we found many signs of hope: The incredibly vibrant Churches who

bring comfort, new life , leadership and practical aid to communities Many dynamic leaders who work so hard for the people against the odds The benefit of 8 years of stability following the defeat of the insurgency A "can do" spirit amongst the people we met rather than the stereotypes of apathy and a 'victim mentality' that many westerners give to Africans. In this Newsletter, our Annual Report and at our Annual Meeting, you will be troubled by the challenges faced but also encouraged by the signs of hope and the starfish that have been saved. You will also find our purpose as a trust which is to resource the Church in Teso to tackle the spiritual, physical and educational needs of the people in this very poor part of Africa. We hope this will inspire you to help financially and pray for what our partners are trying to do for God.

SIGNS OF HOPE We share with you here just a few of the projects we visited funded through the trust. We will share more at the Annual Meeting, on our website and in our next Newsletter. Emmanuel Health foundation clinic at Nakatunya in Soroti Nakatunya is a district of Soroti town that was built in haste as people streamed in to find somewhere safe from the terror of the Lord's Resistance Army in 2003. It is a shanty town of

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5000 people where homes are crudely built c lose together with no proper drainage or services. Early on, the Pentecostal Church established a Church Plant meeting in a school. As they engaged with the people, they found a huge need particularly for medical care so they established a community clinic staffed by a nurse and volunteer doctors from the Church. This now helps 20/30 people per day with basic medical help – giving expert diagnosis and testing for illness, and treatment for common diseases such as malaria, dehydration, diarrhoea and Syphilis. TDT has given help with testing kits and equipment to ensure that this valuable project continues to give practical Christian compassion in a very deprived community.

We would like to fund further equipment and testing kits costing £1000

Heifer Aid The Kapir community in Kumi is close to Lake Kasogo in Kumi and last year lost all its crops in the flooding. The TDT aid programme (channeled through the Pentecostal Church) provided emergency food aid. Despite last year's disaster, the 30 strong women’s Cooperative group have bounced back and are developing alternative sources of income and food production to protect themselves. Courtesy of TDT, they are proud owners now of a communally owned group of heifers (see below) who will provide milk and will breed a herd. They also have developed their own savings scheme and a “merry go round” in which they give a small amount each week to a member of the group in especial need. We discovered that the women were almost entirely widows having lost their men in the LRA insurgency and they are

TDT team meet the Cooperative group and the heifers

The group would like 6 more heifers. They cost £150 each.

a truly ecumenical group. The lady Church of Uganda minister gives a lead but members also belong to the PAG and Born Again Churches in the area. In the bank The culture, not surprisingly for most people, in Uganda is if you have some spare cash - spend it. Banks do not serve the poor (not far different now from the West !). Soroti Women’s Cooperative with TDT help have a programme of developing Village Savings and Loans groups to tackle this. A trainer has been employed for a year to organize the groups, normally of about 25 people in particular community areas. Members meet weekly and put the money in 3 boxes - for the savings, for an emergency fund, and for the fines fund (which you have

to pay if you do not attend a meeting or are late). At the end of the year members receive their saved money with interest but can also have a loan on application to the group. The programme started in January and there are now 8 such groups in and around Soroti with 250 members. The benefits are already evident as the women now can expect to pay school or medical fees or invest in improving their businesses. The groups are self sustaining and run themselves and will truly contribute to improving the income, welfare and dignity of their members.

We would like to sustain this work for another year at a cost of £2500. Water progress

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VSLA group meeting in progress

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Water progress This year we will have funded 12 wells and 3 boreholes, thanks to grants from Wilmslow Wells For Africa, Spring Harvest, The Drinking Fountain Association and The Allen and Nesta Ferguson Trust - and donations from supporters. Some of these were visited on our trip and the borehole here at Morupeded in Kumi was formally opened by our chairman, Jim Sampson.

A new water programme will be put to TDT in December which we would like to fund.

HOSPITAL VISITS The TDT sponsored health team from the Nottingham hospitals has really got into its stride and did valuable work on its 2 week visit. Train ing was done in antenatal and post natal care for village health teams, Traditional Birth Attendants, and the students at the Nursing and Midwifery school, Detailed discussions took place at Kumi and Freda Carr Hospitals on measures to help progress their management and to build a new partnership with UK hospitals through student and doctor placements. The implication for this progress will be worked out in the coming months.

We are pleased to see that Kumi Hospital, under the very effective directorship of Dr Ruth Obaikol, has been clearly recovering from the problems it had. The Hospital has had a complete overhaul of its energy systems undertaken by a team from Holland. It has worked on a new 5 year Business Plan that gives new direction and confidence in its work. The Hospital also has a new bakery that is an income generating project and benefiting the support of orphans. Its website gives more detail: www.kumihospital.org

Can you help our fund to support the lepers' treatment and food?

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Seeing the craft work of the leprosy patients with Dr Ruth

CELEBRATION VISIT As mentioned in our January News, Ngora Cathedral is celebrating 100 years of its work and witness as the centre of the second diocese of the Anglican Church in Uganda. A team is going from Bournemouth Deanery led by Reverend Reg Baldock for the day event on 28th October. St Peters Church Ruddington have made a new altar close to present to the Cathedral for the occasion. This will be a time to give thanks for the past and refresh the Vision for what God is going to do in the next 100 years. If you are interested in joining the party contact Reg on 01202 761962 or r.baldock1@ntlworld.com

FUNDRAISING TDT people are always finding different ways of raising vitally needed funds. This season we report that Catherine Emaru raised serious funds through a community run Zumba dance event. This sounds very energetic and fun and generated a handsome £70.

Jo De Berry now living in New York cycled 70 miles and raised £1500 for TDT. Fantastic performance! We are more than happy to support your fundraising with: our leaflet - as many copies as you want a PowerPoint explaining TDT DVD of some of our projects 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 (details overleaf).

Copies of the TDT cookery book produced by St Mary’s Church, Wythall are still available from:

Pam Miller 5 Laburnham Close, Wythall Birmingham B47 5QW

Email: Pmm297@blueyonder.co.uk

The Zumbathon in Bromley

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CONTAINER NEWS We understand that the Friends of Teso will be dispatching a new container of required items at the end of the year. If you have suitable items please contact Pat Morris to discuss your shipment and arrangements for delivery. Please note that financial contributions for the cost of shipment are very welcome. Details are on the Friends of Teso website: www.friends-of-teso-uganda.org.uk Phone Pat on 01489 892574 or email her on: patriciamorris@hotmail.co.uk

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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 info@teso.org.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

Another Friends of Teso container loaded and ready to go

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