UGANDAN NEWSLETTER No 1
December 2011
HAPPY CHRISTMAS
Not many days to go now until Christmas, but I felt that I needed to
get this newsletter out before you become too engrossed with all the
festivities. I am sending this newsletter as I want to tell you about
my recent trip to Uganda, as well as a brief reminder on next years
courses.
I shall be setting up an entirely new list of contacts for future newsletters
about Uganda with a different logo. This one will be your opportunity
to unsubscribe if this is not of interest to you. You will then continue
to receive only my art/textile information on courses and exhibitions
etc. I hope you are happy about this arrangement and will feel able
to recommend others to either or both newsletters.
KISAABWA ~ South West Uganda
This, our third trip to Uganda had even greater purpose than our previous
trips as our intention this time was to research a particular community
and identify the needs of the people, with the aim of setting up our
own charity. Kisaabwa is a very rural community in South West Uganda
with homes scattered over a very wide area. The needs of the people
are extensive, with aids and malaria of major concern, along with a
poor water supply, no electricity, inadequate education and very little
healthcare. Children must travel great distances to collect their daily
supply of water and sticks. This we know is a common story all over
Africa, but with a focus on one community, we can at least attempt to
do something, however small.
This South Western part of Uganda is green and lush, with banana plantations
being the main crop.
 
Of course as a textile artist seeing inspiration for new ideas is constant
and these banana fibres serve as great interest to me in current work.
But lets not digress too much!!!! The immediate landscape where we were
staying is beautiful and one of our intentions was to live amongst the
people and get to know them as well as possible.
 
To this end we decided to have a simple dwelling constructed so that
we would always have a place to stay when we visit there in the future.
The house has been described as being of 'humble beginnings' but we
felt it really could be described as a luxury dwelling when one considers
how the people themselves live. Unlike others we had matresses to sleep
on, mosquito nets to protect us, plates to eat off and a enclosed washing
space.
A typical home for the people might be a mud hut with a straw roof,
or those that have corrugated roofs would often not be able to afford
to have them repaired. People sleep on the bare earth floors, use their
hands to eat and banana leaves as plates.
Cooking is carried out outside, sometimes under cover, but not always.
Matoke is the basic food and the lucky ones might get a plate of this
daily. Rice is a luxury for many.
 
It was decided early on in consultation with our Ugandan link person
Fred, that whatever we attempt to do in Kisaabwa, it must be supported
by the people. We held a meeting at the church, which provided a platform
for the local people to express their needs. Education for their children
came high on the list, along with all other necessities that we in the
West take for granted, water, healthcare, electricity, food, primary
and secondary education and vocational courses. We also recognised a
great need for support for, single mothers, disadvantaged children and
the problems associated with aids and malaria in particular.
The people voted with their hands as to whether they wanted us to try
and help them and during the follow two weeks we witnessed mothers walking
miles to reach us from neighbouring villages to ask for help. Everyone's
name was recorded and photos taken.
These following images will hopefully give you a greater insight into
how the people live from day to day. Most days would begin with collecting
water and sticks.
 
 
 
In the New Year Martin and I will be looking towards forming a committee,
getting all relevant documents and publicity material in place, setting
up a website, all with the aim of setting up our own charity.
Fundraising will obviously be high on the agenda with
our first target being to provide school fees for the needy children
and families for the new term.
However our long term aim is to help the community towards a sustainable
future.
Of course help will be needed and welcomed from all corners, but to
kick off................
..............IF YOU ARE IN THE NEAR VINCINCITY OF LYDBURY NORTH, SHROPSHIRE
DO JOIN US FOR A FUNDRAISING 12th NIGHT CEILIDH.
Venue: Walcott Hall, Lydbury North
Time: 8.00pm
Date: Saturday 7th January
Contact: Lee on 01588 680364
HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL
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