NEW Year New Beginnings 2013!!
Happy New Year!
January sees me back at Uganda again in time for the start of the new school year, luckily I just missed the snow and airport delays in the UK.
Ruhanga Development School
The village children are getting excited because they go back to school next week and many will be in a new class they are all so appreciative of the opportunity to get a good education, that your sponsorship can provide.
Already we have many new ones being registered, especially 3 year old babies and new students for our new Primary 5 class. but we still have to find a few more willing donors who can spare just 90 pence a week and complete the sponsorship of last years’ intake. You can see them here www.sponsorachild.co.uk/categories/waiting-for-sponsors 
Please consider setting up a standing order of just £3.50p a month for one of them or ask around your friends and see if any are willing. to help these vulnerable children
Refurbishing Classrooms
Thanks to funding from our volunteers all 10 classrooms have been fitted with new metal window frames and the floors have been cemented. Wonderful work has been done in re-decorating the walls and adding colourful maps and other suitable decorations. Currently all classrooms – babies up to Primary 5 – and the new Staffroom and headmasters office are being cleaned and assessed for shelving, tables and chairs etc.in readiness for the new school term.
McNeil Medical Centre
Foundations and walls have been completed and work has started on putting up a concrete roof which will allow for a second level at a later date. We are now looking into the best way to source the much needed medical equipment. It’s a case of either buying it here in Uganda or shipping it for free from the UK if we can get it to our container in Aberdeen in the next month or so. We will really appreciate any students or qualified medical personell who can come out on a short or longer period to volunteer and help us get new systems in place and working
Volunteering
We have extended accommodation for the volunteers and made some Bandas larger, allowing us to comfortably accommodate more visitors at any one time. It is still only £10 a day for accommodation and this also includes all your food. As well as hands on volunteering in our school, some of our visitors choose to spend more time just exploring the area and sharing in the daily lives of these rural villagers.
Safaris and Gorilla Permits
Great news about gorilla treks! If you book a permit for May or June this year the price is reduced by over $200 each permit making a big saving.
Our 3 day Queen Elizabeth safaris with Denis are very popular with most volunteers going on one & they are great value at under £250 per person
More Blue School Shirts
A big thank you to all the schools who have already donated uniform for our children. (Grey/navy shorts & skirts, white shirts and blue or black sweaters are always wanted) Last year we issued pale blue shirts to the P3 and P4 classes. Now with the opening of our new P5 we are in desperate need of more of these pale blue school shirts. Can anyone help by sourcing 20+ for ages 10-16 years. If you can get them to NW Surrey (Shepperton) I can get them out here to Ruhanga. Charity flights with BA allow each person to bring 3 bags and recently we have kindly been allocated an extra two bags for each one of our volunteers flying with BA.
Village Women
Recently we were visited by a group of women who entertained volunteers and staff alike with their singing dancing and drumming in local tradition. Donations given for this helps them to support the many orphans that between them they care for.
A recent volunteer taught a group of women to make paper beads, a traditional craft from another part of Ugandan and very quickly they got several orders for beaded curtains as well as jewellery.
They are very happy with all we are doing for them
The Way Forward
Due to rising costs in Uganda and also making the foundations of our Medical Centre stronger than originally planned, the building has gone over budget by about £10,000, so we are looking for donations to cover this shortfall and this will be added to the £40,000+ already promised by ASE Consulting Ltd
As funds come in we would like to build 40” x 100” school hall over the coming months. Currently children have to return to their classrooms when it rains and they have no-where inside for eating breakfast, assemblies and PE etc.
We have started planning to build a vehicle repair garage and also a general vocational training workshop so our children can get practical experience as they progress up the school.
You can see more photos on our facebook pages www.facebook.com/ruhangadevelpomentschooland www.facebook.com/ugandalodge
That is all our news for now. Meanwhile – again – can you please support just one of our children? Such a little, when added together, can do such a lot. Please email me for an application form and any other information.
