Club Social

11 April 2019  UGANDA Solar Lighting Project 2019- Jane/ Maggie/Gordon and Keith

Prior to the talk Susan Molyneux was inducted as a new member with an introduction from Jennie.  Susan has been attending our meetings and supporting us in various roles including the Christmas Float, welcomed into the ‘fold’ as a new, enthusiastic, active member.

As this was a partner’s evening Jane felt it important to give some background to the Club’s involvement in CHAU (Child Aid Uganda). It started 12 years ago, when Jane, prior to becoming a Rotarian, embarked upon a journey to try and make a difference, somewhere, choosing Uganda, where the Aids epidemic was creating major problems for children and families. As a lone female she was chaperoned on her visit by a young lady, who in time was ‘adopted/supported’ by Jane and Keith.  They have maintained contact over the 12 years, visiting on 3 occasions, having visits to Club from some of her contacts, getting involved with CHAU, resulting in our Club supporting the Solar lighting project, but also assisting in ‘Income generation projects’ with Pigs, Poultry, Goats and now Bees in efforts to becoming ‘self-sufficient’. Now progressing to ‘Sanitation Hygiene’ work, building latrines for the girls at school.

Maggie joined Jane & Keith for her first experience to Uganda in 2016 and talked about their most recent visit in February and the time and distances involved in their journey, starting at Birmingham airport at 3.00am traveling to Amsterdam and then onto Entebbe arriving at 11.30pm, to be awoken up by Gospel singers at 05.30am in their Kampala Hotel. They visited Murchison Falls National Park, and the White Nile River, faced traffic gridlock in Kampala and had to stay overnight, making their way to Masaka the following day to visit  the Uganda National Association of Nurses and Midwives and to meet Charity a young lady who is being sponsored to become a midwife.

Gordon, as a first time visitor explained how much he enjoyed it, but found it an ‘emotional roller coaster’. Very friendly people, adorable children, but in squalid poverty.  He experienced ‘passing through the equator, but found the road infrastructure and traffic protocols somewhat different to his experience as a Driving instructor in Nottinghamshire! The “housing” consisted of dark, small, mud huts, so the solar lighting has certainly made a difference to the average families of 2 adults and 5 children.

Jane talked about the Pub quiz that she, Keith, Maggie, and Gordon organised in Bingham, raising £700, initially to provide a trade aid box, but changed to providing 21 school desks, which would benefit 110 children seat and desk, rather than the mud floor. She also outlined some facts and figures, with 1418 people benefiting from the Solar lights over a 4 year period. The new project of the Latrines construction, initiated by Stan will be organised through ‘Lessons for Life Foundation’                                                                                                                            AR