/Issue%209%20newsletter

ISSUE 9

Thank you Amigos would like to thank everyone who has selflessly given; either by monthly standing orders, child sponsorship, selling greeting cards/African jewellery, fund raising, volunteering or putting on an event, Our gratitude also goes to the growing number of businesses and shops who are giving their support.

We really appreciate it!

Supported by

www.amigos.org.uk

‘working together to educate and train Uganda's next generation’

catherine bishop designer+maker

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Around the world 67 million children are missing out on school

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BARNSTAPLE

SHIPSPONSORSHIPSPONSORSHIPSPONSORSHIPSPON CHRISTMAS GIFTS Our Christmas gift scheme is blessing whole families in Uganda. Last year, we built a number of pit latrines toilets for families of our sponsor children and even purchased land for a very needy family. Pit latrines not only provide dignity for families, but are also much more hygienic and reduce the risk of sickness and diseases. At Amigos we long to bring holistic development to Uganda and we see the promotion of health and hygiene as an important way of doing this. (The more healthy children are, the more they attend school, saving precious medical funds for other necessities).

Another way of blessing whole families is through gifts of livestock. Some of our sponsor children received piglets for Christmas last year that will provide a much needed source of income for each family.

We would like to thank Saltrock and Duke St Practice, South Molton for the kind donations of school bags and toothbrushes for our sponsor children. The gifts were gratefully received.

We now sponsor over 250 children in Uganda!

Our child sponsorship programme helps to support children throughout their education. However, we do not seek to replace the role of the child’s family or guardian.

Our sponsorship programme ensures that children can complete their education – because at Amigos we believe that ‘education is a route out of poverty’ also.

Can we tell you about Julius, (13) and Ronah, (5)?

They are brother and sister whose father was shot.

Their mum became the lone parent which in Africa is very difficult; the pressures of poverty are felt more severely. Fortunately, Julius and Ronah are now able to Julius and Ronah attend school regularly thanks to a generous UK supporter. When their mother could occasionally afford to send them to school, they spent 4 hours walking to and fro every day. That was until their headmistress kindly matched Amigos’ support by buying Julius a bicycle so he can take himself and his little sister to school every day. Now their journey time has been cut in half and their mother will be able to improve her support to her other 2 children, providing much needed necessities such as food and healthcare. Here’s a photo of the mud hut and jerry-can radio that Julius made!

Lira kids receive school bags

NEW WEBSITE

Amigos has 2 new websites! Go to

www.amigos.org.uk and www.chicksforchange.org.uk to explore our new sites.

You’ll find lots of information about Amigos and there are heaps of photos too! Thanks NetTecs for all your generosity and kindness.

TWITTER Amigos also now has Twitter. Follow us @AmigosWorldwide and keep up to date with all of our activities in Uganda and the UK.

If you would like to sponsor a child please visit www.amigos.org.uk or contact us at sponsor@amigos.org.uk and start sponsoring a child for just £16 a month!

Contact us: Phil Pugsley, Amigos, P O Box 314, Pilton, Barnstaple EX32 2EN Tel: 01271 377664 (Daytime) 07967822464 (Anytime) phil@amigos.org.uk info@amigos.org.uk Finance: Barry Moxey finance@amigos.org.uk Child Sponsorship: Lisa Roberts, sponsor@amigos.org.uk Fundraising: Alison Berridge, alison@amigos.org.uk

Published by Amigos Worldwide, PO Box 314, Pilton, Barnstaple, Devon, EX32 2EN. Tel: 01271 377664 Email: info@amigos.org.uk Web: www.amigos.org.uk Registered in England, Company Number 6122350, Registered Charity Number 1119450. Registered in Uganda NGO S.5914/7742 (Amigos International and Amigos are working names of Amigos Worldwide).

Kira Farm update: Kira Farm is working hard to provide 40 17-25 year olds, each year (August - July) with the chance to gain life-changing skills. Uganda has the highest youth unemployment rate in the world (83%) and only 1 in 4 children complete their secondary education. Kira provides extremely disadvantaged young people with the chance to gain vocational skills in innovative agricultural techniques, carpentry, tailoring, catering, hair and beauty, health and hygiene, entrepreneurial alongside many life skills. Our hope is that not only will Kira transform the lives of 40 students each year, but through training these young people we believe thousands of lives will be changed when our students return to their villages.

e Moses's maiz

Robert Bayita

Giving a manicure in beauty lessons

Vincent's cabb ages

“It's amazing to see how Kira Farm Training Centre, has impacted the young people who have been with us for our second year and are now returning to their villages for 3 months internships - I am so proud of them. Besides the hands-on vocational skills they are returning with, their self-image has improved, their confidence grown, and above all, their faith in God has matured. They have also learned to work together and love each other, regardless of their ethnic differences. With these skills, the young people will help to improve their own lives, their families and their rural Ugandan communities.”

Robert Bayita (Amigos Operations Director)

Kira is committed to sustainable farming techniques and to protecting Uganda’s environment. One of our major projects this year was to build water jars around Kira to capture rainwater thanks to funding received from Wilmslow Well for Africa.

Kira students rejoice Water is a precious commodity in Africa and so the water jars are providing a much-needed source of water for Kira. As well as drinking and watering crops the girls on Kira love using the water to wash their clothes as it makes them softer!

Most Ugandans do not have the luxury of safe drinking water, so on Kira, we make and install bio-sand water filters.

Catering lessons

ping lesson Titus conducting a housekee

These bio-sand water filters provide clean water in a way that is cheap and protects the environment. To make water safe without a filter requires boiling using wood and charcoal; the filters reduce the amount of wood used for fuel, helping protect Uganda’s environment.

Our hope is that with funding and through teaching Kira students to make bio-sand filters and rainwater capture techniques, they will be able to go back to their villages and transfer the knowledge they have gained.

by School uniforms made

Kira students

Chairs and tables made at Kira's carpentry lesson s

et's beans Loyce and Harri

Kira is currently breeding milking goats and indigenous crossbreed chickens. Our hope is that our goats’ milk and eggs will improve the nutrition of the students; we are trying to teach the students the importance of a balanced healthy diet. When students leave Kira, they will also have the opportunity to take some goats/chickens with them as part of our microfinance scheme which is intended to give students a head start in their lives after Kira.

Chickens

Goats

Cowman Herbert and students with Kira cow

Joshua’s story . . .

Joshua is one of Kira’s students this year. He came to Uganda as a Congolese refugee and settled in Uganda with his family. Joshua has proven to be an excellent student with a passion for agriculture and poultry. He has shown exceptional interest in all farm-related initiatives. Joshua wanted to express his thanks to Kira Farm Training Centre, his UK sponsor and everyone that has supported Amigos. Below is his testimony....

Girls using the water from the water jars to wash their clothes

Very good water

Kira Lodge Kira now has a new guesthouse! We’re really excited about this new income funding and student training development. The lodge can sleep up to 24 people and it will be a place for our volunteers to stay while they are on Kira.

If you would like to volunteer at Kira, experience real Africa and have the journey of a lifetime, contact us: phil@amigos.org.uk or go online www.amigos.org.uk

Joshua

“Now I know how to converse in English, I was so shy before but I can now stand before people. I can open the Bible and share the word of God and encourage my family and friends. Before I could only make a short prayer for food.

I have learned how to plan and my focus is now sharp; I can see far.

I would like to go back, use my agricultural skills that I have gained from Kira to produce more food for my family, become financially independent and help others.

I can’t wait to go home; I want to try out my skills."

If you would like to support Kira Farm Training Centre, please join with others and consider donating just £1 a week.

If you or your friends and relations would like to sponsor a student with a ‘chance of a lifetime’ at Kira Farm Training Centre for one year, the cost is £500. (This is ideal for a business, churches, schools, clubs or a family).

You will receive a photo and profile of a student, access to Kira Farm’s email address and Skype, letters of progress and an Amigos framed ‘Certificate of Thanks’.

Please download a standing order form at www.amigos.org.uk or contact phil@amigos.org.uk for more information.