KCDO, in partnership with US-Africa Children’s Fellowship, and Wonderland BookSavers, has enabled children to continue their education in 2022.
KCDO Supports Students with Scholarship Funds
Water Harvesting Barrels Distributed by KCDO
Willy, KCDO Director reports, “Christian greetings! Am happy to inform you today we are making market survey for water tanks and water drums from hardware shops in the city. This will enable us to get the quotations and compare prices such that by the time we have funds we procure and pay off. It’s so rainy currently and is a good time for water harvesting.” (Rainy season)
“We have been able to identify the water harvesting facilities supplier. We have selected also the households to be supported but those with old caretakers who have 70+years and with more than 3 children in the household.”
“The water harvesting procured for 20 households. Each can store 450 litres of water.”
Procurement of these water barrels was accomplished in partnership with Wonderland BookSavers and USA Interns.
The importance of this accomplishment can be seen in the attending officials who presided at the distribution of the water barrels.
Willy stated, “Children and caretakers receiving water harvesting facilities and the function was officiated by Assistant Health Officer, District Water Officer and Assistant District Governor”
Growing Food for Vulnerable Children
In February 2021, KCDO appealed to WBS about the need to procure a plot of land which was adjacent to the piggery project that was on sale. KCDO currently has 35 children on ART (ARVs) under our care at the centre. The main challenge was lack of food and malnutrition challenge that cause non suppression and timely sickness.
Through A miracle, we sold some pigs to raise local contribution and Wonderland BookSavers contributed a bigger percentage to raise the 70% first installment that was needed. We paid off and we immediately set nursery bed for cabbage, maize, and soya peas with active involvement of children themselves, Director and the mother who cares for the children.
Water was a challenge and we had strong rosary in which we eventually received rainfall. We transferred the seedling from nursery bed to garden as photos indicate. We used the pigs’ dung to fertilize the garden and we expect the following.
Expectations.
- If all goes well, the garden will yield:-
- 6bags of maize each with 100kgs valued at $85.
- 2000 cabbages from the harvest costed at $285.
- 10 baskets of carrots with a value of $57.
- 10 bags of Green paper with value of $171
- 300kgs of soya peas $153.
Once the harvest period is ready in July, the following challenges will be overcome.
- The cost of buying food will be reduced by 85%.
- The nutrition of vulnerable children will be boasted and their health immunity improved.
- The children and Kcdo benefiacries will acquire modern skills of farming which can be passed over to other households.
- The garden serves as adomostration site for the community and this can be replicated to other surrounding villages.
Challenges.
The need to have KCDO spray pump and enough fertilizers through adding on number of pigs and a cow project for cow dung supply and milk supply too.
2020: Year in Review in Photos
Covid-19: Food and Water?
While the world is held hostage by this terrible virus, and children everywhere are told, “Just keep washing your hands!” the children of KCDO are wondering not only how to wash their hands without water, but also wondering how to get food, now that everyone is under quarantine.
The lack of running water is always a problem, but during this pandemic mothers and children are doing the best they can.
This young woman is using stockings as a mask.
One of the main difficulties that families are facing is the lack of food. Fortunately the Wonderland BookSavers Go Fund Me page funds sent to KCDO are enabling the community to purchase beans, rice and cooking oil.
This KCDO community leader is delivering sacks of food to the many villagers who are suffering starvation due to this pandemic.
Thank you so much to the many American donors who have enabled this supply of food.
Please keep remembering these children in your prayers. They are praying for you as well.
Piggery Pop-Up
The Covid-19 pandemic has reached Uganda, and KCDO offices are being closed; the piggery is being temporarily disbanded. Fortunately, notwithstanding the pandemic, the KCDO piggery is providing frontline micro-economic opportunities for local women in the Lwengo District of Uganda.
As Jack Neighbor notes in a recent article in National Geographic, “Women have long been underestimated and underutilized in many societies, including across Africa. Now, through hard work, global commitments, and localized training initiatives, women entrepreneurs are making their mark on the economies of southern Africa.”
To Neighbor’s point, both the piggery and KCDO are using this opportunity to provide 20 local women with booster grants and materials to start their own businesses. KCDO has been teaching entrepreneurial skills for the past year. The women graduates are now provided with the tools for success.
Willy writes, “Am happy to inform you that today, Saturday, we have been able to support 20 women with income generating projects to assist them in these trying moments. 10 women got pigs, animal feed and booster feeds to start their own piggery schemes at the household level. Others have got retail shops items like merchandise goods, drums for brewery, seedlings, fertilizers since its planting season, among others.”
And he says,
“We are grateful to Wonderland BookSavers and the team who helped us start the piggery project that is supporting other small businesses for rural poor women in Kyamaganda community and Lwengo District.”
This is a great example of successful micro-entrepreneurship, which started with a fund-raising pool party in the USA and 8 months later concludes with financial independence for 20 women and their families in Uganda.
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:10