6,000 families in Desperate Need in E. Uganda after massive Landslides, URF tries to Help, can you please join us

We usually don’t do this type of solicitation but this is an emergency situation and we are trying to help people in Eastern Uganda in some small way as we can. Over 100 people are found dead, many still missing, and 6,000 families are in desperate need of food, clothing, shelter, beddings, and basic household supplies. A member of URF Kampala Chapter, Robbinah, lost 16 extended family relatives. We have identified a small community where she is from which can use blankets, food, and other supplies – her family has taken in over 30 people, others are camping at a nearby school and a sub-county offices.

How we are responding: On Tuesday, our students at Hope Academy, teachers, URF staff and women’s group are going on a door to door campaign in the villages where we work in Masaka collecting corn/maize and beans. We want to empower local people to help each other. Everyone grows beans and corn/maize; so in Masaka there is plenty; everyone can give something. The students grew corn and are going to donate half of it (about 250kgs). We need about $500 to coordinate transfer of these supplies to those who need them.

URF has received $1000 from people of Pilgrim Church in Boston and this will buy blankets for over 170 people. URF is also putting in funds for 1,000kgs of corn flour for posho. With your help we can do more:

– $5 = a blanket
– $5 = 25kgs of corn/maize flour (feeding a family for half a month)
– $10 = 5 mosquito nets
– $20 = a mattress
– $100 = 500kgs of corn/maize flour (feeding 50 people for half a month)
– $200 = 1,000kgs of corn/maize flour (feeding 100 people for half a month)
Also $10 buys 3 dozens of cups, $10 buys 5 sets of 8 saucepans, or $10 for 2 bedsheets)

You can send a check to Uganda Rural Fund, P.O. Box 388, West Springfield, MA 01090. Or donate online http://www.ugandaruralfund.org

Those in Uganda can donate by calling Robbinah 077-2570893 or Harriet 070-1640552 – cash or in-kind.
Thank you very much.

“Kampala, Uganda (CNN) — At least 106 bodies had been recovered Tuesday after massive landslides wiped out several villages around Mount Elgon on the Uganda-Kenya border, an army spokesman and local aid officials said. “In Butaleja, more than 6,000 households in four subcounties were affected by the flooding, and the area’s only two primary schools were washed away, Ntabadde said.” (CNN source –http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/03/02/uganda.landslide/)

“This used to be our home. My mother died here, my brother, the children and everybody,” said one villager, Seela Wazemba. “Nothing is now left in my life.” (BBC source article/video: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/8545005.stm  )

Why We Help? Student Testimonies

Teachers and students got deeply involved in the campaign and they all sacrificed a day without studying, feeling that their studies could not help much unless they have helped in raising resources to help these people. Students in sharing their experience and testimonies, they said it was passion for the suffering, that made them go out to search for help for the Bududa and students had this to say.

 As students of hope we started a campaign collecting Maize, Beans and money so that we can  help those suffering in Bududa and we are still appealing to people so that we can raise more in contribution. Iam more appreciative of the event and since it was my first time to do this, I thought it would be hard but it was very simple as people easily understood the reason why I went to them, there is a woman in the corner as you go to Gankaga whom I have known to be   difficult when you approach her but she welcomed us and willingly   offered us a tin of Maize without hesitation, I therefore call upon more students in other schools  from Kyetume and beyond to do this kind of drive. Thanks to hope Integrated academy for giving me the opportunity to study and be able to offer my service to the rest. At first I thought I will never get the opportunity to study, but with the presence and help of Uganda Rural Fund, I feel I will be able to get my   future set goals fulfilled. Therefore when called upon to help, I willigly offered myself because URF has also helped me”. Deo  Kassigwa  S.3

 “As students of Hope Integrated Academy we felt very sorry to those people and  we decided to give a voluntary service to those people, so we decided to move in villages asking help from people, even the community felt very sorry and they massively provided whatever they had and their response was very good in that they gave us food, clothes and money. I felt it was very important to help those people because next time it might be us in problems and they will help us, I call upon other  communities to help in relief of Buduuda, I also thank Uganda Rural Fund in brightening my future by offering and sponsoring my Education through Hope integrated academy and I’m now in  Senior three”. Nakato Rose S.3

“Iam Ssekitto Ronald a student of Hope, I was requested to make this campaign of collecting Maize and Beans so that we can help people who are suffering, we started the campaign on 9th March. On my side since it was my first time, I thought it will be hard for me,  but I have got a very  nice experience in soliciting for help, I thank  our teachers and URF staff, for initiating the idea and joining us in the door to door relief campaign. I also appreciate the education I get from Hope Integrated Academy this education has opened up my chances in life, thanks to Uganda Rural Fund for the opportunity,” Ssekitto Ronald S.3,  

“What we have done as students, is that we have tried to move in villages looking for help, we have got a lot of Maize, beans and some money, the people’s response was very good because they also saw that there was a need for people to be helped, on my side I saw it was important to help because right now, the Bududa people cannot work and even their gardens were destroyed by the mudslides and they have no where to sleep, that is why I have got the strength to move around the community looking for help for those people in  Bududa. Hope Intergrated Academy has been a place through which Iam being trained to become a responsible citizen of my country, Credit goes to Uganda Rural Fund for sponsoring my education,” Nababuga Racheal S.2,

So far the efforts from the campaign are very promising   especially from the schools around Masaka. We have collected and gathered 1000kgs of Maize and 50kgs of beans and some clothes. Many schools and people from the local community are still bringing in items of relief, and we are embarking on collecting these items school by school

Hope Academy students collecting food donations door-to-door

URF Kampala Chapter collection day