Fancy a Challenge 2012............................ 144 days to go

The NEW YEAR.......Fancy a Challenge.......144 days to Go!!


Nightrider 2012   



Do you fancy a challenge?  How about joining the UDS team for Nightrider 2012?

The Event is being held on 9 / 10 June 2012

IT IS A ONE DAY CHARITY RIDE WITH A DIFFERENCE...IT’S AT NIGHT!

Nightrider™ - an exciting 100km moonlit ride past London’s iconic landmarks.

Tower Bridge, a deserted City of London, Canary Wharf, London Zoo, Piccadilly Circus, British Museum, London Eye, Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square and more...Click for full details ofThe Route and to see the FAQs

A UNIQUE LONDON CHARITY EVENT IN THE 2012 OLYMPIC YEAR.

See the sights of London as never before whilst you cycle the deserted streets.  On June 9th, a team from UDS will be completing the 100km challenge and raising funds for our work in Uganda.

We have a number of guaranteed places for this popular event - all we ask is that you raise a minimum of £350.  Read about last year, find out more about the event and sign up.


http://www.ugandadev.org.uk/help/fundraise/

 Any questions call 020 3286 3306.

Kaluko Resper is studying hard and looking forward to Christmas....

I am Kaluko Resper, a second year student at Busoga University. Pursuing a bachelors’ degree in social work and social administration. I  frequently use the services of UDS, as I did a computer training course with them. Now I’m using their library for my revision as I prepare for exams.

I’m praying hard that the exams will soon be over, so I can start preparing for Christmas Day, which will be observed by everyone in our community, as well as across the country.

Christmas being a holiday when we celebrate the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ, we prepare for it in many different ways. For example, we buy new clothes that are different from everyday ones, so when the big day comes we are dressed up. We also put some money aside to buy meat (not a regular foodstuff for most Ugandans), maybe as much as 10 kilograms, soft drinks, different types of alcohol, and juice for the big day. It’s really fantastic because it’s only on that day that we can enjoy these types of food and drink.

In our community, as Christmas approaches everyone starts brushing their teeth every day with the aim of making them sharp for the day itself. By the time we get to Christmas Eve we don’t even sleep, we keep busy preparing different dishes so that on Christmas morning we can go to church. Afterwards we all sit round with our family and have a meal.

So this comes with loving thoughts to wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year – heartfelt greetings filled with affection. May the joy and happiness of Christmas fill your heart with lasting gaiety and tranquillity,  and each new day in your life shine with hope and joy.

Merry Christmas..

Batemye is so looking forward to his Christmas day in Kamuli............

MY CHRISTMAS DAY

I’m Batemye Derrick. I’m a P7 (first year of secondary school) pupil aged 13 and I live in Kamuli. I am doing computer training with UDS at the moment during the school holidays.  

I am eagerly awaiting Christmas Day on 25 December.

I am waiting for it because I always enjoy it.

On the day, first of all very early in the morning I say my prayers, I lie on my bed, then get up and bathe, put on my suit and go for breakfast.

For breakfast, our mother buys a big cake, and that’s the only day in the whole year that we eat cake for breakfast. After breakfast, we all go for prayers. During prayers, there is a choir who sing gospel songs.

Then after prayers we come back home, where our nanny has already prepared lunch. For lunch, we have chicken, matoke (a Ugandan dish made with plantain), rice, potatoes, soft drinks and so on. After lunch we rest a little bit, then we bathe again, and get dressed in different clothes.  Then our father comes for us and takes us to a restaurant. 

There we meet other clan members and family friends. We eat and dance until we get tired.

That’s all about my Christmas.

Do you fancy a challenge in the New Year? - Nightrider 2012

Nightrider 2012  
Do you fancy a challenge?  How about joining the UDS team for Nightrider 2012?

The Event is being held on 9 / 10 June 2012

It is a one day charity ride with a difference...it’s at night!

Nightrider™ - an exciting 100km moonlit ride past London’s iconic landmarks.

Tower Bridge, a deserted City of London, Canary Wharf, London Zoo, Piccadilly Circus, British Museum, London Eye, Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square and more...Click for full details of The Route and to see the FAQs

A unique London charity event in the 2012 Olympic year.

See the sights of London as never before whilst you cycle the deserted streets.  On June 9th, a team from UDS will be completing the 100km challenge and raising funds for our work in Uganda.

We have a number of guaranteed places for this popular event - all we ask is that you raise a minimum of £350.  Read about last year, find out more about the event and sign up.
 Any questions call 020 3286 3306.

Help improve a life in Uganda when you shop online

Do you shop online ?  You can raise funds for Ugandan Development Services at no cost to you. Your Christmas presents can really make a difference.     Choose can  from High Street retailers such as John Lewis, M&S and Debenhams or visit specialist webstores such as Amazon.  Take a look their are lots of retailers to choose from: http://www.spendandraise.com/uds/shop/retailers/   All of these retailers pay a commission to us if you go via the webportal   www.spendandraise.com/uds

Tell your friends and family about this easy way to help the people of  Uganda while they do their Christmas shopping this year.

Fantastic fun was had at Book Week 2011 in Uganda

Book Week plays an important role in Uganda in promoting literacy.
In Kamuli, where levels of literacy are considerably lower than elsewhere in Uganda, the UDS Library was instrumental in organising events around local schools.

Events are held up and down the country during Book Week, which celebrates reading and literacy in all its forms.
It all began back in 1997, and this year saw a book fair in the capital, Kampala; children’s book tents in towns and villages throughout the land; and reading events in local libraries.

The emphasis is on the joy and pleasure of reading, as well as its educational value.














This year’s book week ran from 10-15 October, under the theme “Bridging the Gaps”.  UDS’ input got off to an early start, with a visit by our Executive Director Rita Epodoi, who visited St Kizito Primary School in Kamuli.  She called for the continued expansion of a reading and writing culture -  and these children seem to be taking notice!

For more information and a first hand view of the weeks progress and the childrens thoughts and questions, take a look at Roberts Blog he is our IT Project Officer and thoroughly enjoyed being part of Book Week 2011.
It makes very interesting reading.......

Meet Paul & Betty Mumbwe

Recently John Maitland, our founder, on a visit to Uganda arranged a meeting with some of the local farmers in Ngandho Parish at Paul and Betty Mumbwe's house. 

John was very interested to see and show the other farmers Paul and Betty's kitchen with its new smokeless oven.

The oven was build  by the Uganda Development Services team supported by SOFRA (Smokeless Ovens for Africa).

These new stoves are made of a mixture of termite mound, a sticky mud when wet, and cut up straw.  This then makes an excellent insulator compared with the traditional 3-stone method the advantages are:

·         A chimney takes the smoke from the kitchen

·         It uses less than half the fuel - firewood

·         It cooks very quickly

·         It is safe for children and lowers fire risk

·         Food is easily kept warm

·         It cooks two pans at a time.

Take a look at our Flickr album for more images, together we are making a difference........

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ugandadevelopmentservice/sets/72157627382945981/

Meet Peter Mumbya

When our founder John Maitland last visited Kamuli, he met and chatted to the lovely, PETER MUMBYA

Peter served in John and his wife's hotel in Kamuli and after a brief chat John discovered that Peter had completed his O levels and A level examinations. He successfully completed Fine Art, Economics, Chemistry, and Geography at A level. Quite an accomplishment!!

It was then wonderful to hear that UDS had helped him ........

The UDS library, he says, helped him to get good grades.

books” in the UDS library.

no school fees, he paid 50p a week to enable him to go on reading in the UDS

library. He found “the right books" in the UDS library. Even when he was out of school because of having no school fees, he paid 50p a week to enable him to go on reading in the UDS library. The staff “are my friends – they know me very well”.
It is great to know that together we are making a difference. If you would like to help and get involved, then please get in touch http://www.ugandadev.org.uk/about/

We would LOVE to hear from you

An Exciting Challenge....

Double Your Money with Helen

Trustee Helen Putland is raising money for Ugandan Development Services on Sunday 9th October by running the Royal London Parks Half-Marathon.

The Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon is one of the most scenic city runs in the world, starting and finishing in Hyde Park.  The beautiful 13.1 mile route races through four of London’s stunning Royal Parks (Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, The Green Park and St James’s Park) and offers runners magnificent views of some of the capital’s most iconic landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, Marble Arch and the Royal Albert Hall along the way.
Take a look ....... Royal Park Half Marathon 2011

After a strict training programme the event is now only days away and Helen's employer, Microsoft has agreed to match all donations made in support of Helens brave challenge in completing this 13.1 mile Marathon . Please support Helen by making a donation to Helen's Justgiving page . Remember All amounts will be doubled by the her employer Microsoft.
From all of us at Ugandan Development Services .......GOOD LUCK HELEN we will be CHEERING YOU ON!

An exciting day is coming.......

We are very pleased and excited at Uganda Development Services, as our founder, Dr John Maitland, will be interviewed and will preach at the 10.00 am service at St John’s Ealing, on Sunday 16th October. 

He will be sharing with us some of his experiences and the challenges he has faced over the past twenty years with his involvement in Uganda. There will also be a small UDS exhibition at the church.

A Little History..............

After several years working in rural Uganda with C.M.S. as a medical superintendant in Ngora hospital, Dr. John Maitland and his wife Hilary founded Uganda Development Services (UDS) with the aim of helping the poorest uplift themselves, by providing appropriate and relevant information.

After extensive research, Kamuli was chosen as a focus area for the initial project because of its high levels of poverty. The beneficiaries of our work are individuals and families who need information to help them progress in their education, or their work. The range of our work now extends to the farming communities, and the disabled.

It has the constant theme that through Sharing Knowledge, we can help people Build Lives.

 

Find out more - http://www.ugandadev.org.uk/about/history/

We would love it, if you were able to join us, and hear about all the various programmes that we are running which are sharing knowledge and building lives in rural Uganda.

 www.stjohnsealing.org.uk gives full details of their location.

If you are not familiar with St. John's - they are located at the Northfields Avenue end of Mattock Lane in Ealing. Visit their website

A Great New Idea........

I’ve always thought that the best way to get people fundraising is by them doing something that they enjoy – and the fundraising bit is just an add on.   Whether it is running marathons, holding coffee mornings or quiz nights, or going to a formal dinner .

When I was thinking about ways to fundraise for our book box scheme – my thought turned to book clubs.  It was also prompted by a friend of mine who belongs to a book club saying that she thought that her and her friends could fundraise for something when they met each month.

So our book club campaign has been born.  We are starting small – contact existing donors, friends and family that are in Book  Clubs and those local to our office in Ealing.  We hope that the idea will be successful – we estimate we need 3 clubs giving £10 a month to provide a Book Box for a secondary school in rural Uganda. 

To find out more about our work promoting literacy and giving children the tools to succeed in their academic career  – look at our website http://www.ugandadev.org.uk/what-we-do/library/book-boxes/

We will keep you posted on our progress……