Mothers' Day

Thursday, 15 March 2012

It’s the time of year again for those of us in the UK and Ireland to honour our mothers, on  this coming Sunday 18 March, Mothers’ Day.

This year,  how about thinking of a mother in Uganda as well as your own?  A donation of £10 could go towards a smokeless oven – it makes the home more healthy and saves labour.

It costs only £30 to train somebody to build a smokeless oven - the materials are free! Donate now to our smokeless oven project or read more about them in our previous blog.

In Uganda young people are thinking about their mothers too. Esther Nalungoda is a student who uses UDS’ computer facilities for her studies, and for internet access.  She is a long way from her mother, so plans to send her a message by text as soon as it turns midnight  the night before.

Prossy and Sandra both do computer training with UDS.  They say everyone should celebrate Mothers’  Day.  Men should celebrate by thanking  their mothers for giving birth to them. Prossy said it’s a day when she does everything for her mother,  like cooking a special meal for her, buying  her a present and thanking  her for bringing her into the world. It’s also a time to express her appreciation to her mother for all the love, care, education and everything she’s done for her.  For Sandra, it’s a day when she expresses her happiness at being a child to her parents,  especially to her mother.

So when you are thinking about your Mother, think about Ugandan mothers, and how you can make their lives healthier and easier with a smokeless oven.  Donate now

Saving time and improving health in Uganda with Smokeless Ovens

To celebrate International Women's Day,  Andrew Yiga - the UDS Programme  Director talks about the Smokeless Oven Programme in Kamuli, Eastern Uganda 

It is a hot afternoon, and I pay a courtesy call to one of our farmers; " hoodii (Any one home)…. nobody seems to respond until I get to the backyard where I hear a familiar voice as I get closer. 

I am welcomed into the kitchen where Betty Mombwe and her husband are chatting with comfort. This is so unusual for  Uganda ! She is excited to have a visitor from UDS. After a chat, she lifts the lid of the saucepan  to check on what she is cooking. A thick cloud of steam covers the kitchen for seconds, then she quickly realizes how surprised I am to find such a  smoke free  environment (yet she is cooking using firewood) as she explains how fantastic her smokeless stove is. 

"It has been a real change having this smokeless oven , as it is no longer just me and the children that are in the kitchen. When I am busy, my husband comes into the kitchen to chat about family and social issues.  When I go outside to wash the dishes, my husband will now look after the fire. Not so in the past, as Ugandan men fear being choked by smoke"; explains Betty. 

Betty using her smokeless oven

"I also spend less time collecting firewood as I only use two pieces of firewood to prepare a meal.  Because the oven is designed with two burners - I can boil drinking water at the same time as I cook our meal, using the same amount of wood. In the past I would collect wood 4 times a week, but since I've had the oven I only have to do it once a week.  I don't have to worry about warming food for any family member who missed the main meal either as food keeps warm for four hours.  Oh smokeless ovens -  what a wonder and great relief you are  to the women of Africa who have to rely on firewood to cook !

It only costs £30 to train somebody to build a smokeless oven - the materials are nature's gift!  Donate now to our smokeless oven project or read more about them at www.ugandadev.org.uk





 

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.