I was part of a small team that went to Uganda August 17

The journey wasn’t without some hiccups; the plane was delayed at Birmingham airport for over an1 hour and we just caught the connecting flight to Uganda. On route we were informed that our cases had been left behind in Dubai and we would receive them the next day and we wasted about an hour or so having to go through form filling etc that was required.

After a day’s rest we went into we went into one of the local schools where we where given a very warm welcome by the staff and the pupils who were very pleased to see us.

Despite the lack of facilities the children had a desire to learn. We experienced the same welcome in all the schools that we visited. The children entered whole heartily into the colouring and making crowns and other items. Some of the sessions required them to be working together as a team, which was challenging for some who got too excited and just dashed ahead. One of the games, which we played, was blind man’s buff and it was a real hoot for the children, especially when the head and their class teacher were blindfolded, they were jumping and cheering.

On Sunday we visited one of the local churches and had a warm reception, the praise and worship was excellent, but sadly I don’t have the rhythm the Ugandans do.

Though we were a small team everybody worked really hard to make an impact on the lives of the people we came in contact with.

 

The roads and the driving was an experience in its self but not for those with a nervous disposition.

One thing, which struck me, was how stern people looked but just by saying hello their faces would light up and big grins would appear, We found people to be very friendly and welcoming.

 

We went on safari to Murchison Falls, which was a really good experience, viewing the animals and boating on the Nile, seeing hippos and crocodiles close up (not to close).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was an eye opener to see how hard people needed to work to support their families and make ends meet.

If you want an experience and challenge I recommend going to Uganda. It won’t be easy but it will be well worth it.

Phil Meadows

Equipe has been bringing help to the needy for several years and many changes have happened over that time.
We are not a disaster fund which makes desperate appeals on the back of some catastrophic incident sending a portion of your gift to the scene while keeping some back for processing and administration, we are on the ground long term affecting communities.
Equipe has been providing feeding programs in East African schools so that the children get at least one nutritious meal per day. These programs have historically been funded through church groups but of late this support has diminished through changing circumstances

Our program has been providing one meal to over 800 children per day but we find ourselves unable to continue due to depletion of funds. In recent times we have encouraged our partners to look at self supporting systems to supplement or even replace these programs, some progress has been made but there is still a shortfall.
Equipe currently sends out £1300 per term, that’s £325 a month, just over £11 per day to help provide a meal for 800 children.
The math is staggering, that’s less than 1.5p per child per day.

Of the 800 children we feed, less than 100 are receiving any form of child sponsorship.

We operate and achieve all that we do with only 5 part time volunteers and so are appealing for your assistance.
We need your help to enable us to continue this vital work, through donations (no matter how small), through you organising a fund raising event such as car boot or garage sale, coffee morning, cake sale etc. etc.

Please contact us if you can help.

 

 

Click the link below to view our latest news

Newsletter Jan 17

Latest update from Uganda Oct 2016

We have had a busy time at Maranatha Gateway planting various trees over these last few months.  500 eucalyptus seedlings were planted in May.  Their trunks grow quickly, tall and straight and are mostly used for the building trade.

The eucalyptus trees keep on growing – most are well over 6 feet tall.  The pine trees planted in early October need much more care and some are struggling to keep growing straight!!  We have had more fruit trees planted – mango, banana and next week we will add passion and paw paw.

We have also had quite a lot of tree surgery done – dangerous overhanging branches, Large palm trees blocking out the light and some smaller jobs.

The grass on the recreation area is beginning to grow well and has even had its first slashing!! (ie cutting!!)

 

We had a successful carpentry course at the end of September and a team from US came for  few days at beginning of October to work with Pastor Fred’s church.  They stayed at one of the beach resorts and John ferried them back and forth to various meetings, hospital visit (to pray for the patients) etc… They also visited the local prison and 6 of the inmates received Jesus  and want to be baptised. 2 patients from the hospital got healed and baptised as did 2 of the waitresses at the hotel.  A great time.

The following weekend we went to Kampala with the truck.  On the way we took some equipment to Pastor Margaret’s prostitute project in Namulanda.  Sewing machines and various accessories and material to help train the ladies in a money earning skill. This equipment came as part of our shipment from Tools with a Mission – we also had equipment for carpentry, brick laying and ground working tools.  It has been such a blessing.

We were also meeting up with someone who was going to help us achieve the renewal of our NGO.  I had been getting some paperwork together and I wanted to see how we were doing.  Well actually pretty well is the answer!!! In fact today (27th) I have just completed all the paperwork, got all the relevant signatures and photocopied all the pages to make 6 copies, put in files all ready to go to the various departments.  Monday I shall be back in Kampala to give the file for the NGO board and hope that everything will be ok for our renewal in November.  Praise God.

Maranatha Gateway, Kalangala –

The second accommodation block has been completed with all plastering and painting as well as  all bedrooms fully  equipped.  The pathways connecting the buildings have been laid with stone, making access much easier.

2 carpentry courses have been held with some wonderful furniture made – especially from the Module 2 course, which consisted of students from the previous module 1 courses over the last 12 months.

 

New Rock Foundation School, Kampala –

The school gates have been painted as well as other improvements to the kitchen which have been made possible by the support of St Paul’s Primary School in Hereford.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bridge of Hope school, Kalangala –

The nursery building is nearing completion with the walls mostly in place.  This is as a result of the support from St John’s Primary school in Sandbach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chosen Children Primary School, Nansana –

This school has recently been ‘twinned’ with All Saints Primary School, Gresford, Wrexham.  We look forward to the benefit that both schools can make of this connection.

Team visit –

A small team is coming out to Uganda in August 2016 to visit each of the above schools and work with the children, as well as see other aspects of African life.  This is an exciting event and we hope to accommodate many more such visits in the future.

 

The last couple of months have seen great progress on improving our living conditions. We now have a separate sitting room, office and bedroom – whereas before they were all in the one room!!

We have also had a large patch of land weeded and thoroughly turned over and cassava planted. We have recently bought some netting to put round the garden to deter the monkeys from damaging the crops.

 

The paving of the walkways between the buildings is completed, the water tank is connected to the new building, solar lighting is working and a security light has been installed.

 

 

The last two weeks have seen another carpentry course take place. This time we invited back previous students to do the next level of skills. We started with 6 students and they made an office desk with 2 drawers and a chair in the first week, and a sideboard/dresser in the second week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                 2016 CALENDAR                   2016 CALENDAR 

A beautiful new calendar is available for 2016 with views and descriptions of Maranatha Gateway and the surrounding countryside. We urge you to buy one or more of these – ideal Christmas presents. The cost is only £5 plus £2 postage. All you have to do is send a cheque for £7 made out to Equipe Uganda Ross to

MG Calendar, 1 Avon Close, Acton, Wrexham, LL12 7US. Please don’t forget to send us your address!!

All profits from these calendars will go directly to the Maranatha Gateway project.

Our time spent in Uganda since August has been very busy.  We held our first 2 week carpentry course in September, which produced some excellent stools and tables. We hope this skill will enable these young men to supplement their income.
We then started building the second accommodation block and we are pushing up to get the roof on before Christmas.
At the end of November we held a craft course for ladies – making paper beads and weaving baskets.  We then went down to the lakeside resorts and sold most of what they made to the tourists.  The ladies are continuing to meet together here at Sozi once a week, making craft souvenirs which can provide an income for them. It is exciting to empower local people for whom there are few opportunities. We are so grateful to supporters in the UK who sponsor these courses so we can provide them free – accommodation, food and training.
This month we have enlarged the family in Sozi by one piglet – called Cyclops, as he only has one good eye!  and 3 laying hens. We still have one big pig ( who we hope is pregnant) and 3 younger pigs – but we expect to slaughter 2 of these to provide meat for Christmas for us and our friends.
We can only continue to develop here through the generosity of our supporters, we thank you so much for believing in us, to help us make a difference here in the Ssese Islands.

John and Sue Gasston joined Mike Norbury in Kalangala on Wed 16th October. This is the latest report from them.

We have visited the Bridge of Hope  School and we plan to start on the roof of the nursery block in the next couple of weeks. The photo above shows one of the primary classes hard at work…….well except for certain distractions!
We have had the surveyor and the exploratory team of diggers on the land at Sozi today looking at the best position of the well. Work on final positioning of the well should begin next week. The plastering of the  classroom /dormitory should be underway this week.
One of our pigs has just had 9 piglets and we pray they will all survive.
We have spent a few days in Kampala collecting the brick making machine which will be shipped to Kalangala tomorrow.
We are moving forward and making progress already.
Many challenges still to overcome.
John and Sue

John and Sue Gasston and Mike Norbury are now in Kalangala, Ssese Islands to accelerate the building of the Marantha Gateway Project which is part of Equipe’s vision to provide education for local people. When it is completed next year the Vocational College will begin training adults to gain technical skills in plumbing, carpentry, building and the likes.

You can follow their adventures on Mike’s blog http://www.omulokole.blogspot.co.uk/ or visit the Marantha Gateway Project’s Facebook page on https://www.facebook.com/#!/MaranathaGateway?fref=ts