GlobalGiving.org: Empower AIDS Widows - Save a Community

RARUDO quarterly Report of November 2011.

Onyango Joseph — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:48:31 GMT

Goat raising project.

On behalf of the board and community members, I am pleased to share with you RARUDO quarterly Report of November 2011.

We hope you will take a few minutes to read about our progress over the past months, and about the women, children and men we work for every day.

Thanks to your incredible generosity and contribution from our dear donors. Your support raised through this year is already at work changing lives of our people. With your donations, our people from Tororo, Busia, and Bugiri were ble get some improved seeds and foods that at least made them go through the long experienced harvesting period without much starving. This support was timely in that helped improve the nutrition for especially our people living positive with HIV/AIDS.

At last now there is enough rain, people everywhere are very busy with garden work, and this brings hope that there will be enough food in
this second rain season, they will have enough to eat and some for income. Our orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC) received
schooling materials and uniforms and going to school is just the start of their journey to a better life. By getting an education these OVCs and girl - child
can find good jobs and lift themselves, their families and their communities out of grinding poverty.

To discover more, our women are making great achievement as in economic empowerment through their agriculture development, goat’s project
integrated with piggery is gradually transforming their lives economically. In the entire three district ladies are greatly struggling to change the society
by spending much time gardening and ensure there is enough food in the house and a surplus for micro-income earning for sustainability. Tailoring and craft
making is another inspiring project in  which has helped 40 women get a vital knowledge in generating  a side income and will be helping over 100 women over the coming 2 years. 

Thank you for standing with us as we continue to work toward improving the Lives of women and children and families everywhere, and preserving the environment
that sustains us all. I want to extend my sincere regards to all friends in the US, UK and everyone who have and are making this work possible.

May God bless you.

Warm Regards

Onyango Joseph 

Executive Director

RARUDO

Exercise book distribution to orphans

Piggery project

RARUDO group vegetable garden

August 2011 Update

Jaya Canterbury-Counts — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:58:22 GMT

Dear Friends,
Nothing I say could possibly express the urgent needs of our friends in Uganda, so I will share with you a personal letter I received from Joseph Onyango, who heads the Rayland Rural Development Project (RARUDO):

Dear Jaya,
       I take this opportunity to send you warm greetings from Rarudo, Tororo, Busia and Bugiri. We are okay only that I have been busy in the village with garden work since am trying to settle my family at home. I have
moved them from Kampala back to RARUDO, where at least they are safe.
       Generally there is great outcry all over, poverty is on its climax, there is terrible famine (hunger), no food
completely some are surviving on a meal day or none other hot water. This is all due to long drought which has
caused late planting and late harvesting coupled with high cost of fuel and commodities which sparked political unrest.
       During the time of violent demonstrations in Kampala, I lost my digital camera, monitor, printer, they were stolen from my place of work, along with almost everything I owned. Two of your old friends, Samburo and Blandina, are very sick. Samburo of course with AIDS, and Blandina is on treatment she is having malaria and high blood pressure.
       I am so broke I could not get our financial report from auditors, they finished the work some time
back but am yet handicapped. Please send my regards to all my friends. – Joseph

Joseph’s letter made me cry, because he has been such a strong leader in all the places he mentions. If Joseph is feeling so disheartened, then things are bad indeed. These little communities, where people have worked so hard to make a better life, are in danger of being crushed again under the weight of world-wide economic and
environmental crises. I realize you may be feeling a little bit crushed yourself, but even small donations go a very
long way.
Thank you.
Jaya

March 2011 Update

Onyango Joseph — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:29:29 GMT

Bugiri Women

Rayland Rural Development Organization quarterly updates 2011

I greet you all on behalf of Rayland Rural Development Organization and take this moment to thank you all for your generous contribution towards our programme. Your social contribution is creating big changes and development to lives underprivileged families here in Uganda. With your continuing support, the Organization providing access to more than social economic empowerment, enhanced health and education to the underprivileged women and children in Tororo, Busia, Bugiri and Kitgum as well. We enable women to provide nutritious food for their families preventing common diseases like malaria and other illness and ensure brighter future for their children.

In support of Economic Empowerment
The involvement of beneficiaries in income-generating activities has had a positive impact on community perceptions and is helping to restore their self-respect, their dignity and their ability to contemplate an alternative future. The project has created social ties between beneficiaries, and different groups, trying contribute to improved social cohesion. We are already creating a legacy that replicates itself beyond the boarders with the help of friends like you. We have DIRECTLY reached to more than four hundred (400) women plus their families and OVC (orphans and other vulnerable children) over 700 - a total of 1,100 people and INDIRECTLY BENEFITING over 3,000 across three districts.

With the recent donation of US $ 9,000 it has enabled us give women improved maize, Soya beans seeds, vegetable seeds for their own gardens with aim of diversifying nutrition at household levels, local chicken projects for eggs. We have also given out more 22 goats for milk to the 22 OVCs this is the third round we are doing this. We bought three new sewing machines for women in Bugiri. The women we serve in Tororo, Busia and Bugiri and Kitgum are an inspiration- they are proud, motivated, and willing to work on overcoming conditions of extreme poverty despite of inadequate resources /funding.

In the Support of HIV/AIDS
Cross-cutting effects of HIV/AIDS in RARUDO target areas include: growing number of widows, orphans and extended families struggling to meet the needs of these vulnerable members, poor health which limits production and productivity in AIDS-affected households, limited access to productive assets and economic means by women and OVC, lack of education for OVC, more so for those living with HIV, denial of access to services and information, domestic violence, stigma and discrimination, weakening and/or breakdown of families and traditional community social support networks and structures, loss of individuals in whom families, government and businesses have invested heavily and on whom they depended for leadership, direction, and continuity of future generations. The overall adverse effect has been insufficient human, social and economic development, which ultimately exacerbates the HIV/AIDS problem. It is therefore on the above background that The Empower AIDS Widows-Save a Community project engaged in changing the lives of beneficiary communities, and contributing to the improved livelihoods of women, children, and person living with HIV/AIDS, persons with disability through Empowerment, Trainings, Counseling, Care and Support. These have been made possible with support from our loving donors like you through our partners The River Fund and Global Giving.

The priority area, the project executed is the Long Term HIV/AIDS Survival Skills which has provided bridging support to the People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWAs) in most parts of The Eastern and Northern Uganda mainly Tororo, Busia, Bugiri and Kitgum. In December 2010 we conducted a one day Long Term HIV/AIDS Skills workshop for newly reached 25 women of Amonikakinei in Buteba Sub-county -this place is in the borders of Tororo and Busia District. Your support of February this year 2011 enabled us to provide unrefined maize flour mixed with soya bean to the PLWAs these include 30 from Tororo, 29 from Busia and 11 from Bugiri, domestic basic needs to 45 elderly women and their families. Provide some septrin to the PLWAs (Medication).

In support of the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC)
These groups always lack the human and financial support to adequately respond to the Social, Educational, HIV/AIDS problem hence some are forced to live on the streets or under exploitative conditions of labour, sexual abuse, prostitution and other forms of abuse. Children in Child-headed households (CHH) have to fend for themselves and support their younger siblings. Some of these children are infected with HIV either through mother-to-child-transmission (MTCT) or through defilement or through commercial sex work as they struggle to make ends meet. Your generosity has enabled RARUDO to support OVC with scholastic materials, uniforms and other utilities like sanitary care for girl child. Currently out of 500 OVC 270 from Tororo is benefiting, in Busia 150 out of 300 OVCs and 130 out of 209 from Bugiri.

People with Disabilities (PWD)
PWDs are vulnerable and often face double discrimination and high stigma because they are disabled and some are living with, HIV/AIDS. Few PWDs access HIV/AIDS and Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) services because of, distance to health facilities; there is limited suitable forms and channels of HIV/AIDs information dissemination, education, communication and counseling from existing HIV/AIDS service providers which do not take into consideration the needs of PWDS especially those with hearing impairment, the visually impaired, the deaf blind, those with learning difficulties and those with mental illnesses. Limited access to information leaves them ignorant on preventive measures like abstinence, behavior change and other safe sex methods if they indulge in sex. Discrimination and stigmatization of PWD at HIV/AIDS service centres and at the community not only increase vulnerability but also results in self-stigma which draws PWD away from service points. At the same time, misconceptions that PWDs are sexually inactive and hence free from HIV/AIDS lead to susceptibility to rape and defilement exposing them to HIV/AIDS.

RARUDO integrated these groups in its programme and there were 48 PWD in Iyolwa Sub-County. PWD often suffer from poverty due to low levels of education, high stigmatization and discrimination as well as the limited capacity to engage in income generating activities. RARUDO is providing support to this community by providing them with improved seeds, nutrition support and skills, health education to empower their ability to have resources to deal with economic impact of HIV/AIDS and other related vulnerability.

As I conclude, I thank entire community members, board members and local partners for their tireless efforts and cooperation toward the success. My appreciation goes to the donors, International partners and friends for the good work done towards realization of some the organization objectives.

Yours sincerely,
Onyango Joseph
Executive Director, RARUDO

Children (OVC) receiving uniforms and books

progressive report on RARUDO project

Onyango Joseph — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:28:14 GMT

rarudo project photos

We grateful to register the progress of the Empower Women –Save a community organization which have been the commitment of the members of Rayland Rural Development Organization, rural communities of Iyolwa Sub-county, Local leaders and development partners local and International.

I want to appreciate the support and involvement of our friend and partner Jaya Canterbury Count the Executive Director of River Fund from Florida USA whose continuous effort has made RARUDO to be what it is today, thanks to our donors through Global Giving have made tremendous changes in the lives of vulnerable women, children persons with disabilities, PLWAS.

The support that we received from the Global Giving through River Fund has:-

Enabled our OVC complete their schooling this year, where the majority sat for end year exams.
Enabled 98 OVC from Tororo, 68 OVC from Busia and 24 OVC Bugiri totaling 190 sat for Primary Leaving Examination (PLE)
Enabled women in Tororo, Bugiri and Busia grow enough vegetables at their kitchen gardens thus improved livelihoods at grass roots levels.
Bugiri women bought and distributed goats to the child headed families.
Supported People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWAS) through nutritional support and care.
The support allowed room for more young women to enroll for tailoring training.

rarudo project photos

disabled dancing with the project sponsor Vicky

a vulnerable lady center supported by the project

Links:

search Empower AIDS Widows-save a community on globalgiving.com

Update Spring 2010

Joseph Onyango — Tue, 11 May 2010 14:19:44 GMT

Community

RARUDO Updates to Global Giving. Empower AIDS Widows, Save a Community Progressive Report Great thanks to our donors through Global Giving and gratitude to dear sponsor The River Fund whose tireless work has contributed to the reducing of the vulnerability of the women, Orphans, the disabled, the elderly women, widows, youth and other disadvantaged groups in Tororo, Busia and Bugiri Districts in Eastern Uganda. On behalf of our community in Uganda I want to appreciate the efforts Global giving is rendering to transform the rural poor and improving the standards of living of the disadvantaged people world wide more specially Uganda. Achievements: With the support we received we managed to reach the needy mostly women, AIDS widows, the OVC, the disabled and the elderly mainly through education, health, awareness in food security and nutrition and treatment of opportunistic diseases. The following OVCs received educational materials from the resent funding support; these included all OVC from the three districts Tororo, Busia and Bugiri. In Tororo District 270 out of 450 OVC, Busia 100 out of 300 OVC, Bugiri 60 out of 76 totaling to 430 OVC benefited directly from the support. At least the following are receiving treatment of opportunistic diseases as well as nutrition, 20 out of 67 reached PLWAS from Tororo 9, from Busia 6 out 16. They receive ground millet mixed with Soya bean for porridge to improve nutrition, 15 women of Tororo and 20 of Bugiri received clothing, 3 PLWAs in Busia received blanket 50 women in Busia received pigs & birds for poultry farming as well as Bugiri. The project Empower AIDS widows Save a community is improving the OVC academic performance by providing them with basic scholastic materials, school uniform and other related schooling items. Problems encountered: Although improvements have been noted in child education and health, the constraints in achieving high impact include the inadequate coverage of effective education and health interventions and the poor quality of services provided. The major reasons for this include weak / poor infrastructure, shortage of skilled personnel, inadequate awareness in nutrition, Inadequate funding for the project interventions. In spite of the inadequate resources, the project is empowering women by improving the standard of living through provision of improved seeds (for vegetable production purposely for income generation) - Access to clean water and sanitation. - Skills training basically tailoring training and crafts - Nutritional support to mainly the PLWAS - Access to treatment of opportunistic diseases as result of HIV/AIDS As RARUDO is extending its programmes activities to the other parts of rural areas in the three districts i.e. Tororo, Busia and Bugiri, the constraints in realizing its goals include inadequate funding / resources for effective capacity building and poor infrastructure. Challenges: The challenge for the organization’s activities is to scale- up the OVC survival interventions, management of child hood infections, nutrition promotion, and management of social economic activities and address the provision of clean and safe water supply in rural areas, integrating, reaching out to the people with disabilities and addressing issues that concern them so have one common understanding with other vulnerable groups. Conclusion: I want to recognize the visits of our friends and partners particularly Marci Valeria a global giving volunteer who visited us in Jan 2009, Alexis Nadin and Brain visited us in May 2009, Their presence in our rural poor village was so wonderful and memorable. Thank you, our dear friends, donors and partners for your generosity in which without your support we would not be able to accomplish what we have so far. Kind regards to you all. Yours Sincerely, Onyango Joseph Executive Director. RARUDO

New Year Update

Jaya Canterbury-Counts — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:54:05 GMT

Thanks to our donors on behalf of the group members from Tororo, Busia and Bugiri. We wish you all a wonderful new year. The entire communities were very happy to receive your donation and they asked me to warmly send their regards with all love. Busia received US $ 550 Bugiri received US $ 500 RARUDO (Disabled group) received US $ 400 RARUDO OVC received US $ 1,350 RARUDO women, PLWAs and the elderly US $ 800 RARUDO is preparing children education in 2010 with much of the funding going to be spent on Scholastic materials, some portion will be used in feeding every one in the holiday season and nutritional support, clothing the AIDS widows (this is also the case with Bugiri, they bought every widow a kitenge). For Busia - they have placed a portion for OVC and blankets for the three bed ridden AIDS patients and provide food for every one in this festive season. I have no other words to add on but only to thank you all for your generosity and pray may God continue blessing and giving more strength.

News

Joseph Onyango — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:08:19 GMT

OVC wearing new uniforms, sewn by our trained tailors,

We send sincere thanks to its development partners and recognizes their generous support most specially The River Fund, Global Giving and other donor groups that have made it possible for the successes of the organisation activities.

From the year 2000 to date RARUDO has restored hope and renewed the spirit of women ,Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), people living with HIV/AIDS, youth and people with disabilities through its core programmes, Social Economic Development, Health and Education.

With support from The River Fund and Global giving the depth of RARUDO impacts this year 2009 extended from Tororo through Busia and Bugiri Districts in Eastern Uganda.

The organisation builds the skills of women through its exchange programme.

The programme is designed to offer vulnerable groups particularly AIDS widows, women, the OVC, youth, the Elderly, Persons with disability with skills that enable them to fight poverty and stop the spread of HIV/AIDS at house hold levels and enhance education of the OVC.

The programmes operate on various initiatives that include: Tailoring training, AIDS education and training, vegetable growing, food crop production, cross breeded goats distribution ,poultry farming, food security and Nutrition education, scholastic materials and uniforms for the OVC, treatment of opportunistic diseases for PLWAs , support and care for the PLWAs, water and Sanitation.

FAST FACTS: RARUDO’s impact stretches across grassroots through out rural population in Tororo, Bugiri and Busia Districts in eastern Uganda.

Tororo District

1. 1,600 women in Tororo district, Iyolwa Sub-County have benefited from the training on Long term HIV/AIDS Survival skill and AIDS education.

2. 30 Women in Tororo District have benefited from pattern designing and tailoring training.

3. 32 OVC received improved goat breed in the first round in 2008.

4. Another 17 in the second round this year 2009 these were kids produced by the first distribution.

5. 270 OVC received scholastic materials and uniforms.

6. Over 100 women received vegetable seeds and planted vegetables for income sustainability.

7. About 100 community house holds have access to safe water from home dug wells.

8. 20 PLWA and 21 child headed homes receive nutritional foods supply.

9. 20 PLWAs receive treatment for opportunistic diseases.

10. 60 Persons with Disabilities receive support and care.

Bugiri District.

In Bugiri district, RARUDO incorporated widows, young women, and youth into its programmes in 2009 with a total 40 widows, 60 OVC, 30 youth who are now benefiting from the activities below.

The beneficiaries here are engaged in:-

Poultry farming Vegetable growing Campaign on sanitation and hygiene Hand crafts OVC support

Second round of goats for child headed households

New home dug well providing clean water to 50 families

Postcard from Empower AIDS Widows - Save a Community

Alexis Nadin and Brian Banks — Fri, 15 May 2009 21:40:05 GMT

Alexis and Brian visited this project on May 6th, 2009. They write:

In one of the poorest areas of Uganda is a community which has been deeply ravaged by AIDS. In our short time here we have seen the destruction of AIDS manifested in the many grave sites at every home and the scores of widows and orphans that have been left behind. But, for the widows of this project, GlobalGiving has provided a better life. During our visit we saw that through this project, widows have found solace in community, developed skills for coping, and obtained resources to become self-reliant; they have truly been empowered.

The first funds contributed through GlobalGiving were used to construct a center, which has created a vibrant community, in which widows can support each other. Also, GlobalGiving funds have been invested in several projects which alleviate the severe financial struggles of widows. Several of the women we spoke with had no source of income before this project. Today, some widows are raising goats, others are growing vegetables, and others still are being trained in tailoring and dressmaking. To support these women, GlobalGiving has funded 32 goats, six sewing machines, and enough seeds for 18 gardens. Six of the goats have given birth, and most of the others are pregnant. This project has chosen to have the first offspring of every goat be given to another member, thus expanding the impact. This program has further alleviated the economic burden of these widows by paying for many of the school related costs for the orphans which many of the women are raising. Finally, this project provides long term survival skills (through GlobalGiving Project #2175: Training the Trainers) for those widows suffering from HIV/AIDS, helping them live long and healthy lives.

We have no words to describe the inspiration we felt while watching this project change, and even save, lives. This visit moved us to tears, and showed us the true power of community. We have no doubt this project is, and will continue to be, successful. RARUDO, the community based organization that runs this project, has big plans on the horizon, including several projects which will be coming to GlobalGiving, which will benefit the orphans, disabled, and needy members of the community. We encourage you to keep an eye out for these projects, and continue to follow the great work of this organization.

When asked what they would tell their friends about this project, Alexis and Brian said, “Incredible: You need to see this!”

GlobalGiving is committed to incorporating many viewpoints on our 600+ projects. We feel that more information, especially from eyewitnesses helps donors like you continue to support organizations doing great work in the community.

Visitor postcard: Women who will never stop singing

Marci Varley — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:30:05 GMT

RARUDO women sing of hope, and sing to curb the spread of AIDS

Marci Varley recently visited a RARUDO project to empower AIDS widows in Uganda. She wrote:

I arrived in Tororo town the night before my visit to Rayland Rural Development Organization (RARUDO) and was warmly welcomed by Mr. Joseph Onyango, the Executive Director and Founder of RARUDO. We sat together for about an hour so that he could tell me more about the organization which is non-denominational and non-partisan and hopes to "help the community (his hometown of Tororo) to stand on its own." Joseph founded RARUDO in 1997 because he "wanted to form a group of people to help, support and educate all of those in need." He truly wants to give all of those in need a chance to dream of a future, something many people in the developing world never do. Currently, RARUDO supports 240 children and 60 women; and, since 2007, has incorporated a local group of disabled and elderly people into the group (25 women and 15 men).

On Friday morning, we headed to the office in a rural village outside Tororo town to meet with other members of the organization...both those working to help the community and members of the community being assisted by the organization. As we approached the office, a group of about 10 women danced out of the main door singing a welcome song followed by other songs of appreciation and thanks as well as songs about the scourge of HIV/AIDS, their worries and their hopes of a better future. It was such a beautifully, traditional welcome that warmed my heart and definitely started the visit off on the right foot. (The attached picture is of the women singing another song as they re-entered the office and formally welcomed me. All of these woman have received aid from RARUDO.) Several of Joseph's colleagues spoke about their work with RARUDO and even described how the organization helped them in years past. They outlined the projects of RARUDO which include, but are never limited to: training farmers in sustainability; distributing goats for sustainability projects; trainings and support on agriculture and livestock rearing; teaching long-term HIV/AIDS survival skills (through trained HIV/AIDS counselors within the group); sensitizing/teaching communities on avoiding/living with AIDS (through trainings and drama performances); building new homes to provide healthy living environments; distributing mosquito nets; running a vocational school for women and orphans (teaching tailoring and other domestic works such as baking in their new fuel-efficient oven for income sustainability); distributing scholastic materials and fees to orphans; and generally supporting the poorest of the poor (orphans, elderly, widows, widowers and disabled).

In addition to hearing about these projects, I also heard from a few of the community members who have received assistance from the organization. One AIDS widow, named Azeresi Achieng, even performed a monologue to describe her journey since learning of her own HIV status...her feelings of fear and solitude and how she overcame those feelings with the help of RARUDO and found strength to move forward. Ms. Achieng's initial thoughts were "where did this come from? it's all over the country and all over the world; everyone, even doctors are suffering; and no one knows where it came from" and she even thought that she should kill her children so that when she is gone, they don't suffer. However, with the help of RARUDO's trained counselors, she learned that she could live a happy and healthy life with HIV and now sees how "life, in so many ways, is good." The organization has aided her in several ways including teaching her how to stay healthy and training her in tailoring, but most importantly, RARUDO provided emotional support that truly helped her to get past her initial reactions and gain the strength to survive.

As I said my goodbyes and left the office, Joseph translated the song that was being sung by the women: RARUDO is a symbol of development and hope within a community of widows, orphans, disabled and elderly people. The group works together to support and counsel each other and are partners in the development that uplifts the community. RARUDO tells youth to study and work hard, to be safe and to know about HIV. The women will not stop singing, but will always tell others about RARUDO's work and continue to do what they can to be a part of that good work.

My visit with Joseph and all of the members of RARUDO is one that I will never forget. The work they have done in the community is inspiring and as I left them I felt myself wanting to be a better person.

- - - - - - GlobalGiving asks all visitors: "What would you tell your friends about this project?" Marci said, "Incredible! You need to see this!"

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October Site Visit

Jaya Canterbury-Counts — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:11:20 GMT

Washing dishes

Last October, we visited the Rayland Rural Development Organization in Uganda, a community we are helping toward economic sustainability. Lynde Francis, from The Centre Zimbabwe, was inside the vocational training center teaching about 50 people “Long Term Survival Skills for HIV.” I went to see the new bakery -- powered by charcoal fire since there is no electricity in this village. That’s when I saw the starving young woman and her baby. The baby was tiny and listless. The mother was too malnourished to produce milk for the baby. In rural villages, this image of mother and child is far too common. I greeted her and shook her hand in the Ugandan way. Our good friend Joseph, who runs the RARUDO project, and I agreed that we had to help this person who was in our path. Within 24 hours we had medicine, safe housing, a bed, blanket, food and supplies for the baby. We learned the woman had been starved and beaten by her husband. She had head wounds and a broken leg from being thrown. She had returned to her village, but had no family to help her. The women we trained will look after her – even though they told me they see many like her every day.

Cooking

Even the very young must help out

Goats

Joseph Onyango — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:28:50 GMT

New goats!

Dear Friends.

I send you greetings and appreciation from RARUDO members upon your donation. On behalf of the members allow me say thank you for your generous support. The members agreed to buy goats and distributed to the Orphans. With the donation, we bought 32 cross-bred goats for milk and the children who received goats in this round will raise and pass the first offspring to their friends who did not get the first circle and it will continue until all the children receive the goat gift project. The goat will provide milk to the orphans and vulnerable children thus improving child’s nutrition aspect. Then the second offspring will be brought back to the organisation who will pass it to other members who were identified and reached during our last Long term HIVAIDS Survival Skills sensitisation and training, this will include disabled and other women groups. We are also setting up a local bakery out of mud to bake buns to earn some income in addition to our agricultural activities which at least will help us supporting these orphans, PWLAs, and widows. We sought so because we think it may bring us quick returns to arrest some of our situation of inadequate funding. We shall be implementing other programmes one at a time as funds may dictate. Thank you very much and may God bless you . My heartfelt greetings to you all and my love to all friends.

Mr.Onyango Joseph Executive Director

RARUDO

Jaya Canterbury-Counts — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 20:49:34 GMT

Training the trainers!

The women of this impoverished area have now trained hundreds of other women in HIV long term surival skills ... inlcuding prevention, health and nutrition, the use of local indigenous foods and herbs, women's empowerment and given hope to so many. They have incorporated the disabled group into RARUDO. But they need so much more help to continue.

Baby attends the workshop!

Vocational Training Center

Jaya Canterbury-Counts — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 17:30:21 GMT

The Rayland Rural Development Organization recently completed construction of a new vocational/training center in their small village. They did this with the help of donors and local government. RARUDO has also been able to purchase and install 10 sewing machines to begin training in tailoring in addition to their work in agriculture and organic farming.

Update

Jaya Canterbury-Counts, M.Ed. — Thu, 10 May 2007 18:15:28 GMT

Demonstrating a female condom

In a region devastated by AIDS, these rural widows have joined their small plots of land to form an organic farming co-op. They need equipment and training to pull themselves and their children out of poverty. Presently, we have trained twenty widows in Long Term Survivor Skills in HIV/AIDS and they are in turn training others in their community. We have sent six AIDS widows for training in tailoring and they are now operating their own businesses and together the group has begun construction of a training center in their small village which will operate along with government aid to provide skill training for the local community. The group has also purchased bicycles to reach remote homesteads to train in HIV prevention and education.

Training center under construction

Bikes!