Empower AIDS Widows - Save a Community

Progressive Report of Empower AIDS Widows –Save A Community A Project of Rayland Rural Development Organisation (RARUDO).

This report has been complied with the help of all stake holders in the organisation RARUDO and I commend all of you who generously and wholeheartedly contributed towards our achievements.

Rayland Rural Development Organisation, now a registered Local NGO with number.5914/ 9938 carried out her activities in the fields of Empowering the Unemployed Women and Youth through Non-Formal Skills Training, Extending Educational Support to Orphans and other Vulnerable Children (OVC), Carrying out HIV/AIDS Awareness and Control of the Spread through the Long Term HIV/AIDS Survival Skill. Improving The Standard of Living of The Indigenous Economically through Agriculture, local Savings and Credit Facility.

Empowering the Unemployed Women And Youth Through Non-Formal Skills Training.

Year 2013 we passed out 40 young women in Tailoring skills and this year 2014 we managed train only 35. We are happy to see that most of these women are now operating their small scale tailoring businesses which were never there before and now they can afford to make small income to support their families.

Future plan on this aspect.

We are also trying to include other skills  in raring fish on open dry ground while containing water in polythen PVC bags  and feeding them with local feeds, mushroom growing  at home gardens, herbal cream and jellies  to help fight skin diseases and maintain healthy skin, candle wax  among others. We are establishing partnership with Union of Developmental Organisations a local NGO in Uganda who would be willing to provide these training at low cost if not freely to our people.

We believe that once these skills are acquired our women will be able to gain sustainable resource base to support household income at the grass root level.

Extending Educational Support to Orphans and other Vulnerable Children (OVC).

I am happy to report to you that the year 2014 is ending and all our 600 children are at school, one boy at the University and two girls at college, soon they are sitting for their end of year examination taking them to another level. This has been made possible by our dear donors in the US and UK. Thank you for your generosity.

75% of Uganda ‘s population live in rural setting where poverty and  pandemic disease has stricken and where most cannot afford to meet better health ,quality education  and majority of these are women and children who are has faced by  many of these  challenges , high cost of educational material , uniforms and infrastructure , teachers are underpaid, all rural school children go bare footed  and some stay  without a meal at school  and on this note since  RARUDO came in partnership with The River Fund, since 2002 to date every year we support over 600 OVC with scholastic materials , School uniforms and some meals at home.  It is our prayer that if there could be a way we may also be able to give them some foot wear and at least a meal at school.

HIV/AIDS Awareness and Control of the Spread through The Long Term HIV/AIDS Survival Skill

The Long Term HIV/AIDS Survival Skill program initiated to us in has tremendously contributed to the awareness and control of the spread of the pandemic killer disease HIV/AIDS which has left many homes fatherless or motherless or both leaving many children orphaned with some child headed homes.

We started gaining hope when our trained AIDS counselors monthly visit homes, schools, churches, community clubs /women groups disseminating the knowledge to the community teaching them better ways of avoiding getting the Virus, better feeding methods and how live positive with HIV/AIDS if already sick, better hygne and sanitation, encouraging the population to go for Voluntary Counseling and Testing VCT and fight the stigma.

Due to limited resources we always refer our reached communities to referral hospitals and other established institutions such as Uganda Cares and TASO for better treatment freely.

Improving the Standard of Living of the Indigenous Economically through Agriculture, local Savings and Credit Facility.

This quarter we have not had shortage of food in among our groups; many women opened their gardens and collected enough food & vegetables some of them were support by micro credit got through local saving in the groups. We see the lives of the vulnerable women are improving

Major Achievements

Among all these I want highlight some our major achievements which include but not limited to these listed below:

1)      Strengthen our Legal Status with The Uganda National NGO Board.
2)       75 young women graduated in Tailoring skills.
3)      Over 600 OVC enrolled, retained at school to acquire better education.
4)      Two young girls at college.
5)      A boy at University
6)      Homes, schools, churches, community clubs /women groups are visited monthly
7)      Many populations are aware of dangers of HIV/AIDS and getting tested for HIV.
8)      The stigma is mitigated
9)      The livelihoods of the women is enhancing socially and economically.
10)   Food security is improving thus reducing malnutrition.
11)   Number dairy goats increasing.

Need:

There is need for more funds, our fund base is still inadequate since we still entirely depend on donations and there are more projects to be supported.

There is need to expand our training center to help keep more trainees and add other courses.

Long distances in among the projects areas make the monitoring work so difficult due lack means of transport.

The need to retain children at school at least to control the dropout rate

The need to provide at least a meal at school and footwear

Conclusion:

I want to end by giving my sincere regards to all our donors at GlobalGiving, The River Fund, Uganda government , local leaders and all well wishers for supporting our cause of bringing  hope to the vulnerable community we serve.

I remain yours in service,
Onyango Joseph
Executive Director
RARUDO

We apologize for the lateness of this report. Our project leader in Uganda has been very sick for weeks now. He is slowly improving and we hope he will be back to work soon.

I have talked with him and will do my best to give a project update.

Earlier this year, the project leader attended a training given by Samaritans Purse in mushroom growing etc. which led to a proposal asking for support in learning how to make bar soap, liquid soap, mushroom growing and candle wax, because they felt that the market of these products was readily available and many of the members are living day to day.

This proposal was rejected due to very high cost and what we felt were unrealistic outcome expectations as well as no long term ability to maintain the proposal goals.

This has led to a recommitment to and a focus on our core mission to help the very neediest help themselves and each other.

1. In that vein we are continuing our practice of purchasing and distributing “good” and healthy seeds for home kitchen gardens and community gardens to share and to sell.  Better seeds equal better gardens which results in better nutrition for individuals and families.
2. We are continuing in poultry raising and egg production. Goat raising helps orphans and other vulnerable children especially child headed households live better lives. By raising, breeding and selling goats, these children can better feed themselves and send siblings to school.
3. Our amazing group of disabled members continues to educate others about the issues and prejudice they face daily. They have become more political and vocal. They are activists and provide a voice for the most vulnerable. Many support themselves by entertaining with song, dance, music and storytelling.
4. Our trainers are sharing with small and large groups of men and women about Long Term Survival Skills for HIV/AIDS. The trainers were given a refresher course last August.
5. Our tailoring program is going strong but we are in need of some specialized equipment such as a button hole machine. Our sewing machines are the “old fashioned” pump machines that can be used without the need for electricity.

One of the goals for the near future is connecting our tailoring shop to electricity which is now finally available in the village.

Thank you to all of our faithful and committed donors. Your donations truly make a difference.