Charity work

OUR MISSION:

"To foster an increased understanding of Africa and African people, and to make a lasting impact on the lives of ordinary people who face extraordinary life challenges every single day".


WHAT WE DO:

Our primary goal is to help vulnerable children in Africa, in particular those who have become orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. We supply much needed food, clothing, bedding, shelter, and livestock to vulnerable orphaned children and destitute families, and ensure that all of our supported children are attending school, with the costs of all books, fees, uniforms, and other personal necessities covered. We provide suitable land for farming, and have offered interest-free microfinancing to those wishing to start a small business to better support their families.


OUR PARTNERSHIP:

Linda and I also partner with our dear friends, the Rev. Ezra Musobozi and his wife Marjorie, who are the founders of KIDA (Kitojo Integrated Development Association) in a very poor and remote region of Western Uganda, and together with them, we are engaged in many ongoing projects to help the HIV/AIDS infected and affected, enabling these patients to not only live a longer life, but to enjoy a much better quality of life than they could otherwise expect with this terrible disease.

With a fully trained staff of medical professionals, the new Kitojo Hospital is the only HIV/AIDS facility in this region, without which area residents would have no access to much needed blood testing, and ARV (anti retro-viral) drug therapies which are capable of prolonging the lives of AIDS patients. Our longtime KIDA partners also provide voluntary AIDS counseling, home care and support of patients, teach improved nutrition, sustainable agriculture methods and vocational skills, and are working to transform negative community attitudes and stigmas through traditional music, dance and drama performances, as well as improvement of water and sanitation and general community health.


OUR PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE: (from Linda and myself)

- donated a new portable ultrasound machine to Rwebisengo Hospital (remote Western Uganda)

- have sponsored 25 orphans to date, in addition to three entire families

- have provided rental housing for two vulnerable families

- purchased many new mattresses, bedding, clothing, food, school supplies, cooking utensils, dishes, and various other household necessities to dozens of orphans

- donated three laptop computers, printer/scanner/copier, various office and accounting software for KIDA's administrative office

- donated three new digital cameras and accessories for photographing children for sponsorship, and for KIDA's savings and loan division

- supply mosquito nets for all of our supported children to protect against malaria

- have financed eleven no-interest small business start-up loans to date

- purchased land for crops and new home construction

- many home renovations and repairs

- purchased several head of cattle

- constructed three latrines

- constructed three cooking structures

- ongoing funding to aid in the construction of Kitojo Hospital's new children's ward

- funding for Moses Asaba's medical school expenses


UPDATE - SUMMER 2018:

In the "GALLERY" section, I have added a sub-section of images under the new "AFRICA 2017" heading, entitled "OUR SUPPORTED CHILDREN". We recently took on six more Ugandan orphaned children, which brings the total number we have been assisting with various necessities (incl. mattresses, blankets, sheet sets, mosquito nets, cooking utensils, dishes, cutlery, clothing, food, etc.) to about 40 children.

Also, we have received word from our friend Ezra that the metal roofing, soffit/fascia and gutters has been installed on the new Children's Ward at KIDA Hospital. When we left Uganda mid-March, the brick walls had just been completed on the new 30'x70' structure, and the roofing materials had been ordered. The construction of this new hospital addition is being funded by Linda and I, along with an additional amount which was graciously donated by several fellow staff members of the Fogo Island Inn.

I have added many photographs to this website, under the new heading of "AFRICA 2017". We returned home to Canada in March from an amazing 6 week trip to Africa. As many of you know, we are actively involved in several ongoing charity projects in this remote region of Western Uganda. But we also made a point of allowing ourselves to enjoy some much-needed leisure time, which included a safari in Murchison Falls National Park, a boat cruise up the Nile River, and a relaxing retreat with our friends Ezra and Marjorie on Bushara Island in scenic Lake Bunyonyi, in the southwestern corner of the country, close to the border of Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Please keep checking back to see the latest updates on our various charity projects in Africa.