## **Project Embabazi Newsletter 2023-24** ## **2023 news and Project Embabazi achievements** We are excited to introduce our new Ugandan leadership team! After 19 years as our Ugandan Coordinator, Byamukama Dicky has retired from this post and established a fantastic Ugandan leadership team (details on pages 2-3). We would like to sincerely thank Byamukama Dicky for all his hard work for Project Embabazi and we are very pleased that he will continue to work with us in the future. We are also delighted that our team of UK trustees is growing with the appointment of Ella Carr in 2023. Project Embabazi has organised several fundraising campaigns in 2023 to support our Ugandan communities and to bring hope in the face of many challenges. We were delighted that students at Peter Symonds College made a significant contribution to our fundraising and were able to visit the Uganda communities in July 2023. Thanks to our generous supporters, we have raised £27,554 and we have many successes to share… - Our teacher and child sponsorship schemes continues to grow with new donors and beneficiaries. Sponsorship ensures that each child consistently attends a good school with all necessary resources for ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world’ (Nelson Mandela). Please see our Facebook and Instagram pages for more details. - We have continued to grow our animal sponsorship schemes in Kanjobe, Kamuronko, Kyeibale, Rwiraguju and Kigata communities. All beneficiaries are required to give the first offspring to another member of the community, creating a self-sustaining project. - We are trialling new schemes to provide reusable female sanitary projects to tackle the enormous challenge of period poverty. - We have continued to provide educational resources for schools including school uniforms, sports and art equipment, games, and books. - We continue to support Kanjobe Craft Cooperative who are growing in number and expanding their product range. - We continue to fundraise for our ongoing community electrification project. The National Grid has been extended into the villages, but households lack the funds needed to install an electricity meter (c. £167). We have launched a cost-sharing initiative to connect 1,144 households and public buildings to the National Grid; Project Embabazi contributes 80% of the cost and the household contributes 20%. This project addresses the basic need for electricity for sustainable development; it will radically improve living standards and educational resources and it will unleash huge potential for further development in the area. In 2021, 97% of Ugandan electricity came from renewable sources so it is affordable and green once the meters are installed. - Building projects were completed at 3 primary schools and 2 secondary schools including classrooms, staff houses and a latrine. ## **What next for 2024?** We are excited to launch 2 new initiatives: a period poverty campaign and our ‘Seeds for life’ project! - Period poverty is a serious issue in Uganda. It’s not uncommon for girls to miss school when they’re menstruating, and the Ugandan government says about 23% of girls drop out of education once they hit puberty and adolescence. By working with the local community, we are investigating different approaches to tackling period poverty to discover the most sustainable solution. - Our ‘Seeds for life’ project has been requested by the local community. Community leaders will identify impoverished families who will receive 100,000 ugx (approx. £25) to purchase seeds and pesticides to increase their incomes, improve nutrition and to help tackle poverty. All communities have requested ongoing investment in animal sponsorship, the community electrification project, school construction projects and teaching resources for art, sport, music, and libraries. We are excited by the growth in our child sponsorship scheme and hope to find more new donors for next year. ## **Thank you to all our generous supporters!** You are helping us to make a real difference in impoverished communities ## **Who are we?** www.projectembabazi.org.uk Project Embabazi is a registered UK charity (no. 1161140) established to work with Bakiga communities in rural south-western Uganda to prevent and relieve poverty by providing funding, training and support for sustainable community projects. Please have a look at our website, Facebook or Instagram page to find out more about our projects, including child, electricity and animal sponsorship schemes, school building and equipment projects and our gift cards. If you are interested in supporting us, please get in touch via projectembabazi@outlook.com ## **A word from the former Coordinator Project Embabazi** ## **Byamukama Dicky** ## **THE POWER OF GOOD SUCCESSION PLANNING, FORMER CO-ORDINATOR’S EXPERIENCE** “A good leader is the one who chooses a good successor.” So goes the old adage. In the African context, the proverb says “when a pot overstays on fire it can subsequently convert into cracked pieces.” Both statements above portray that leadership is a virtue that should be exercised for a period and thereafter the mantle is handed over to someone else for continuity. Leadership goes with power to influence and make decisions. However, at times power corrupts and too much power corrupts absolutely. In the political scene, it’s on record that when one of the East African Presidents assumed power in 1986, he popularly made a strong statement, “African problems are attributed to African Presidents who overstay in power.” His philosophy seemed to be a new chapter, however down the road the hunter has been caught by his trap. Succession plans are essential. It is imperative to note that a good dancer at one time must leave the stage. There is big sense in the retirement analogy. It curbs old people’s long-lasting greed for accumulating “skills” which would appropriately be desired by the new and energized folks. After all, leadership is not always a bed of roses. There is a lot of sacrifice for the benefit of the masses. When the frog in saucepan water starts feeling the abnormal heat, it should know the right time to jump off. Keeping glued to the entity forever curtails other young leaders’ potential. In my experience as a Country Co-ordinator for Project Embabazi (Uganda) for the last 20 years up to July 2023 when I retired, my leadership skills have been enhanced. Bravo Ms. Lauren Lewis Hill, and entire UK leadership for entrusting me with the big roles. I am a proud retiree upon recognizing the tremendous socio-economic transformation among the local _Bakiga_ Communities. Just to mention a few, some Schools including Kamuronko Secondary School, Kigata High School, Kyeibale Primary School, Kanjobe Primary School and Rwiraguju Primary School have registered a big uplift in terms of infrastructure, textbooks, extra remedial classes, thus not only boosting students’ enrollment but also impacting on better performance grades. The more coveted Animal Project I co-ordinated, being locally assisted by Mr. Moses Tum-owoyesigire has registered a big impact. The beneficiaries have had either a calf, a goat, a sheep, a piglet, or a hen. The multiplier effect attributed to animal beneficiaries bringing back the first off-spring has made wonders. Not only has this boosted the family incomes but also reduced the cases of children malnourishment as they now taste on meat. Project Embabazi sponsored electricity wiring for over 120 homes around Kanjobe and Kyeibale villages. It was done on a cost sharing basis of 80% and 20% for Project Embabazi and individual family beneficiary respectively. The wiring done so far accounts for a biggest cost component in the procedure for connecting power. We await the government, through the relevant power distribution Agency, Umeme to connect the homes to the power grid and the villages will realise a lifetime experience! Project Embabazi, pays school fees for over 30 needy children who had lost hope. During Covid-19 saga, they distributed maize flour (posho), beans and cooking salt to the impoverished families that had faced the wrath of near-to-death hunger. They did reconstruction of the houses that had been swept away by torrential floods. What has Project Embabazi not done fit for preaching good news to Africa? Who is blind not to see the sustainable development where PE has had a footprint? No wonder, realizing the indelible impact on the ground by Project Embabazi, they won a community development grant from _Movement for Good._ If Project Embabazi is not nominated the NGO of the year in the UK, for us in Uganda we already cast the vote for PE as most outstanding NGO that works on sustainable projects in South-western Uganda. Lastly, but not least, I salute the Project Embabazi Trustees for their relentless efforts and supporting me while executing my coordination roles. Their current Chair Lauren Hill is amazing. To my successor, Ms. Sayuuni Proce and entire local leadership team including Laban, Andrew and Moses, well done. All your efforts will never be in vain. I pledge my total support to current leadership in both Uganda and the United Kingdom. May we all stay blessed while serving fellow mankind beyond self. Amen. ## **Our Ugandan leadership team** My name is Sayuuni Proce (left), I am married with four children, that is Edgar, Leah, Doris and Treasure. My husband is Edson. I am a teacher by profession. I am currently studying for a degree in primary education. I'm happy to work with Project Embabazi as a volunteer and Child Sponsorship Co-ordinator. I promise to work together with you for the progress of the project. Thank you. My name is Laban Zaribugire (centre). I have been appointed treasurer for Project Embabazi. I have previously worked as a loans officer, school governor, council speaker and I remain chair of a water and environment cooperative. I have retired and I now work as a farmer. I sincerely appreciate you and your team for granting me an opportunity to serve my community more as a treasurer of Project Embabazi. I pledge total commitment towards this task. I am Byamugisha Andrew (right). I am a graduate teacher working at Kabale Secondary School. I am happy to work with Project Embabazi. ## **Project Embabazi 2023-24 in photos** Kamuronko School latrine Kyeibale Primary School has been completely rebuilt following a landslide Kanjobe Craft Cooperative Our new ‘Seeds for life’ project in action! Above: Rwiraguju Primary School new classroom for the youngest pupils Below: Kigata High School staff house. This will ensure that teachers are always available, particularly in the wet season when roads turn to mud! Community electrification Proloet Embaba Receipts and payments accounts CC16a Forthe period from 01101r2023 31112r2023 Section A Receipts and payments Unr68tricied funds R•stricted fund8 Endowment fund5 io IhTr nDar•st Total furbds L•st year lolh nMrMI £ lothv r•Jar￿t £ to Ih r•*reAI £ A1 Reeei ts S¢hool Fofjs S onsorsh Teachei S sotshi 10,452 1.140 6.003 92$ 7.462 10,452 1.140 7,336 925 7,462 8.974 1,140 4,844 Craft L￿at￿n$ Pro Is Fvnd Paisln AniTrKg1 S nsornhi ènds Grft Aid Sub totalfGross income forAR) 7,049 240 240 240 7,880 JO.244 27,022 27.555 A2 A8•0t and Inv•stm•nt Ml•8,1se• table NIA Sub total Totall•¢•￿ts 533 27.022 27,55S 30.244 A3P ment8 School Fees Sp￿s0￿h1 Tw¢h•r S ¢nscrnhi Crall C*Operair4e Aniwi s sordhip Sche Slip8nds and In