Fundraising Successes – Alongside Africa

We made the 21 mile Easter walk look easy

April 16, 2017 by Ayako Mori Leave a Comment

On Easter Saturday an intrepid set of walkers set off for the third Pilgrimage for the Street Children from Hythe to Canterbury.

The day dawned bright and clear, so we knew that there was a good chance of a dry trip, which made a welcome change on previous years. After the initial climb to Etchinghill, we stopped for a much needed cooked breakfast and then headed off along the historic Elham Valley Way, passing Lyminge, Elham, Barham, Kingston, Bishopsbourne, Bridge and finally Patrixbourne before the final stretch along farm tracks into the city centre.

As we started to tire after 10 miles or so the beautiful views along the way, with vistas filled with bluebells and wood anemone, helped to keep our spirits up, but it was the thought of the street children of Uganda that we were walking to support that was the biggest motivation and that kept one foot moving in front of the other when we might otherwise have given up.

If you didn’t manage to join us for this year’s walk you missed out on a very special day, so why not consider joining us for next year’s walk? Get in touch if you want us to contact you about the next Pilgrimage for the Street Children.

Rugarama Hospital receive a defibrillator

August 8, 2015 by Lawrance Titterton Leave a Comment

We had the pleasure of handing over a defibrillator donated by Anne Bailey, a former director of Alongside Africa, to Kigezi Diocese Rugarama Hospital this week. The Medical Superintendent, Dr. Gilbert, and Lawrance spoke about the machine’s longevity, and the medical officers attending were very keen to hear about the Amasiko street children programme. In a new partnership between Alongside Africa Uganda and Kigezi Diocese Rugarama Hospital, reduced price medical insurance will be offered by the hospital to the street children.

Several reporters attended the meeting and a report was published in the national newspaper, the Daily Monitor, with a photo of Lawrance, Monica, Mike, George, Wilberforce and James handing over the defibrillator to delighted Doctors of Kigezi Diocese Rugarama Hospital.

Emergency supplies received

July 12, 2014 by Lawrance Titterton Leave a Comment

Prim Nyirangabaza, centre, one of our sponsored children, recently suffered a fire which gutted her family’s household. Prim and her family are Batwa, a tribe of pygmies that are the most disadvantaged community in the region. Their houses are usually made of mud and sticks with reed roofs. The open fires inside such structures make them particularly liable to such tragic accidents and we can only be grateful that no lives were lost.

Thanks to fast communication and having a good team on the ground we were able to react quickly and help by purchasing and delivering some urgently needed supplies including a set of cooking pots, 2 blankets and material for traditional clothing.