Visits to Uganda – Alongside Africa

On our way… and we’ve arrived!

June 19, 2015 by Lawrance Titterton Leave a Comment

Cars loaded and we’re ready to set off to Heathrow! — with Alongside Africa, Charity volunteers James Wedge, Charlotte Wedge, Charlotte Hardingham, Monica Titterton, Lawrance Titterton, Michael Huddart and Ellese Hammond.

As always we got a wonderful welcome at Amazing Love School on Sunday. We joined them for their church service and got a chance to say hello to most of the pupils. What a wonderful feeling to be back!

One of the first activities we carried out on arrival was decorating to welcome the children – lots of posters on the walls and some books, toys and stationery.

Our first official staff meeting at Amasiko – the base for our street children programme. — with Wilberforce Tirwomwe and the other volunteers.

You can support Amasiko by setting up a standing order in favour of Alongside Africa, CAF Bank, Sort code: 40-52-40, Account number: 00020523, or visit Alongside Africa Amasiko Street Children project. Any amount will make a big difference.

Transforming lives by providing opportunities not aid.

Amasiko 2015 Trip Blog

June 19, 2015 by Lawrance Titterton Leave a Comment

On 19 June 2015, a group of seven UK Alongside Africa supporters will arrive in Kabale, Uganda from the UK on a three week programme to set up our new street children programme, Amasiko, meaning ‘Bright Hope’ in the local Bakiga language.

The purpose of the three week trip is to develop the infrastructure of the Amasiko programme with Alongside Africa Uganda and our local partners and then officially launch the programme in the local community. We have a location which needs refurbishing plus lots of liaison with our various partners to get the programme started.

The visit will help us to strengthen ties and implement increased engagement with the Alongside Africa Uganda team and enable us to meet with stakeholders of our other projects including: Obumwe Microfinance scheme, Give a Child a Chance programme and Ndeego Crafts.

It goes without saying that we can’t wait to see all the fantastic children you sponsor, share the gifts you have so kindly donated and report back to you how well they are doing!

Meet the ‘supergroup’ going out to Africa. Above, from left to right, back row: Lawrance, Monica, James and Mike. Front row: Charlotte, Ellese, Ruth.

Lawrance is Chairman of the Alongside Africa and Alongside Africa Uganda boards and has been to Kabale many times before with non – executive director Monica who have been instrumental in setting up our other Alongside Africa programmes. James is an A level student volunteer, interested in going into medicine. Mike is Trustee/Treasurer of Alongside Africa. Charlotte, another Alongside Africa volunteer, is a University student and part-time nursery teacher who is keen to spend time at Amazing Love School in the nursery section. Her friend Ellese, also volunteering for Alongside Africa also wants to become a primary school teacher. The trip will give them the experience and knowledge of a different educational culture as well as the reward of giving disadvantaged children an education. They are joined by Ruth Brind, a retired school teacher with former experience of Africa.

See their profiles, recounts of the trip, what work they are involved in and what they have learnt over the next few weeks on here and Facebook /Twitter (#Amasiko15).

Transforming lives by providing opportunities not aid.

Next Uganda trip preparations start in earnest

June 14, 2015 by Lawrance Titterton Leave a Comment

We really look forward to our trips to Uganda, but the preparations can be hard work – sorting out what to take and what to leave behind, getting everything delivered on time and finally working out how to get it into too few suitcases – definitely a question of how to fit several quarts into several pint pots!

On this trip we are taking out all manner of much needed equipment and supplies, from a portable defibrillator, through educational toy and gifts for sponsored children to many dozens of pencils and pencil sharpeners. As we prepare everything to take out it helps us to remember just how lucky we are and how many things that we take for granted are not available within so many communities around the world.

Many thanks to all those generous donors who have responded to our appeals and helped us to accumulate such a wealth of goodies to take to Uganda.

Come back here frequently, we’ll be posting regular updates on the blog throughout our three week trip to Uganda.

3 Months in Kabale, Uganda

December 7, 2012 by Lawrance Titterton Leave a Comment

On the 7^th September 2012, our Chairman Lawrance and his wife Monica set off for a 3 month stay in Kabale, Uganda with a focus on strengthening and developing relationships with our NGO partners there and building their capacity. At a time when there is a spotlight on corruption associated with aid going to developing countries it is important that we ensure that our NGO Partners have the policies, processes and systems in place that will give reassurance to our supporters.

It was to prove a roller coaster stay with many highs and some lows, various challenges but much progress. Whilst Monica concentrated on working on improving academic standards withon the schools that we work, with Lawrance was involved in developing and implementing new financial policies and new accounting systems and working with each of the NGO partners to strengthen their governance structures.

It was reassuring to see throughout the trip that the Alongside Africa maxim of ‘opportunities, not aid’ has such a strong resonance within the communities that we work with. People who have so little still have their self esteem and do not simply want to receive hand outs; they continually tell us that they simply want an opportunity to help themselves.

As a result of the success of this trip Monica and Lawrance will be returning for a further three months in Uganda towards the end of January 2013.