September 2022 Letter from our founder
It has been too long since I communicated. The last time I sent out a message to all of you, it was to say that the people of Bududa were suffering with high inflation. We all know inflation is currently a worldwide problem and it is not hard to understand that the effects of high inflation affect the poor and very poor populations drastically. The prices of everything have gone up and the food prices, in particular, are causing people to suffer severely because they cannot afford to purchase food. When I shared that message with you all in June, a wonderful couple in Ontario offered $5,000 as a matching gift if we could match that sum in three months. It took approximately 48 hours to match the $5,000 and more support came in after that. The money has been sent to Bududa and BLC have been distributing food every two weeks to all the families in our orphans’ program. We have enough funds to be able to do this until mid-October.
It goes without saying that all the recipients are more than grateful, and it is making a huge difference in their lives. In addition, our North American Board decided to extend our food distribution to the 35 people who work for us at Bududa Learning Center. I think this is appropriate because I know that most of our staff are lowly paid; staff salaries are something we will be reviewing for 2023. In the interim, we are helping with free food for all staff for the next three months, which will cost $2,280.
Below is an example of an email I received from our computer teacher, but he is just one of many saying thank-you. I am including it as it is addressed to the team. The team is all of you who contribute. We are making a difference in these lives and I cannot do it without you.
Dear Barbara and the Team,
Thank you so much for your generous food supply support that was granted to us last week, this food supply came at this time of trial as everything in Uganda raised the price most especially food, fuel, and among others. I and my family are very grateful and very happy for food given to us.
Your support is not underestimated because that is where I get everything in life and I depend on 100% so your support is greatly appreciated and may good Lord bless who ever is giving a hand in raising funds to Bududa Learning Center, I shouldn’t forget to say thank you for the continuing salary paid in time. I count my self-lucky for this opportunity given to work with BLC.
On special note again THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT and please don’t get tired.
God Bless Your Heart.
Isaac Namisi
Computer Teacher
BVA, BLC
We’ve continued to hear more news about suffering in Uganda. Times are tough, with prices remaining so high that people cannot afford to buy food and other essentials. The news I am getting from Uganda is:
The economy is unstable.
Everything is expensive.
Students are not reporting back to their private schools as they have no money.
Local children, reporting to government schools, have to pay.
Minister of Finance in Uganda is saying that “the country is bankrupt”, but there are reports that Uganda still runs an International Airline at a loss.
Our local news is that Bududa Vocational Academy is running as usual. The enrollment seems to be stable. The faculty have all reported.
Some of BVA’s issues and expenses going forward include:
To buy new computers for the school as our old ones are breaking down. (Mostly they have come from generous donations from North American individuals or schools or companies who are upgrading.) The approximate cost for 12 new ones in Uganda is $8,802 USD.
Acquire new batteries for our solar power as the existing ones are needing replacement. The approximate cost for 12 batteries is $7,545.
Review all salaries paid at Bududa Learning Center before 2023, and develop a plan to upgrade salaries to a national average (if there is such a thing).
Our orphans program seems to also be running as usual. We have a new teacher, Nafuna Rebecca, and she is reported to be young and dynamic and comes with excellent references from the local district.
A story I heard about one of our orphans who has made good touched my heart.
Mutika Ester was an orphan in our program in 2007 when I had moved to Uganda as a full time resident. She was at a private school, paid for by her sponsor. When she graduated she wanted to go to nursing school. Her sponsor kindly offered to pay and she graduated from nursing school and got a job at a clinic in a nearby village to Bududa. She was happy to have a job and they loved her but she was terribly paid.
Recently, the chairman of our local board in Uganda, Father Paul Buyela, who runs his own school in an adjacent district, was looking for a nurse to work for him at his institution. Ester was referred and now, she has a good job with Father Paul and he is happy and so is she.
I will be returning to Uganda on October 11th and plan to stay for a month. There are a number of others who will be coming at the same time. One from Britain, one from Philly and a few from NC and maybe SC. We will report on our stay from Bududa.
I want to take this opportunity to introduce a friend of mine, Court Young, from Charlotte, NC. It is our hope that, in the near future, Court will join our North America team, the North American Board and me, providing operational assistance running the Bududa Learning Center. Court is a young, bright, dynamic lawyer by training, she previously served as the Outreach Director for Myers Park Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, a BLC partner, and currently works as a consultant for a non-profit that provides global emergency relief assistance grants. Court will be joining me in Bududa this fall, which will be her 6th trip to Bududa and we look forward to communicating with you during that time.
So, this is the news, and by no means all of it, but some of it. Sorry for the delay. Summer got in the way.
Help us if you can and we will see that almost 100% of your donation goes to Bududa. There are very few expenses in North America. If you are inclined, go to our website, Bududa.org, and press donate. The people of Bududa, particularly those associated with Bududa Learning Center will be so grateful.
With much love, and a smile on my face,
Barbara