News
This is where you can find updates on about the projects and our friends in Uganda as well as our recent fundraising activities, which makes the work of CLICKRukiga possible.
World Earth Day
On World Earth Day, the positive impact of the production of reusable sanitary pads in Kamwezi, Uganda on the Earth's evironmental crisis cannot be underestimated. The official theme for 2024 on Worldearth.org is "Planet versus Plastic". With this view in mind CLICKRukiga launched the production of sanitary pads by young people in Uganda. To kickstart the production, some ready made reusable pads were ordered from Beta Charitable Trust who kindly agreed to fund match the amount raised. The Directors of RYID (Rukiga Youth in Development) Hillary and Precious took on board the ideas presented to them from the committee members in Ickenham, while working hard to get the project in motion. Reusable sanitary pads can also enable local, women led production, empowering and providing women with an income source, while ensuring affordable access to sanitary products to combat period poverty meanwhile reducing the environment challenges due to plastic content and the high costs that the throwaway pads incur. Nobody should miss out on their education and training because of their period!
April 2024
These are pictures of people who have recently received money from the Emergency Fund to assist with health needs.
Two went to Ruharo eye centre one for treatment of an eye disease and and the other for surgery (approximately £45 and £55). One lady received about £45 to get required treatment for fibroids at Kabale referral hospital. The final man received £55 for hernia surgery.
The community and these individuals especially grateful for the continued help with health matters that would otherwise persist and potentially deteriorate.
October 2023
Nobody should miss out on their education and training because of their period. That is why we launched the making of sanitary pads by young people. We are happy to report that production has started this week. We have also ordered some ready made ones to help the youth kick start the change. The smiling faces are proof of the confidence this has given the girls as they know they will miss less of their education in future.
September 2023
During the month of September, the CLICKRukiga emergency fund helped the people below with various ailments. Happily they have been successfully treated and are recuperating at home.
June 2023
Period dignity (period poverty) has recently received an increased awareness internationally. The CLICKRukiga committee heard that women were missing weeks from their training courses due to this and so working with our friends over in Uganda we have supported the provision of sanitary products. More importantly we have sent patterns and money for materials to enable the production of reusable sanitary towels for the young women to create a more self sufficient solution. This initiative has potential to support the wider local community through the use of sewing skills acquired through RYID.
February - March 2023
On Saturdays, some of the sponsored children in Rukiga are given remedial classes to help with their learning. After such a session the children were presented with scholastic and hygiene materials. The photos show the children happily receiving the gifts with the centre in the background found in the area surrounding the Church.
January - February 2023
CLICKRukiga's Emergency Fund was gladly able to support 4 people in the months of January and February;
Two people who needed to travel to specialist hospitals were given money from the fund for the transport and treatment which otherwise they could not have afforded.
The third was a woman who needed an operation at Kabale referral hospital, which the Emergency fund covered.
The fourth lady was provided with money necessary to buy the required medication for dental treatment.
December 2022
Fundraising
On the 6th of December CLICKRukiga committee members and children from Breakspear School raised £125.00 for the charity through carol singing. The wonderful choristers serenaded commuters on their journey's at Uxbridge Station.
"They made our night and were so enthusiastic with it, they were a real treat for us and the passing travellers."
Thank you all for supporting us and our friends in Uganda!
Carol ٍSinging at Uxbridge Station
Carol ٍSinging at Uxbridge Station
September 2022
Raymond Kamara represented CLICKRukiga on a recent visit to Uganda where he met Florence a founding member of KWID in Kabale. Raymond got to visit the Resource Centre which is used as a multi-purpose centre and doubles as a theatre for the local drama group to explore their creativity. Through the help of the community in Ickenham, not only has the Resource Centre been purchased and is now self-sustaining, but future plans include purchasing land and planting cash crops ensuring a regular source of income for the organisation. KWID are currently involved in promoting girls and young women in an empowerment programme together with a child well being programme that addresses issues raised from poor parenting.
Raymond also met with Hilary Turyakira and Canon Karunize of St James Church in Buhangizi where the sponsored children are based. A lot of the families have been helped through the CLICKRukiga Family emergency fund. Referrals to hospitals in Kampala, Kabale, Mbarara and Kisizi have been made possible through this for further medical treatment. Raymond also visited the schools that are linked to Cowley Primary School and Vyners High School in Ickenham. Kamwezi which is linked to Vyners, expressed their delight at the donations received from CLICKRukiga which has meant a new floor and freshly plastered walls thus leading to enhanced assemblies and better concentration during examinations. They have also expressed a need for a separate girls dormitory to be built in the future as well as to complete construction on the outside walls.
Finally, a visit was paid to the Rukiga Youth in Development programme whose founding members are Hilary and Precious Turyakira. The youth acquire skills in sewing, knitting, weaving, and IT. The project also accommodates children during the school holidays for IT lessons. The vision for the future is to acquire a bigger facility to cater for the growing vocational institute.
June 2022
Youth Project News
In the spring of this year, a sample dress was made from a pattern downloaded from the Dress a Girl website, and material purchased from Uxbridge market.
The humble dress travelled from Ickenham to Uganda where the organisers of the youth project, met and discussed the production of similar dresses.
Locally sourced material called Kitenge was purchased for this project. Kitenge, is an East African fabric similar to a sarong often worn by women and wrapped around the chest, waist, over the head as a headscarf or as a baby sling. Colourful pieces of fabric that contain a variety of patterns and designs can be purchased as they serve as an inexpensive, informal piece of clothing.
The dresses were cut, stitched and put on display. The community in Rukiga were pleased with the results, thanks mainly to the design and production team in Rukiga.
Ickenham Festival
Ickenham in Hillingdon, Middlesex has held its own community Festival since 1976. It gives the local community a chance to enjoy themselves whilst learning more about the many local businesses and organisations. CLICKRukiga, had a stall at the festival which was manned by our own hard-working members. Some members had a chance to try out and experience the various attractions which included throwing rugby balls through tyres and dance skills on the Clubbercise stage! We are only able to do all that we do for the children and their families in Uganda because of the kindness of the people of Ickenham. Thank you for being at the heart of the CLICKRukiga community.
April 2022
Easter in Rukiga
Easter Sunday in Rukiga was spent distributing hygiene items and monies to the sponsored children and their families. A beautiful way to spend Easter!
A huge thank you to all our wonderful sponsors for their continued support.
February 2022
Saturday Remedial Classes
Children in Rukiga attend remedial classes on Saturday at Church. The sponsored children who are in Primary and Secondary School attend these classes enabling them to improve their knowledge and skills. English and Maths is taught together with General Knowledge. During this time it is also a good opportunity for career guidance to be given.
The Pastor and teachers interact with each of the children to discuss any issues or challenges facing the families of these children ensuring advise and help to overcome these challenges. The children are treated to lunch on these occassions so that they get a special meal, as most of them cannot afford such special meals in their homes. When children get the food and nutrients they need to develop, it helps communities to thrive and leads to a more prosperous future.
The remedial classes are a good opportunity to distribute items that have been budgeted and bought to give to them annually which may include scholastic materials, bedding and clothing. Specially requested items are also included along with health and hygiene items among others.
January 2022
We have touched base during the New Year with Rukiga and were delighted to hear from Kamwezi Primary School during their management committee meeting. The committee members were thankful for the ongoing support from the CLICKRukiga team and the Ickenham community. The photos show the school with new buildings added and the construction that has taken place in order for the children to study in a safe and happy environment.
2021
December 2021
Courage, Determination and Generosity help raise funds for Rukiga
Well done to Derek who raised a whopping £2000 ensuring 160 people benefitted from his cycle rides for Rukiga. Derek has been a member of CLICKRukiga for many years helping to organise events and fund raise. Derek and is late wife Marnie worked in Uganda for a while, motivating him to fund raise in Marnie's honour. This money was sent to Buhangazi Church where much needed supplies were purchased for 160 individuals. Items purchased included bars of soap, Posho (maize meal food staple), and rice. The most precious thing Derek did was to give his time to fund raise. Thank you to all those who contributed and made this a success!
November 2021
KWID celebrates 25 years
In September 2021, Kigezi Women in Development (KWID) celebrated their 25 year anniversary. CLICKRukiga have been supporting KWID with various projects, the most recent one being the parenting project. Liberty Christopher who is the son of Florence (founder of KWID) has come over to the UK to further his education at a leading University. We had the honour of welcoming Christopher at the Ickenham Festival in the United Reformed Church where he awarded a trophy to CLICKRukiga to thank them for their support.
Thank you KWID for continuing with your amazing work in Uganda.
June 2021
The annual distribution of school uniforms consisting of T shirts and masks took place at the church during the beginning of the month of June.
The children that are sponsored by CLICKRukiga are happy with the help, support and kindness shown towards them by the community of Ickenham. Projects such as these continue to transform the daily lives of the children in Rukiga, improving their health, safety, well-being and education. Any donation will make a difference to families and the children who need it most. Thank you for your support.
April 2021
During the Easter break the sponsored children recieved pairs of bedsheets, basins, school bags and money for their Easter Day meal. The children were delighted with their gifts. Thank you to the community for supporting CLICKRukiga.
Kamwezi High School is being refurbished
Work is ongoing at Kamwezi High School to refurbish the building. Plastering the walls inside and out is almost completed. The floor is being cemented and levelled to ensure the children are working in a safe environment. The learners, teachers and parents are grateful for the continous support of the community in Ickenham to ensure that the children in Rukiga can access life-changing education in brighter classrooms.
December 2020
Making face masks helps children stay safe in school
On 15th October, schools throughout Uganda re-opened with standard procedures in place for the Covid pandemic. However, the community in Rukiga faced added challenges of providing face masks to the children who could not afford to buy them due to their families struggling more than ever to make ends meet. The Rukiga Youth team worked hard in engaging the local government leaders who with limited resources managed to distribute three masks per household. This was not enough as at least six masks and more were needed for each household. This meant that the children were going to school without face coverings.
CLICKRukiga, through fund raising managed to send funds to the Rukiga Youth project to enable them to buy materials for making face masks. Hundreds of masks were made and distributed with the charity logo, hand printed by the youth and volunteers. A huge thank you to the local community for supporting us, supporting Rukiga.
October 2020
News from Rukiga - Highlighting the impact of our intervention on our beneficiaries
With the enforced lockdown in place in Uganda, our friends in Rukiga were struggling. When states have limited budgets and capacity to support their locked down population, lockdowns can result in widespread starvation, failing health and unrest. Pastor Hilary in Rukiga reported that all schools and places of worship were closed and that there had been police and the army outside the villages to stop the movement of people. With village markets closed and no access granted to nearby towns with possible markets, there was an ensuing of food shortages, failing health services and falling incomes. The schools were chosen to be quarantine centres if needed and with limited media access, anxiety made the locals fearful.
Given the challenges of extending lockdown measures, the government had begun to gradually loosen containment measures, while imposing the mandatory wearing of masks and the observance of physical distancing measures.
After the wearing of masks were made mandatory and demand high, Hilary resorted to making masks at home with the help of his immediate family. A local tailoring instructor was called upon for help who thanks to Hilary stayed with them. Distribution of masks became possible with special permission from the forces on the ground. With partial easing of the lockdown the soldiers started sending the locals to Hilary for yet more masks! Over seven hundred masks were distributed thanks to CLICKRukiga.
With health services and food difficult to access CLICKRukiga came to the rescue yet again. With an initiative put in place, funds were sent to Uganda where Christian families were identified who were most vulnerable. Over hundred families benefited. May God bless the community in Ickenham who continue to support us ensuring help is ongoing to our friends in Rukiga, Uganda.
May 2020
CLICKRukiga Youth Project tailors sewing face masks for the local community
With patterns and guidance from Sarah and Derek our team members, the folks in Rukiga have started making cloth face masks for the local community. From the beginning of May, everyone moving out of their homes are required to wear face masks to halt the spread of coronovirus. Cloth masks are a fairly inexpensive and useful tool against contagion. Over seventy face masks have already been supplied by Turyakira Hilary, with the help of the youth project initiative involving locals to help their community, which CLICKRukiga support. More masks are continuing to be made for distribution in the community.
Well done Hilary and the team in Rukiga.
February 2020
CLICKRukiga Help to Construct New Library
Kigezi Women in Development KWID (formerly Kabale Women in Development) was established to reach out to vulnerable people in the former Kabale district whicj was split to create two more districts; Rubanda and Rukiga.
KWID touches peoples lives through three arms; advocacy, networking and capacity of vulnerable persons, KWID started giving weekly life skills sessions to orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC). KWID also established a community library in 2008 to reach out to people with information.
Through the arm of networking KWID partnered with CLICKRukiga that supported us to construct a temporary structure for the community library and temporary shelter where OVC life skills trainings and other KWID meetings were held. Due to roadworks, the space for the shelter kept shrinking and the semi-permanent structure housing the library was in a bad shape.
In 2015 CLICKRukiga supported KWID to purchase land and in 2017 the CLICKRukiga team raised funds to construct a structure to accommodate KWID operations including OVC life skills sessions and dialogue meetings. With this support, KWID has been able to construct a permanent structure and a pit latrine which has enabled there to be a shift of operations from a dilapidated building to a habitable space.
"We appreciate the boundless support CLICKRukiga has accorded to KWID to enable the organisation to reach out to vulnerable persons and put smiles on their faces." - KWID
