We are currently working on the business plan (which is still in a draft form) that we intend to use to solicit for funds from individuals, donor organization well-wishers etc. Our main area of concern here is the training of teachers, buying an additional plot of land, salary for teaching and support staff and administrative cost, as our partner organization in Canada (Reach Architecture Studio from Canada) takes on the task of designing and building of the school. In addition to the items on the business plan, the community felt that Issues such as Environment and HIV/AISD be included in the business plan as they are in nowadays not only considered to be crosscutting in development activities, but also have become a social upheaval that to a greater extent affects almost every part of the world more especially those in developing countries (rural communities) like Nyalebbe, this is due to their negative effect on community livelihood, human development and sustainable development among others.

The draft business plan depicts the current situation of the project, information about the project and community. The draft can be accessed from our nabbur page (http://www.nabuur.com/en/village/nyalebe/project/task/help-nyalebbe-community-train-teachers-and-acquire-larger-piece-land-co) as it is still a draft we can not place it on the website.

Continued Progress in Nyalebbe - and some music!

When we first acquired a donation from the students of Europe in 2008 we set up a Vocational Training Centre in which young women and men are developing their skills in Carpentry and Tailoring. We procured a number of Sewing machines in addition to the Agwara Machine which was an earlier donation from a friend in Australia; we also bought materials for start up and equipments and tools for carpentry.

From that time till now, as a small school; we have been able to graduate over 30 students who have been able to employ the skills and knowledge acquired to earn a living in a justified manner; as the primary objective of the school. At the moment we have 7 students taking a course in carpentry and 10 taking in tailoring.


We however still experience a number of challenges, for instance the tutors only obtained informal training and they are volunteers, we have been using a dilapidated building (of early 60s) which we acquire using part of the funding received from Europe, this needs to be salvaged and torn down for better one.


The project being undertaken by Crystal and her thesis partners is an opportunity that we need to uphold in order to build on the existing structures of the community for a sustainable community initiative. We need you to join hands with us in fund raising for a piece of land and training of teachers.


Music as basis for friendship!


In the Agwara dance at the end of the right column of this blog, the subject was the hardship the community was undergoing at that time. Actually the song was composed during famine.


The Adungu dance music I now offer you [click here to play mp3 file, then if necessary use the BACK button to return] is about friendship, how people should love each other and what one expects of a friend. The Adungu is a traditional musical instrument of ours, of the Alur people. You can read more about it here. 

Action: a Canadian visitor, new energy and direction!

Crystal Waddell, a masters student of architecture at the University of Toronto in Canada, visited Nyalebbe in July-August 2010 as part of her thesis project to design and help build a Vocational Training Center for the community. 

Here is a photo of Crystal sitting with Mama Mado while Mama Mado welcomes her to Nyalebbe.

Everyone was pleased to meet Crystal. We really appreciate what she is trying to do to help us get the school started.

In this photo, Crystal is meeting children, in the company of Adubango and Deo. Adubangio Upio is Secretary of CDA. He has a diploma in literature and philosophy and teaches in the Kasengu Secondary School. Deo is an agricultural field extension worker for Anghal Collectivité. Deo is our mobilizer. He is a very hard working young man in his late 30s. To him the vocational training centre will engage the community in practical skills. When we were started the CDA he commented "Most people think that help will come from above but this not true. We must work for ourselves. We are so blessed that such an organisation has been set up in our community, we have waited for this opportunity for so long so, it is our turn to demonstrate to the world that that we can also do something."

In this photo you see CDA chair Mama Mado and Vince on either side of Crystal. We hope we can be a strong team together.

During the two week visit, Crystal interacted with the community and surveyed the area while collecting and mapping data and local resources like water sources, vegetation, circulation, surrounding villages, soil type, and topography of the area.  All this information is crucial to the understanding of the region and the design of the school. 

On her way to Nyalebbe (DRC) Crystal spent over a week in Nebbi, Uganda (just across the border) where she observed the various types of resources such as local water projects in Erussi and Nebbi, building suppliers that will be providing materials for the school in Nyalebbe , and other vocational training centres such as Ora Technical Institute, Goli Women Vocational Training Centre, and Arua Technical Institute – Ragem.  Here is a photo of Crystal talking with students of Arua Technical Institute Ragem.


We aim to train teachers for the proposed school from Uganda and possibly in one of the schools visited. 

While in the DRC, Crystal also visited neighbouring places including Mahagi, Ambaki (for a visit with the chief of Anghal), Banda and Bunia.  Bunia, approximately 200km from Nyalebbe is the capital city of Ituri District which is to become a Province.   

  
Here is a photo of Crystal, accompanied by members of the CDA, meeting the traditional chief of the Anghal, when visiting Ambaki.

Crystal and her two thesis partners Robin Proctor and Lisa Sato intend to have the first phase of the project built by 2013, this is to include programs such as carpentry, tailoring, masonry, and computer science. 

For this project to be successful, we need to have our teachers properly trained as well as we need to acquire a larger plot of land for the construction. The current teachers are volunteers and up to now have only obtained informal training, which is not good enough if we are to aim for higher quality education for the students. As well the piece of land owned is quite small and needs to be expanded upon. 

The building of the vocational training centre will bring many skills and resources to our community, which is vital for both young and old to thrive.  

Here is a photo of CDA executive committee members working with Crystal to survey land owned by the CDA. 

Back in Canada a major next step for Crystal will be construction of a database of all materials, skills, and people needed to build the school and begin its work. This will take time and will give all involved a clear sense of the complexity and serious tasks involved.

We need support to help train our teachers and acquire a larger plot of land for our school.  Please write to Vince or Crystal [see address in right column] if you can help in any way. 


placed on blog by Dennis at Vince's request

Another round of project challenge

We have once again been considered for fundraising on global giving UK in the April 2010 challenge. The competition is already on; it started on 1st and will run up to 30th April 2010. During this period we are expected to raise at least £1000 from at least 50 unique donors in order to win space on this site for further fund raising, this is not easy but Im optimistic that with your help we can meet this minimum threshold.

The minimum donation amount is £5 GBP. Please visit the project page at http://www.globalgiving.co.uk/pr/4900/proj4846a.html you can make your donation from here you can also help by sharing this information with all the people you know.

See you the then !

Vince

Another drive of project challenege on Global Givivng UK

We have applied for project challenge on Global Giving UG… this project will run for a period of one month. We are expected to gather at least £2000 from at least 50 donors within one month in order to remain on the site for further fun raining. You can contribute to this event by making direct donation or spreading the news to all the people you know. The smallest donation option is £10.

ASAP the project page is out I will surely let know by posting it here and in the discussion group at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=355989177880

CDA gets a donation from USA

A friend in the US has donated the sum of USD 50 (thorough Western Union) to the projects of Community Development Alliance, the Executive Committee of the organization will determine in which area to invest the money which is a total of UGX 94,678 (local currency).

Many thanks for your contribution to this organization, God blesses you.

CDA re unite a family through the easterncongo.net

Through our website www.easterncongo.net we were able to reunite a family that has not been in touch for over 30years. Mukoi Abraham is an Alur by tribe and a member the Royal family from the Alur Hhiefdom of Anghal Colectivité in the Territory of Mahagi, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. He left home in 1979 while a young man, lived in Burundi for some time before proceeding to USA (Texas) where he lives now. He was so exited when he came across easterncongo.net and new he had got near home, he made contact with me and I was able to reach his family, they are now in touch after all those years, we so happy for him and his family.