Posts in 2022
Wednesday 23rd November 2022
Today, we received these images of the first roofing trusses being positioned on the classroom block.
Monday 17th October 2022
Congratulations to our financial controller, Sylivia, on the birth of a daughter, Linda, on October 4th. We are happy to hear that both mother and baby are in excellent health.
Saturday 8th October 2022
When David was in Masindi in April he happened to meet the local representative of the Ugandan National Forestry Authority. On hearing about our plans for the Chlldren’s Centre, Anthony offered to supply some saplings — as part of the Authority’s reforestation initiative — for planting along the perimeter of our site. Jimmy Obonyo sends news that the saplings have arrived, and that committee member Eriab has overseen the planting of a double row along the site boundary. Sadly, there is no photo of this work in progress — just this small image of Eriab holding two of the saplings.
Thursday 29th September 2022
Work on the single-storey first classroom block and the administration block is progressing well. The builder expects that roofing of both blocks will be completed within the next few weeks.
Monday 22nd August 2022
After lengthy delays, the contract for building the first phase of our Childrem’s Centre has been awarded to a local Masindi builder. His workmen are busy erecting fencing round the entire site. Work on foundations and laying the first few courses of building blocks should begin very soon.
Saturday 6th August 2022
Sylivia graduates from university
We are delighted to congratulate our financial controller, Sylivia Nganjani, on her graduation from Uganda Christian University in Mukono on Friday last week with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration-Accounting.
Appointed to the CLDC Board early this year, Sylivia oversees all financial matters in Masindi with the comprehensive computer-based accounting system she set up that covers all petty cash payments and other major disbursements.
It is good to know that our finances are in well-qualified hands.
Saturday 9th April 2022
David’s visit to Masindi 2022 : post #8
Tomorrow, I leave Masindi for a few days of rest in Kampala before my return flight to the UK. It’s been a busy and tiring three weeks of visits and meetings with the committee, builders, and sundry others. I’m pleased to report that I achieved all my objectives on this visit, and I’m delighted that, after fifteen years of fundraising, my dream of a Children’s Centre will soon become a reality. Many thanks to Jimmy and the committee here in Masindi for their work and unstinting support for the project. I look forward to my next visit with great anticipation.
Thursday 7th April 2022
David’s visit to Masindi ; post #7
When Jimmy and I were in Masindi this morning, quite by chance we met the local representative of the Ugandan National Forestry Authority. As we chatted, we outlined to him our plans for the Chlldren’s Centre and were stunned when he offered to supply saplings — as part of the Authority’s reforestation initiative — for planting along the perimeter of our site. Of course, we readily accepted. Jimmy plans to delegate a committee member to liaise with Anthony and oversee the planting in the near future.
Monday 4th April 2022
David’s visit to Masindi 2022 ; post #6
Four days ago Jimmy, Sylivia and I went to our sugar cane field where a team of local workers was starting the arduous job of harvesting the crop by hand. By the end of the day the site had been harvested and the sugar cane taken by truck, not to the Kinyara factory as previously, but to a small rival processing plant where we were assured of a better price.
Yesterday, we returned to the site to find that it had been cleared, levelled, and graded — all ready for the first phase of building. Now we wait for the builder’s figures. Things are beginning to happen here; it’s very exciting.
Thursday 31st March 2022
David’s visit to Masindi 2022 : post #5
One of our successful and ongoing schemes in Masindi is the gifting of a young animal to an under-privileged child to rear, breed from, and so help to support his or her family. A few years ago, we gave a chicken to Godfrey, a boy who has Down’s syndrome. After hatching eggs and rearing the chicks, he had eighteen birds. He sold ten of them, bought a goat, and continued to increase his livestock.
Today, I was pleased to be present as he gave one of his goats to another boy. It was gratifying to witness our gifting scheme in action and to see Godfrey hand over some of his benefits to another deserving boy.
Tuesday 29th March 2022
David’s visit to Masindi 2022 : post #4
This afternoon, Jimmy and I travelled to Bwijango to visit a young woman who, as a young girl living with her family in the bush near Masindi some years ago, had been registered with CLDC. Violet went to stay with relatives in Nairobi where, sadly, she became infected with HIV. She became suicidal, returned to Masindi, and came to Jimmy for help. Jimmy arranged hospital treatment for her and, through his many contacts, found her a job at Bwijango hospital — helping in the maternity unit.
Now, a few years later, Violet is in good health and has a full-time administrative job at the hospital. It was very good to meet her again and see how CLDC has helped to improve her life.
Saturday 26th March 2022
David’s visit to Masindi 2022 : post #3
This afternoon, the committee met at the seven-acre sugar cane field where our children’s centre is to be built. There was much discussion, and eventual agreement, about delegation of responsibility to some committee members for hiring workmen to harvest the sugar cane and transport it to the processing factory, and arrange for the clearing and grading of the site.
We also discussed and reached agreement on the siting of the buildings and their orientation to take advantage of the view of distant mountains from the slightly sloping site. It was exhausting in the heat of the day, but we achieved a great deal.
Thursday 24th March 2022
David’s visit to Masindi 2022 : post #2
Today I had a meeting with Sylivia, our recently-appointed financial controller. I am pleased to find that she has set up a comprehensive computer-based accounting system covering the sources of income in Masindi, all petty cash payments and other major disbursements. The accounts are readily accessible for scrutiny by committee members when required. Excellent work; thank you Sylivia.
Tuesday 22nd March 2022
David’s visit to Masindi 2022 : post #1
After a tiring long-haul flight via Dubai to Entebbe, then staying for three days in Kampala, I arrived two days ago at the New Court Hotel in Masindi — my base for many visits and meetings in the next few weeks. Yesterday I hosted a working lunch for the CLDC committee at which I made a number of suggestions for starting the first phase of building our Children’s Centre.
There was lengthy and circuitous discussion, but the committee eventually agreed that the farm and livestock should be sold, together with three acres of land currently planted with sugar cane, in order to provide sufficient funds for the first stage of building. In discussion with the local builder, some changes to the layout and construction of the first phase were proposed. The atmosphere of the meeting was very positive and exciting. A good day’s work.
Monday 14th February 2022
One of the first tasks undertaken by our new board member, Sylivia Nganjani, has been to create a CLDC profile on Facebook.
Visit ourFacebookpage (new tab/window) and share it with your friends.
Wednesday 2nd February 2022
A new CLDC Board member
We are very pleased to welcome Sylivia Nganjani as a new member of the CLDC Board. Sylivia, who is a qualified financial controller, will keep tight control of our money matters in Masindi. With her IT skills, she also has a brief to maintain and develop our website. We look forward to occasional news updates from her as the year progresses.
Thursday 20th January 2022
Starting work on our childreens centre
Here in Masindi we are excited at the prospect of starting work on our childrem’s centre in the near future. Our architect board member has drawn up plans, yet to be finalised and agreed, and we hope soon to be able to employ a team to begin work on making bricks on site.