Volset School: Uganda: Report 2014-2015

Volset Foundation

Mukono, Uganda

2014-2015

Volset Foundation is a non profit organization in Uganda supported in part by Rose Charities Canada. In addition to operating two school/orphanage facilites the Foundation also conducts an Aids Awareness and Prevention Program in the Mukono area and Sse Sse islands of Lake Victoria. This also includes H.I.V. testing and the distribution of condoms supplied by the national government.

Volset Foundation is continuing to expand at Future Diplomats Education Centre, near Mukono. 

There are approximately 200 students attending school each day, including 60 orphans living on site in dormitory accommodation. The increase in numbers requires a plan to accommodate and grow with the needs of these children, even though sponsorship donors are dwindling. The continued sponsorship of children has been beneficial and rewarding. 

Two girls graduated from Uganda Christian University in October 2014, one with a Bachelors Degree in Commerce, the other with a Bachelors Degree with Honours in Social Work. Both students plan to complete their Masters degrees. In addition another student will be starting university in January, and others are in their final year of high school with intentions of further university education. In addition to the well and water system installed in 2013 a classroom block and a dormitory were constructed. 

In 2014 another block of 2 classrooms was also completed for Kindergarten and Grade 1 classes. For 2015 another building will be completed, as classrooms for Grade 6 and 7 students, and also serve as a common dining hall and assembly area. In addition funds will be raised to supply and install 3 water tanks to collect rainwater to augment the well water supply. Additionally some 50 mosquito nets are required and new bunk beds for the dormitories.# project to buy and raise goats will be initiated commencing January 2015, to help supply meat for the orphanage and to create an additional source of income. This will also help to teach the children the basics of animal husbandry.

 Long term plans include building a new boys dormitory. This will allow expansion of the girls dorm into the current boys dorm to accommodate the increasing number of girls. An attached shower room will be included in the the construction and renovation of the dormitory buildings. Also in the future will be a new kitchen building with improved cooking facilities to minimize the amount of firewood consumed daily.

Rose Madagascar 2012

Amazing success for Mahatsara Students in 2012. Amongst
top in region ! 

Who we are

Rose Madagascar is a small, volunteer-run group that is committed to improving access to education in rural Madagascar. While our Canadian Board is based in Western Canada, the heart and soul of our work lies in the hands of our Malagasy partners who work tirelessly to improve the quality of life in rural Madagascar.

Mahatsara Rural Education Initiative

Our main project, the Mahatsara Rural Education Initiative, is located in Tsarahonenana, Madagascar. The vision for Mahatsara came from a group of community members who saw a need for education development in their village.

In English, Mahatsara literally means ‘getting better’, or ‘improving’ and that is exactly what the project aims to do. Having recognized a deficiency in early childhood education, environmental awareness, nutrition, and literacy, Rose Madagascar teamed up with Mahatsara to start a school in their village. The school is the first project of many in a 10 year plan that will concentrate on improving the quality of life in rural Madagascar.

Our Objectives

• To reach out to individuals and communities facing adversity.
• To empower individuals and communities to improve their quality of life from within.
• To provide children and adults with access to academic and vocational training to improve the standard of living.
• To encourage sustainable and holistic development through programs that consider the environment, health, education, and social well-being of communities as fundamental principles guiding development.

Mahatsara Projects & Achievements:

• Quality Education - In addition to providing access to education to children who would not otherwise have the opportunity to attend school, Mahatsara is committed to ensuring that each child receives a quality education. 

News from the 2011-2012 school year – Mahatsara students have had an amazing year of success.  We are very proud to report that our grade 5 students were ranked amongst the top in the region this year. The top grade on the National Examination in the Alarobia region went to one of our students (with six other Mahatsara students scoring in the top 10). 

In addition, all 27 Mahatsara grade 9 students passed the difficult National Exam to receive their diplomas (we are still awaiting the regional results to see where the students rank).

• Community Garden Project - The school has a series of community garden plots that are cultivated by parents, students, and other community members. A portion of the harvest from each garden plot is contributed to the Mahatsara nutrition program.

• Nutrition Program – The nutrition program provides lunch to students in an effort to ensure that each child receives at least one healthy meal per day. Parents volunteer at the program on a daily basis and students take turns bringing firewood for cooking from home each day.

• The Mahatsara Parent’s Association - The Mahatsara Parent’s Association is the driving force behind the project and the school. While the parents of Mahatsara do not always have the ability to contribute financially to their children’s education, they contribute in many other resourceful and much needed ways.

• Community Library – The school has a library with a small collection of books and educational resources. Books are very expensive in Madagascar so virtually all of the books have been donated by international volunteers.

• Sports Programs – The School is engaged in a variety of sports teams and programs. In 2011, the Mahatsara basketball team made it to the regional finals.

• Health Education – Throughout the years Mahatsara has organized community health education sessions at the request of community members. Some of the topics that have been covered include: sex education, nutrition training, and training on the hazards of cooking on a fire indoors.

• The Mahatsara Store – The Mahatsara store sells school supplies and other small items to community members who can afford them. All proceeds are put back into the project.

• Field Trips – The school has taken students on several field trips in the surrounding area. Among the most significant field trips has been a trip to the capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo through which older students at the school had the opportunity to see the capital and to tour the University. For most students, this was their first trip to Antananarivo. 

Rose Charities New Zealand Nov 2012 Newsletter

Please click for Rose Charities NZ  Fall 2012 Newsletter (pdf)

2012 (March). Rose Network Report

See   www.rosecharities.info/reports/rose-report.pdf..

Rose Charities Vietnam 2011-12

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Rose Charities Sri Lanka 2011

For 2011 Rose Charities Sri Lana Report *.pdf - please click here

Rose Cambodia Rehabilitation Centre - Report: 2011

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AMDA Rehabiliation projects in Tohoku, Japan 2011

(Click image to enlarge image)

Full *.pdf reports: (click on links below)

1)  AMDA Tohoku Activity Report 2011 -  1

2)  AMDA Tohoku Activity Report 2011 -  2

Afghanistan: Tabish-Hillman Fund, Sept 2011 Women Health Worker Training Course

Tabish-Hillman Fund, Sept 2011 Women Health Worker Training Course - Report (*.doc  Click)

Paper-flowers of Than Tien Village: reviving a centuries old craft industry

Rose Charities Vietnam is helping revive a centuries old cottage industry.  Than Tien Village, in central Vietnam was once the center of Vietnams paper-flower making craft.  Please click here for pictorial report (click):

Sri Lanka Half Year Report 2011

Rose Charities Sri Lanka 2011 Half Year Report (*.PDF) - Click

Rose Charities Sri Lanka School Children in Education Support Program

2011 Rose Charities New Zealand Newletter

Rose Charities NZ 2011 Newsletter ! (click)

Malambo Grassroots (Rose Charities Canada Member Project): Update mid 2011

Zambian school children enjoy donated hoola hoops

2011 update:

An energetic last visit, from October 2010 to April 2011 is past. Working with donations from our salt-of-the-earth sympathizers, and with Stitchting Mwabuka Zambia, we focus on education, community development, and income generation. We …

… started builting two teachers' houses for our needy local school Malambu Basic, without which the Ministry will not place much-needed teachers.  We need to find additional funds to complete the second house.

...located and found funding to pay two temporary teachers to work in a school that was missing two teachers. The students had been coming to class even though there was no one to instruct.

… donated exercise and text books, pencils, chart paper and other teachers' aids to two schools. Funded a computer for a school for child-headed households.

… established the kernel of a library -- 56 new books and a bookshelf in the Malambo Women's Centre. Friends joined enthusiastically, clearing out their children's home shelves, and our local school children devoured them. Needed: a library building and more books, the demand being for science books especially.

… financed a women's workshop on openly discussing issues that are difficult to talk about, or which people feel must be kept undercover, such as orphan abuse, AIDS, spousal relationships and employer/employee  relationships. (They called the workshop "Not talking the truth".)

… expanded our chicken business project.

… started a new chicken business project in Mujika village.

… administered funding to support 44 students from Grades 8 to college.

… supported 3 adults in the completion of their education, namely teacher training and tailoring.

… built a toilet for a handicapped woman in Mujika.

...worked with our income generating groups to improve the design of their product lines.

… supported a man to legally secure a land purchase that would ensure a future for his family.

… supported the Malambo Women's Centre with building repairs and to manage large orders.

… helped various people as requested with fertilizer, leaking roofs, transporting the sick (especially children) to hospital, boarding school supplies, the unexpected birth of twins, and a derelict old beggar.

It was a brisk and spirited six months.

New goals:

Our immediate funding goals are to raise funding for...

...our library.

...teachers housing.  By 2015, the local government school is required to go up to grade 9.  In order to do this, the community, which is very poor, is required to build two houses to government standards, in order to get teacher placements.  This is beyond their ability.  If the school does not achieve this, the students in the school will be placed at the bottom of the list for available spaces for grades 8 and 9 in other schools.

... our scholarship program.

...funds to cover the cost of shipping a container of medical equipment donated to hospitals, and musical instruments donated to a school.

...a vehicle.  Our ancient bread delivery van, which we use to run our programs, is now held together by a lick and a prayer, and is in desparate need of replacement.  We thought we had resolved this when a Delica was given to us, but sadly, it seems the Delica is beyond repair.

WHO WE ARE:

Malambo Grassroots oversees a number of projects in southern Zambia, where the BaTonga people live. Our projects assist Zambians as they work toward making a better life for themselves and their families in a drought-stricken part of the country. We focus on income-generating projects, education, community programs, and emergency assistance.

We are a member-project of Rose Charities Canada. Rose Charities Canada is a registered, non-profit organization with the Canada Revenue Agency, registration number: 859442303RR0001.

[caption id="attachment_299" align="aligncenter" width="432" caption="Egg cosies made by the Lusumpuko group."][/caption]

AMDA Japan 2011 Tohoku Earthquake & Tsunami Relief Report

Click for full report (*.doc)

Hands up for Africa: ( AFRose Canada Member Project) Kenya: Factsheet May 2011

HANDS UP FOR AFRICA
- Vancouver-based
- Affiliated with Rose Charities
- Now close to stand-alone Charitable Status with CRA


- Formed in 2007 after tragic death of Avchen Pinkard (nee Harivel)
- Website is www.handsupforafrica.org
- E-mail is info@handsupforafrica.org
- Administered by a Board - see website

Projects
1. Support for girls-at-risk in Nairobi through annual scholarships for 2 girls with Rescue Dada (see http://rescuedadacentre.org/r_dada/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1&Itemid=3) and http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/32650

2. Support for Elizabeth Mwangi, more commonly known  as Mama Mercy, who works in her district of Kajiado from her home town of Ongata-Rongai, 10km SW of Nairobi for the care, feeding and education of needy children.  See www.handsupforafrica.org .  There are two principal locales; the well/greenhouse/schoolhouse site, and the Christ Cares Children's Centre Avchen and Abigail Mercy House which is 300m distant.

    a. Basic infrastructure (office, partial dormitory, latrines) -2008 - $4,500.
    b. Drilled borehole well completed to 120m - 2009 - $39,000 (this includes electrical and plumbing connections and pipe to second compound) - (see Google Earth at  1 28'24.60" S, 36 45'33.82" E); Grants from Planet Wheeler Foundation ($26,000 from Planet Wheeler), and raised funds from HUFA.
    c. Additional infrastructure - 2009/2010 - $27,000 (with assistance of this amount from LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, Vancouver, caused erection/completion of two dormitories, kitchen, bakery, dining hall, administration space, cow manger and feed storage, latrines, shower, storage for corn and tools).
    d. Erection and additional operational requirements for two 40' by 25' greenhouses  - $5,000 - funds provided by a Toronto church which donated the funds directly to Mama Mercy and Christ Cares Children's Centre.

Additional current projects:
    e. Raising funds towards purchase of a multi-purpose vehicle to relieve a significant source of stress for MM, viz., arranging travel for children, delivery of produce, transport of water, pick-up and delivery of volunteers/children assessment professionals, and the like. Currently, funds stand at about $18,000 with target of $22,000.

Fund raising has taken place across a range of activities.  Events typically produce $500-10,000, and range from pub-nights to raise awareness, to presentations and auctions, to friends-of-Avchen gatherings, pledge-runners' participation in half-marathons and other awareness-raising events we attend by invitation.



--
Colin Harivel, P.Geo.

2011 Rose Charities Sri Lanka Project Outcomes Report

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Rose Charities Nursing Training Haiti; Reports French / English 2010

 

Full report French (click)

Full report English (click)

ETAT course Kenya: Oct 2010. Report

ETAT Course held 25-29th October 2010. Click for report

Frontier Primary Health Care - Profile

Please click here for profile of Frontier Primary Health Care Pakistan (FPHC), supported by The Hillman Fund of Rose Charities Canada

Rose Charities Sri Lanka - Interim 2010 report

Click here for full *.pdf report download