AFRICA NEWS- Update

This is what all of our initiatives in Africa are all about……….achievement in education!

The school now boasts a range of well-constructed buildings across its spacious grounds.

The Kambona school, run by The Australian AID Fund’s partner…Searchlight Orphan Care…has an enrolment of almost 300…and boasts an array of amenities and infrastructure…including 5 classrooms and 8 on-site teacher houses…with an emphasis on hygiene and sanitation and good water supplies.

The latest income-earning initiative there that we’ve helped fund….(above)….is what’s been dubbed The Aussie Market…eight mini shops to cater for the Kambona students and their families and friends …built on the Kambona secondary school’s perimeter, designed to meet a host of needs that the existing shops don’t offer. Three are about to open…one to sell fish, vegetables, tomatoes, rice and beans…another to sell fried chicken (yes, and you can get fries with that!), eggs, salad etc…and the third will be a restaurant where tea, food and cold drinks will be offered.

Other shops will offer hairdressing, telephone accessories and stationery. The complex will include two toilets and two urinals

Nearby is the secondary school’s sister school…the Australian Primary School, gifted to the Ministry of Education.

It boasts an enrolment of over 700 pupils…

And numerous buildings including 8 classrooms… six on-site teacher houses…and stand-alone brick toilets.

The nearby Mothers and Babies Centre that was also built by The Australian AIDS Fund continues to meet the needs of many local mums and their babies!

Malawi House, another local AAFI financed partner project, is now home to 60 orphans… aged from 4 years old to 12 years old.

Just 35 kilometres away at Nogwe/Shaibu, is the second secondary school built by the Australian AIDS Fund…The Australian Progressive Academy…which is also partnered by The Australian Primary School, built nearby..which like the one at Msema, was also gifted to the Ministry of Education. The Tithandize Orphan Care organization now has a new Board of Management that’s presently exploring proposals for new building works and programmes for the Academy’s staff and students.

Both schools have just shared in a a big consignment of goods+ shipped from Melbourne…and the footballs and kites were especially appreciated.

In a land where books are rare, especially in rural schools…the arrival of hundreds of books of all shapes and sizes was an event to be treasured…an occasion to be lingered over

We’ve just recently financed our first ever micro credit programme in UGANDA that’ll help 20 households fund their own initiatives to lead them out of poverty and into better lives. The projects the women have chosen cover poultry farming, food stalls, tea rooms, clothing sales and tailoring, as well as pig breeding!

This initiative comes on the heels of a two day HIV/AIDS awareness conference under canvas we funded at Luweero, south of the capital, Kampala…that drew together more than 300 youth peer educators, HIV Positive youth and their supporters

to identify and share effective resources for HIV/AIDS prevention among young people….to present models of care, leadership and support. The seminar was run by the Jesus Cares AIDS Orphans & Vulnerable Children’s Service Centre, established in 2005 by two retired teachers, Mr & Mrs Samuel Matumba.

The Australian AIDS Fund has also been involved in the personal lives of 3 teenagers and a 10 year old in Uganda…2 of them crippled, 3 infected by HIV and the 4th yet to be tested for it.

They’re under the wing of the Jesus Cares organization that works with HIV infected/affected teenagers and their families.

Two of the quartet are girls.

Moreen was in need of a delicate operation to remove part of her diseased upper jaw, an operation that involved us in funding her journey into neighbouring Kenya and for hospitalization for highly specialized delicate surgery performed by a visiting American surgeon. We owe special thanks to an Australian medical couple in Cambodia (Andrew and Dawn) who introduced us to an expert surgeon, Dr Barbara, in Brisbane who, in turn, put Moreen and her carers in touch with the American surgeon, Dr Rich, whose successful surgery and personal care has given Moreen a new lease of life!

Phiona was crippled carrying home water on her bicycle some years ago, damaging her spine and was looking to be fitted for a special customized wheelchair to give her mobility….we’ve covered that…

Of the 2 boys, Herbert is incontinent, has spina bifida…(but surprisingly able to walk)…and has HIV..and is desperate for an education…we’re taking a hand there…

Ten year old Wilson who’d lost his father to AIDS, is himself infected by HIV and was struggling for acceptance. We’ve helped him into a new life and a new community in a boarding school.

In April, the AAFI’s founder, Brian Haill, was invited to Melbourne’s Government house to join diplomats, community and church leaders, lawyers, celebrities and other charity representatives to personally meet and farewell our Vice-Regal patrons…the Victorian State Governor, Professor David de Kretser AO., and his wife, Jan, who’ve now retired after a five year term. His predecessor, the Olympian John Landy MBE.,and his wife Lynne, were also our Vice Regal Patrons.