Chilli Children Blog

Two children with Cerebral Palsy

2012-01-22T10:18:00.001Z

On a catch-up phone call with Project Manager, Evas, on 16th January we heard that two new ‘little ones’ came to the Project office with their mothers that morning. They were aged 17 months and nearly 2 years old. One had Athetoid Cerebral Palsy and the other Evas described as ‘floppy'. They had travelled from a remote village and until now the parents had not known whom to turn to.

The mothers were feeling miserable and hopeless when they arrived, but Evas was able to talk with them at length. She explained how to handle their children so as to minimise their difficulties, and she showed them the wooden seats which the project could provide.

She wanted to give them each a pair of shoes but sadly her supply, brought by supporters from Britain, is running low and she didn’t have any that fit them. She also offered the mothers a tyre to use at home to help their children to sit up, but because of the difficulty of carrying it home they were not able to take it with them.

In their desperation to help their children they had used up precious and scarce family finances to travel to Rukungiri, and could not afford to pay for transport for the whole way back.

Evas described how when the children got hungry they shared a banana and an egg with her own little boy Timothy, whilst she and the mothers drank a cup of tea. She explained to them all about the Project's Chilli Growing scheme and the Life Skills Clinics, and by the time they left Evas described the two mothers as ‘happy’ and ‘committed’ to helping their children.

This true story is also an everyday tale which sums up what the Project is all about - helping families.

Photos: other children Cerabal Palsy

Winter prayer requests

2011-12-18T12:14:00.000Z

Together with Project Manager Evas we list our main prayer requests based on the projects needs throughout the year. We hope our supporters who pray for the Project find this useful and something to share with others.

View our Winter prayer requests - now online.

Many thanks / Wabale munonga for your support this year.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2012!

A phone call with Evas

2011-12-07T18:35:00.001Z

In a phone call with Project Manager Evas, here Trustee Sue shares the latest news.

Chilli
The Team have just returned from a ‘chilli safari’ - they have been visiting all the little local centres and buying up chilli.

Selling Village
This week the Team are making final arrangements to buy a piece of land on which they plan to build what we are dubbing a ‘selling village’. This was an idea of Pat Gilmer’s. The plan is to build a couple of homes with shop fronts where some of the older disabled children who have graduated from school will be able to set up small businesses.

Measuring some plots

Architect's drawing of homes with shop fronts

Special School
Also this week the Education office, church and community are having meetings to discuss the possibility of opening a new unit for multiply disabled children near to Rukungiri. It is still early days but this would be a truly wonderful thing as the vast majority of children with disabilities are unable to access any education at present.

Carpenter Training
Evas has arranged for the carpenter from Rukungiri to go to Kampala for training in making special chairs for the disabled. He has been doing this for some time, but we now have the funding (only £100 as it turns out) for him to have a week’s training.

‘Urology children’
Evas is also trying to make arrangements for a group of children with severe debilitating bladder disorders to be assessed by a Urologist in Kampala in December as there is a chance that they may be offered free operations by an American organisation which was set up to train local Paediatric Urologists in developing countries. This may not be until 2013 but we would really value your prayers for these children.

Heart children
Two of the children who were assessed recently by a cardiologist in Kampala are still very poorly (these two have multiple holes in the heart and are not expected to live). Please continue to pray for them. Evas is obviously very moved and saddened by their situation.

Evas at a life skills clinic

This is just some of the news from the Project, no doubt we will have more details on some of these new ventures as time goes on.

News update from the Project

2011-11-05T17:21:00.000Z

Last week Trustee Sue heard the latest news from Project Manager Evas:

Jones from the Project Team took Abias, one of the spine patient children, up to Kampala last week as his stitches had got infected - they have given him antibiotics for this.

Two other spine patients need to be reviewed on November 8th in Kampala by the Ugandan surgeon who is working for the American charity ‘Ugandan Charitable Spine Mission’.

8 heart patients and 8 carers went up to Kampala for diagnosis recently. 2 children (aged 6 and 16 have multiple holes in their hearts and the prognosis is very bad, even an operation is unlikely to help.) 1 may need mitral valve surgery, and there are others who are being short listed for help from Chain of Hope.

The Project have a growing number of children with cleft lip and palates and are planning another plastic surgery ‘camp’ at CoRSU hospital in February.

A Mission Direct team recently had a good visit and were able to see a lot of children cared for by the Project. They saw our ‘heart conditions group’, Abias, as well as children with hydrocephalus and spina bifida, and also the 2 children who need colostomy bags, and they are keen to help.

Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook for more updates.

Survey to register new children with disabilities

2011-10-27T16:13:00.001Z

The Project Team have now started a comprehensive survey to register new children with disabilities. The fact that they are proactive in looking for these children is a hallmark of the Project. If they waited for the families to find them, then a considerable number of children would not access any medical help or therapy.

So far the Project team have visited some centres in Kanungu and a small area of Rukungiri. They have already registered 25 children requiring surgery, and seen others who need to go up to Kampala for review. They have registered 15 orthopaedic cases for the planned surgical camp in November at Kisiizi Hospital and 10 children so far with either cleft lips and palates or burns who are to go to CoRSU Hospital in February next year.

As usual when they go out on a survey the Team have also seen a lot of children with cerebral palsy, and some with other disabilities. As well as registering new children they have been able to advise and help families.

Find out more about the Project's surveys on our website.

Autumn Prayer Requests

2011-09-22T11:22:00.000Z

Together with Project Manager Evas we list our main prayer requests based on the projects needs throughout the year. We hope our supporters who pray for the Project find this useful and something to share with others.

View our Autumn prayer requests - now online.

Many thanks / Wabale munonga.

September Sunset in Rukungiri
See more scenic photos in our gallery

Latest news from the Project

2011-08-05T09:43:00.010Z

This week Trustee Sue spoke with Project Manager Evas and heard about the latest news from the Project:

Life Skills Clinic

At the Life Skills Clinic on 2nd August, they had a new-born (7 days old) with spina bifida, who was due to travel to Mbarara with the children who are going to attend the Hydrocephalus clinic on Wednesday, and then probably stay the night there and travel on to Mbale for surgery.

Uganda Charitable Spine Mission

On Saturday 6th August, Jones travels up to Kampala with 8 children who are going to see the surgeons from the Uganda Charitable Spine Mission, for initial assessment on Monday 8th. They have kyphosis, scoliosis etc. Last week, 6 children who had already been operated on previously by this team were up in Kampala for review and further treatment. The Uganda Charitable Spine Mission pay for accommodation costs, travel, x rays and treatment – which is usually very expensive.

Visit their website to find out more: http://ugandaspinemission.blogspot.com

Vocational Training for Deaf Young People

On 10th August, Warren drives up to Kampala to fetch the Mengo school children, and he is also taking 2 youngsters from Wakiso secondary school for the deaf who have been accepted at a Vocational Training school, which is on the Entebbe Road, just outside Kampala.

Group of children for Plastic surgery

On 14th August, the children for plastic surgery at CoRSU hospital are going up to Kampala for assessment on the 15th.

Photos of some of the children due for surgery:

More details of the Project's work with Life skills Clinics, Surgery and Deaf schools can be found on our website.

UPDATE: Project Team visit the UK, Sept 2011

2011-08-01T13:05:00.004Z

UPDATE on 3rd August:

It has been confirmed today that Warren and Nelson's visas have not been granted for their visit to the UK in September. We are in the process of establishing the best way to take this forward and asking people to pray into this situation please. We are looking into what rights of appeal may be open to them both, but early indications are that this may be the final decision and not open to appeal. When we have more facts we will decide what course of action to take. Please check back here for updates.

Post-surgery prayer requests

2011-07-15T09:39:00.006Z

In an update recently, Evas (Project Manager) shared concerns for two children who have had surgery and are in need of prayer.

'Abias is about 12/13 years old, although very small for his age. He has a spinal deformity and had surgery with the spinal surgery mission group from the States last year at Mulago Hospital, Kampala, where he had a plate inserted. The team recently took him to Kisiizi for an x ray, and it confirmed that the plate had lifted on one side. Jones is taking him up to Kampala for urgent review, and to seek advice.

'Also, we are concerned for a girl who was at Katalemwa following a skin graft to her foot. Along with a small group of other children when she was discharged from Katalemwa, taken to Kisiizi where she has been staying in the rehab ward with the remaining children from the April camp. The graft is not healing and she may need a further surgery. In the meantime they are treating the wound with honey, and it seems to be improving.'

You may also be interested in our prayer requests for summer on our website.

Surgical camp, April 2011

2011-06-12T21:21:00.005Z

The Project Team organise orthopaedic surgical camps at Kisiizi Hospital and one was held in April. Project workers mastermind the surgical camps and all the operations are performed by a visiting surgeon in just 5 days. The Project Team are then responsible for the children's rehabilitation at Kisiizi Hospital.

Project worker, Zaire, in a full ward at the surgical camp

Sarah Reavenall, from Mission Direct, with a child in the ward

Results of the camp:

46 children were assessed
23 received operations
6 very complicated orthopaedic cases were referred to CoRSU Hospital
2 children with severe spinal conditions were referred to Mulago. They will be operated on by surgeons from the US working with the Uganda Charitable Spine Surgery Mission.
2 children with cerebral palsy were seen, but an operation was not thought to be appropriate and they were referred to Evas on the Project team for occupational therapy.
Some of the children will be seen again in November at Kisiizi, and 3 will be reviewed in April 2012.

Child relaxing outside after her operation

More information about the Surgical camps can be found on our website.

Photos thanks to the members of the medical team from Mission Direct who visited Kisiizi during the camp.

Registration for plastic surgery operations

2011-05-17T12:45:00.007Z

Project Manager Evas will put out a radio message in June for children with cleft lips and palates, and burns victims to come to the Project office for registration for plastic surgery operations.

This will include a group of young children with cleft lips and palates, including new-borns, who have come to the attention of the Project in the last month or two. They will be operated on at CoRSU hospital in August when the youngest of them will be 6 months.

A baby with cleft palate

Find out more about how children are helped by surgery on our website.

News from Kisiizi Hospital

2011-05-07T11:15:00.005Z

Congratulations to Loyce, the matron at Kisiizi Hospital, who gave birth to a baby boy on Sunday morning, 1st May 2011. Nashon Trey Kwikirizaon was born 1 month early and is in an incubator. We wish them both all the best.

Loyce (far left), Evas, Abraham and Karungi (the 3 Project staff at Kisiizi + Evas)

Little girl in a pink dress

2011-02-17T13:52:00.012Z

You might recognise this photo that featured on the front page of our Chilli Newsletter No. 4, with an article entitled, ‘Little girl in a pink dress.’ The photo below shows the same child taken two years later at one of the Project’s Life Skills clinics in November 2010.

"She was wearing the same little pink dress, somewhat faded from much hand washing. What struck me was the untold story of the years in between, of the caring, feeding, changing, and carrying, in short of parenting a severely disabled child" says Trust Coordinator Sue Woods.

While we celebrate tremendous fundraising efforts, and the wonderful work of the Project team, it's important to also remember the selfless dedication of the parents who keep going day in and day out, and we ask for your continued prayers on behalf of these unsung heroes.

Cause for celebration at Life skills clinic

2011-01-28T14:40:00.009Z

By Sue Woods

At Christmas I received a letter from an old friend who has long standing links with Uganda. She wrote, “The disabled in Uganda are despised and hidden away, often never seeing the light of day so I am thrilled to hear of your work there.” There is undoubtedly an element of truth in this statement, but it is not universally true as I hope to show.

What she wrote reminded me of something I’d read in my father’s memoirs. My father taught medical students in Kampala whilst I was growing up. This is what he wrote concerning physiotherapists working at Mengo hospital in the 1960’s, “They were assured that there were no children with cerebral palsy in Uganda, but ignoring this common misconception (that certain diseases do not exist in the tropics because few have seen them) soon had 400 children on their books.”

At the Life Skills Clinic which I attended in September (2010), Project worker Warren told me that it was amazing to see all these families bringing their disabled children out in public to a clinic, and commented that this was something that would never have happened in the past.

All these comments - two very recent and one from 40 years ago - underline for me the amazing impact that the project has had.

One child at that clinic, an older girl with epilepsy and learning difficulties, became upset when she found out she couldn’t take a toy home. I remember a group of mothers were watching her and were all concerned over her distress. When Project worker David realised what the problem was he led her over to the mat and let her choose a toy. She chose a hoop, then calmed down, and even began to smile.

What struck me most was the look on all the faces of the mothers as they watched. They had been concerned over her obvious distress earlier, and now they smiled at her joy. In a country where some disabled children are still hidden away from sight, this awkward girl was surrounded by a group of mothers, who had collectively felt her pain and celebrated her joy.

I found this most touching and as big a cause for celebration of the project’s work as any other I saw.

Annual surveys are carried out by the Project to keep records of disabled children in the district up to date, and to learn of new children.

More information about the Life skills clinics can be found on our website.

November Surgical Camp

2010-12-31T17:40:00.008Z

Evas from the Project Team has sent this photo of some children who had operations at the November Surgical Camp. She says “A few days after operation, every child can offer a smile”.

Also, this group of children have been referred to CoRSU Hospital in Kampala as their conditions are more complex. Funds are needed for their operations to go ahead in early 2011.

We thank all of our supporters for their help in 2010 and appreciate your continued support in 2011. Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

Cardiac children

2010-12-02T12:20:00.021Z

One group of children we met on the ‘registration day’ at the start of our September visit were children with heart conditions. This group of children did not have a visible disability, but every one of us was touched by their obvious need.

One toddler arrived and was registered, then his health took a turn for the worse. He was rushed to the local hospital but died on the way. The following day it was with very sad hearts that we visitors gave the child’s uncle a donation towards the cost of the burial and transport home.

Immediately after we flew back to the UK at the end of our visit four children were taken up to Kampala for assessment. One of them was Kato Aggrey who we have blogged about previously. We were dismayed to hear that his ECHO scan showed major problems. However, we were so thankful that Chain of Hope, the charity to whom we had referred him earlier in the year and which had funded his previous surgery, was able to arrange for him to go to Egypt at very short notice to have a further mitral valve repair. The latest news is that he is doing well.

Another child was 14 year old Dickson. His ECHO scan was very severely abnormal, and on October 21st we heard from Evas that he had died. Then there was baby Javilla, whose ECHO scan also showed a severe abnormality which would require surgery. On November 1st we heard sadly that Javilla too had died.

We have done a lot of soul searching about these children. At one stage we wondered at the wisdom of sending children up to Kampala for expensive diagnostic tests, especially when we did not have funds readily available to pay for operations.

However, strangely the deaths of two of these children have helped to alter our thinking on this one as we realize that had they not been seen in Kampala the parents would probably have been left with a lot of regret. In the event these parents knew that the Project staff had done what they could, and had held their family in a supportive embrace in their hour of need.

We don’t consider a hospice a failure when a child dies, instead we consider the work they do a beautiful thing. Likewise the story of these children is hard to tell, but it is nevertheless a story of God’s love in action in difficult circumstances. We hope it helps you as you pray for the Project staff to realize some of the pressures they are under on a daily basis.

NEWSFLASH

We heard this week that Chain of Hope may be able to help towards the cost of assessing children with heart conditions in the future. This is wonderful news for which we praise God!

Update on Kato Aggrey's operation

2010-11-19T13:27:00.007Z

Last week, Kato Aggrey, who is being helped by Chilli Children, had his heart operation last week in Asswan, Egypt. This is following his first operation in June this year.

Initially the the surgeon was expecting to have to do a mitral valve replacement which would have had serious long term consequences. It would mean that Aggrey would have to take warfarin for life, and would require fortnightly blood tests to check his anticoagulation levels. However, the brilliant news is that the mitral valve replacement wasn't nesessary, as they managed to repair the valve.

A message from Egypt read, "Aggery Kato is doing great :) and No he didn't need a mitral valve replacement - Carin repaired it! Which is great and he's is really happy about it!"

This week we heard that post-op Kato was re-admitted to ICU because of a heart rhythm problem (atrial flutter) and was treated with medication and cardioversion. He has since made a good recovery from this, his valve repair remains fine, and he has now been discharged back to the ward.

Because Kato comes from a very poor and rural area, where little cardiac care is available, Carin (the surgeon from Denmark, who is in Egypt at present) has requested that they keep Kato in Aswan for at least another 2 weeks, just to make sure that no further problems arise. Dr Baher, the paediatric cardiologist from Aswan will make sure that he gets an adequate supply of medicine on discharge.

Thanks to our supporters this life saving surgery for Kato has been possible, and your ongoing prayers for his recovery are much appreciated too.

Read our earlier story about Kato Aggrey

Registration of disabled children

2010-11-09T13:14:00.022Z

Over the next few blog posts we’ll be sharing our experiences from our visit to the Project in September, and some touching stories from the many children we met. We had a really successful and insightful trip and enjoyed spending time with and getting to know the Project Team. We saw various aspects of their amazing work in helping orphaned and disabled children and their families/guardians. We’ll be focusing on the ‘Five Fingers’ of the project which are the five main areas of their work. You can learn more about these on our website too.

To start off, it’s ‘registration day’ in Rukungiri on our first few days of the trip. Evas and the team had put out a radio announcement for all the children within reach of Rukungiri who had previously been registered with the project, as well as any others with disabilities to assemble. Approximately 200 or more children, along with their carers, assembled in front of the cathedral in a scene reminiscent of a story from the Bible. If you can imagine a crowd of patients from a specialist children’s hospital along with the pupils from local special schools all coming together you might be getting somewhere near to picturing it.

They were welcomed and given an introduction and then Rev. Ian, who visited with the trustees, gave a beautifully clear and simple exposition, ably translated by Warren. After this the children were divided into groups for registration, depending on their disability – children with cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus, epilepsy, orthopedic problems, bladder problems, heart problems, cleft lips and palates, spine deformities etc.

We visitors helped the team to record who was there, and we took a lot of photos. We were moved by the many stories of the children and their families. Some were there to testify to successful treatment, whilst others were still awaiting assessment.

These photos show some of the children we met a little later in our visit who were registered for surgical treatment at this month’s Surgical Camp at Kisiizi hospital. We heard this week from the Project team that 23 children were being operated on and that it was going really well.

This girl in the photo below has untreated club foot, which used to be common place, but is now rare because most of these children are treated when they are babies in Jones' club foot clinics.

For more information about the surgical camps, medical outreach and how you can help, please visit our website www.chillichildren.org.uk

Trustees' Trip to The Project

2010-09-11T08:43:00.005Z

Today three of our Trustees are flying out to Uganda to visit The Project in Rukungiri for 2 weeks! Becky, Susie and Sue are also joined by Chilli Children supporters Ian, Jo, and Susie's daughter Sophie.

This trip will be the first time a group of our Trustees visit The Project together, each having been at separate times before. The main purpose of the visit is to learn more about The Project and spend time with The Project Team. Plus, to have the opportunity to discuss the future of The Project and the ways in which The Trust can support it.

We're thrilled that a few of our supporters will also be joining them, and at the same time represent their churches that support Chilli Children. Rev Ian Watson from Kirk Muirhill Church in Scotland, knew about The Project through Pat Gilmer who set it up. Jo Smith is from St. Michael's Church, Stoke Gifford, which is also Susie's church. St. Paul's, St. Luke's and All Saints Church in Leek are also represented by Sue.

This trip gives them the chance to get to know the Projct Team and the work they do, and see first hand the impact of the funds raised in the UK, through the 'five fingers' of The Project; Chilli Growing, Surgery, Medical Outreach, Life Skills and Education.

They will also find out what it's like living in Uganda, and what life is like there for disabled children and their families. They hope to share these experiences with their churches when they get back, and be ambassadors for Chilli Children.

Watch this space for updates from the team during their trip. We'll also be adding updates to Twitter and Facebook!

In the meantime, to find out more about The Project, watch the film Becky made after her visit in 2009 below:

doodacky

A New Fundraising Initiative

2010-07-14T12:44:00.003Z

What do a teenager with cerebral palsy from Uganda. a youth group in the Philippines, and a housewife in Britain all have in common?
All of them are part of a fundraising scheme for the Chilli Children Trust which involves making, selling or buying screen printed bags or tea towels!

The teenager, Amon is a pupil at Mengo School for children with physical disabilities in Kampala. He is very bright and around 14 years old, but has only just started his schooling. His is the smiling face on the Chilli Children tea towels. (To be honest, we are not sure yet whether we are going for tea towels or bags)

The youth group in the Philippines was specifically set up for kids from very disadvantaged backgrounds. They meet regularly for prayer, Bible teaching and fellowship. They are learning screen printing through a livelihood training scheme and this means they are able to raise money for their own youth activities.

They might be very poor themselves, but they are learning that they have a great deal to give to others who are disadvantaged.

Average incomes in their village are about £30 a month for a family. They are almost entirely dependent on fishing, but the fish stocks are failing and recently fishermen have been making a mere 50p per day on their catch. Often in typhoon season the whole village go hungry - no fish, no money, no rice. The livelihood program ensures that the workers are paid a fair wage for their work. All the money gets ploughed back into their business. Some of the profit will go towards paying a teacher who helps children in the village with their school work and English.

And when the bags, or tea towels are ready – that’s where the British housewife comes in (Of course sales are not restricted to British housewives, but are open to all!)

Post Op!

2010-06-11T16:49:00.003Z

On May 31st Kato Aggrey, a 15 year old Ugandan teenager, had major heart surgery in Aarhus, Denmark . He is now recovering well and expected to return home on June 16th
To understand just how amazing this news is, let’s go back to the beginning of the story - Aggrey is one of 8 children. His father is a pastor from Kanungu, a remote region of Uganda, close to the border with DR Congo. Aggrey suffered from Rheumatic Heart Disease since he was 13, and this resulted in damage to his mitral valve. He was frequently breathless, easily tired, and on occasions extremely ill. In fact his whole family feared his death. The other children had less attention, and the financial strain meant that some of the other children had on occasion been unable to attend school.
Back in April last year Kato Aggrey was taken to Kampala by the Project Team along with a group of other children all of whom had heart problems and needed assessment at the Uganda Heart Institute.
For Aggrey the news was grave, he needed a major operation to repair his mitral valve. This could not be done in Uganda, and although it could be done in India relatively cheaply it would still cost in excess of £10,000. With a family income of approximately £79 per month this was totally out of the question. Without treatment Aggrey was not expected to live more than 2 years.
Becky Thorn was in Uganda at this point, and both she and Evas, the Project manager wrote letters to possible donors but without success. The news made it’s way back to Britain and the Chilli Children Trustees. Sue Woods also made several enquiries and requests for funding but with a similar result. More importantly a group of people joined their prayers with those of Kato Aggrey’s family and friends, and this is the story of God’s amazing answers over the last year.
The next important event was the sad death of Sue’s friend, Beryl Simms. This happened strangely enough on May 31st 2009, a year to the day before Aggrey’s operation. At the funeral a collection was taken for a charity called ‘Chain of Hope’ http://www.chainofhope.org/. Upon enquiry Sue discovered that Chain of Hope bring children to Britain for heart operations. They really are a chain of hope as they link up surgeons who are willing to operate on their day off, NHS trusts who will donate a bed, host families who will take in a child, airlines who will donate a free flight, and of course Project’s like ours who initially refer the children and then along with the cardiologist organise their safe medical transfer.
Sue duly emailed Chain of Hope regarding Aggrey’s situation, and received a reply that same afternoon! (On this very day Rev. Christopher, Aggrey’s dad, had travelled 3 hours to the Project office for news, and they had had none to give him.)
Chain of Hope were willing to discuss Aggrey’s case at their meeting in London on July 6th, but they wanted him first to be seen by a different cardiologist who was their contact in Kampala. They also required that he had a further ECHO scan.
In the Lord’s mercy Becky was on hand to pull out all the stops, arrange the long journey back to Kampala, and put all of this into action at the very last minute.
This was not without cost to the Project, and Becky, and was certainly an unusual case, but it also exemplifies what the Project do best, which is to feel for and respond to the needs of individuals. So often in the past this has opened up a way of helping others too, and it would be wonderful if that were to be the case in this instance.
There were several scary moments – the scanner was broken, the information needed in the UK could not be sent back to Britain by email and the last plane had left – phone calls and emails flew back and forth. In the end the files made it to the UK via some clever technological method, but the people at Chain of Hope were unable to open them. Eventually a friend of Becky’s who had managed to open the files had them sent to the Chain of Hope office by courier where they arrived just in time for the meeting! And Aggrey was accepted onto their programme!
But the story didn’t end there, nor the Project’s involvement. Aggrey and his dad had a lot of patient waiting to do as the operation, which it was originally hoped would be done in Britain in October was postponed several times.
None of the surgeons working with Chain of Hope in Britain specialized in Rheumatic Heart Disease, but a doctor who had previously lived in London and since moved to Denmark, Consultant Paediatric Cardiac Surgeon Ms Carin Van Doorn, agreed to operate on Aggrey in Denmark. The Chilli Children Project staff organised and paid for visas and arranged a pre-flight medical, and finally put Aggrey and his Dad on the plane.
Even then things didn’t run smoothly as Aggrey caught a chest infection on the journey, and his operation had to be delayed. However, in Denmark the nursing staff, hospital chaplain, and surgeon all took Aggrey and his dad to their hearts and looked after them wonderfully, and thus we are now all able to celebrate together.
Prayer has been an integral part of this story from first to last. I thought it would be good to end with a quote from an email received from Aggrey’s Dad, writing from the hospital.
“I am very Extremely happy to greet you in His glorious name, again and again happy to see the operation of Aggrey and a good result of it. Surely God is great. Many people have become parents of Aggrey but remember you and colleagues of Chilli Children are the first ones, because had you not struggled here and there to look for donors, we would not reach on this step. So you are the foundation of his recovery.”
Praise the Lord!

A Clinic at Rukungiri

2010-02-27T19:30:00.003Z

On March 27th the first of 2 Medical Teams organized by Mission Direct for 2010 will be visiting Rukungiri. These teams are made up of qualified medical professionals who spend two weeks passing on their expertise in hospitals, clinics and surgeries.
Dr Sohrab Panday, a GP in Peterborough, went with last year’s Medical Team. He described for us the day that he spent with the Project and we enjoyed his report back so much that we thought we would share it with you all on our blog…..
“Below are the details of some of the patients I saw together with Edward (Ugandan Nurse) and several of the MD team including a pharmacist and nurses. The next day several others of the team including 2 doctors went and saw a different group of patients who were largely epileptic or club foot I believe.
The experience was an amazing one for me as I was without any expectation but went simply as a MD representative to see what goes on. We arrived in a bus at the North Kigezi Diocese office in Rukungiri which was seated at the windswept top of a hill surrounded by beautiful countryside. Although we arrived late we were amazed to find that we were awaited by a crowd of parents with their well behaved children all of whom had severe disabilities largely to do with the spine or brain on this occasion. The children had each been brought by a parent from areas far and wide. The request had gone out on radio the day before to bring such patients to the centre as a medical team from England was visiting! The cost of bringing the children – transport- time off work etc – would be met by MD. I think it was 1,000 Ugandan shillings (35p) per child and 2,000 per adult.
After being introduced to Becky Thorn and Evas (OT) we were given a short talk and then it dawned on me we were expected to provide an assessment and opinion on each of the children! As the only doctor I was presented to each case and parents – Evas translated and some of the parents had medical notes which included brief notes on the surgery done to the children. I was completely overwhelmed as I rarely see such cases in UK as a GP and felt wholly unqualified to advise!
I gazed at the tranquil green hills and trees with the wind blowing though our hair and wondered where all these children had come from! I would be surprised to find this many such children in a specialist centre in Cambridge never mind in a very rural part of the country.
The parents were so grateful and humble and the children so well behaved. The pathology was evident for anyone to see as these children were sadly stricken with overlarge heads or twisted spines. Some had to be carried to us and others limped but in an orderly fashion! It took some time for each case and we got through 15 or so cases in say 3 hours. The advice was always based on good old common sense- so those with hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain causing an overlarge head) were asked about the growth of the child’s head, whilst physiotherapy and prevention of chest infections was the mainstay of advice for those with spinal disease or cerebral palsy. Numerous children required routine or ‘soon’ review by the Neurosurgical Team in Mbale after we successfully got telephone contact with the specialist there. It was hard to hear him on the mobile in one ear with the wind rushing past my other ear! Surreal. Some children would need their brain shunts revised. The Children's Project (funded via Chilli Children Trust) arranges and pays for the transportation etc which takes maybe 10 hours each way! One 8 year old boy, Allan, had severe hydronephrosis (large palpable kidneys) and was referred to Kisiizi Missionary Hospital 3 hours drive away for a Paediatric Opinion to relieve the pressure before the kidneys start to fail. I understand this has been subsequently dealt with.
Another child, Steven, had a severe neck swelling, called a Cystic Hygroma, which is a benign growth but was so large it was causing respiratory distress and needed urgent attention at Mbarara Hospital several hours drive away. In contrast the parents of another child with a neck swelling, Mervin, could be reassured that it was benign (Sternomastoid Tumour) and did not need surgery but did need physiotherapy.
In between patients I would gaze around at amazing scenery and be awestruck at what I was seeing in this most rural and beautiful of locations.
The wonder of this trip still remains with me and always will. I was impressed and humbled by the heroic work done by the staff and volunteers of Chilli Children Trust especially Becky and Evas; the courage and love of the parents and carers of the children concerned; the constant struggle against adversity, living by faith that someone will hopefully help, the great work done by the hospitals and surgeons. The wonderful support of the Diocese and most of all the generosity of the people at home in the UK moved to give to make this all possible.”

Dr Sohrab Panday
Mission Direct Team April 2009 and GP in Peterborough
25 February 2010

Trust Co-ordinator Helping Project Team to Plan

2010-02-11T12:54:00.002Z

Becky Thorn, Trust Co-ordinator, is just about to return home from Uganda after 2 months away helping the Project team to plan for 2010 and beyond.

Read about her trip in her personal blog called 'My Cunning Plan':

mycunningplan.blogspot.com

Today's blog entry in that blog includes February news from the Project and many photos!

At the office...

2010-01-28T06:59:00.002Z

Every morning when we arrive at the office there is already a line of mums, dads or guardians holding little children. Every day brings new challenges and the project team must assess the best thing to do.

This is David from Bugangari, north of Rukungiri. He has spina bifida and was operated on as a baby at the CURE hospital in Mbale, Eastern uganda, a mission hospital. The Project found David and took him to the hospital with his father. He goes for review at the CURE clinic which comes to Mbarara (2hrs drive from Rukungiri) every few months. Warren drives the ambulance to these clinics so we can take several children with spina bifida, hydrocephalus or any neurological case. David is standing and has a lot of functions so there is good development of his body.

However, David's little toes are missing and the big toe on his right foot is not far from falling off. This is because of the nerves and the blood supply being cut off due to his condition. His dad can help if he encourages David to use the foot more whilst he is sitting and learning to walk. Evas, as an occupational therapist, is qualified to explain this.

Becky is back in Uganda until 13th Feb working with the Project team to build up a budget for 2010 and to look at a programme for expanding the chilli production of each farmer (approx 80% of farmers have orphans) and which will also benefit the sustainability of the scheme within the Project.

Trust news: Graham our treasurer has been greatly encouraged by the donations coming in over Christmas and the New Year, people are really being creative with fundraising and committed in personal regular giving.

This couldn't come at a better time when we look at the budget for the coming year and see that inflation in Uganda was at 12% during 2009. The exchange rate has picked up a little to 3,100/- per £ but still lower than the good days of 2003-2007 when we experienced 3,500/- at a relatively stable level.

Warmth and sunshine from Rukungiri and a big hug from all the team!

Chilli Children in the Press

2009-11-20T10:54:00.004Z

"I often think of the guy who was designing the first passenger aeroplane, and how he might have tried explaining to his family over Sunday lunch that he was going to safely put 100 people into the air in an oversized tin can. Why couldn't he just have done something sensible like his brother Joseph and become a physician?

"That's often how I feel when I try to explain to my family why I've given up my job and a settled life to dedicate myself full time this year to a charity I set up 5 years ago called Chilli Children Trust."

Becky Thorn, Trust Co-ordinator, is featured in New Start magazine's blog. See the full article here:

http://www.newstartmag.co.uk/blog/article/social-change-starts-in-primary-school-with-maths-and-story-telling/

Becky attended the Chain Reaction conference, mentioned in the article, as a volunteer. Please note that none of Chilli Children donations are going towards her time or expenses. Her year working full-time for Chilli Children is all self-funded through her redundancy payment this includes all her flights, accommodation, transport, everything. If you want to know more please contact us.

Launching new website and film Plus Oct news

2009-11-04T12:30:00.011Z

We are very happy to announce the launch of our new website and our first film which has been striking audiences across the country:

www.chillichildren.org.uk

From the home page click on 'Click Here to see the Film'. Easy! And everything about this updated website should make life easier!

Easy to find the answer to 'why chilli?'
Easy to find out info about the Trust
Easy to download a donation form, photos and other Fundraising resources
Easy to find links to all the sites we use: Justgiving, Twitter, Facebook

Film

The film is only 8minutes but takes you right into the lives of the families helped Chilli Children. Through the stories of 3 families, you'll really see what Chilli Children is all about and how our small donations are making a huge impact. Showing the film around the UK during her tour, Becky has had a really positive response with even a BBC TV producer calling it "great"! Bafta award?... Watch this space!

Project news

In this photo, Isaac and family unpack a mattress, a pillow, a blanket, a pair of bed-sheets, a jerrican, a basin, and a box of soap. This is part of a new scheme within the Project to get back into the homes of severely disabled children and help remove some of their material poverty and to provide an appliance: standing frame or wheelchair. It's extremely tough work looking after a disabled child and even more so in rural SW Uganda.

This Help in the Home scheme was made possible by extra fundraising from Emily Henry in Larne, Northern Ireland, who visited the Project in 2008 and was moved talk to her church about what she had seen. She went on to make a CD of her poems selling 150 in total. Emily came out to Uganda whilst Becky was there in July 2009 to look at setting up this scheme with Evas and Jones the medical specialists on the Project team.

This year we were able to help 10 severely disabled children with a range of disabilities including cerebal palsy and spina bifida. We hope next year to help more. We continue to help 5,000 children with disability through core project activities such as surgical camps and clinics for brain damaged children. But with extra funds we could do more for the children with severe problems living in extreme poverty. A jerrican costs £3, fuel to get out to the family costs £5, a mattress £15, a wheelchair £150.

Trust news

The Trustees met up for a weekend in October to learn from Becky’s 5months with the Project earlier this year and to do some ‘strategic planning’.

There is certainly a lot to do, plenty to tell you all about, and some wonderful opportunities. We were very grateful to St Chad's House for donating board and lodging for the weekend.

Back from Uganda and now on video ... online!

2009-08-27T13:21:00.004Z

Hello Chilli Supporters

A quick note to say I'm safely back from Uganda after 5.5 months! With tonnes of video footage ready to be made into a film to be shown in a church near you soon I hope. We're just finalising the dates of the UK tour for this Sept and Oct - if you're not on our list and would like me to pop by to see even just a few of your friends who have supported Chilli Children, then please get in touch and book me in, email chilli.children@gmail.com ASAP!

I'm starting a tour this weekend of the UK - heading to Lesmahagow in Scotland, Larne and Belfast in Northern Ireland, Stockport, Cheltenham, Leek in Staffordshire, Stoke Gifford near Bristol, West End and Bisley in Surrey, Kensworth in Bedfordshire and Cambridge. If you would like me to visit your church/work place/pub, I can travel over in my campervan to see you and have a chat!

Before the release of our film, there's an interview of me taken by Doodacky.tv - a new website for local videos - their Director, Dave (a big fan of Chilli Children), interviewed me yesterday down in Devon.

The interview is here at this link:
http://www.doodacky.tv/doodacky?task=viewvideo&video_id=604

Happy viewing, more to come, watch this space...

Thanks!
Becky

Time flies!

2009-07-15T15:20:00.004Z

Time has really flown by for me in Rukungiri and I'm now in my last week of 5.5 months working self-funded with the Project. There's been little time to rest and less time to blog! We went from chilli buying month (May) into a month of surveying disabled children (June/July) and are finally mostly around the office (see photo) in order to catch up on finances, education matters for disabled children, visitors from UK/Ireland and communication back to UK.

Before I leave I really wanted to give an update to any supporters who read this?!! I think there are at least a few of you! There is so much I'd like to write especially about the amazing way that your donations are making a difference to the lives of these really vulnerable children, how much the team here appreciate what you are doing and how tough life still is for so many. But I don't have time to give a full account. However, when I get back I am going to delay getting a job a bit longer... (?!!) ... (God provides somehow)... and I'm going to do a tour of the UK and Ireland to visit YOU! Yes I'd like to give you a full account in person of the amazing work this project is doing supported by this Trust. I'd like to come to your church, sit in your front room or hang out at your local gathering place so I can show you photos, film footage and make you really know the truth of what life is like on the ground here in Uganda.

Please to 'book' me in email Susie, our Supporters' Co-ordinator on chilli.children@googlemail.com I'm blocking out September for this but maybe able to squeeze into some other times later. I'm happy to talk to you at any level of formality from a chat with a few people (over tea I hope!) to anything up to full scale presentation with bits of film to an audience of hundreds. Up to you.

Before I go let me just tell you one of the many beautiful moments that have happened recently. Today we were in chapel at the Diocesean offices (close to where I live) - this project is under the wing of the Diocese although financially independent (and the diocese people have treated me like family - they're lovely) - anyway. In chapel this morning it was much slimmer crowd than usual about 7 compared to the usual 30, however it did include the Bishop and the Diocesan Secretary (No.2). And then walked in Nicholas one of our oldest 'children' really now a man, he has cerebal palsy with speech and movement difficulties. We were reflecting on Matthew 21 v 42 "The stone that the builders rejected, has become the cornerstone". Since there were really few people in the chapel Nicholas piped up and said:

'That's me. I could not walk until I was 10 years old. My father said I wouldn't be able to walk and I would amount to nothing but I knew I could. Now I've just finished a diploma in Counselling from Kabale University. I am the only one in my family to go to university.'

Not only is this an amazing story and the work of the Project really shines through, especially Pat Gilmer's belief in this boy, but more than that is the fact that Nicholas' testimony was heard by the Bishop and the DS who have now offered to help him to find a job! I was nearly speechless (another miracle!) but just turned to him and said that I found his faith utterly humbling.

So please continue to think of us and the many many children who have great potential ability despite their disabilities. Please help us to realise that. I can assure you that your donations are well spent. And I just wish you could come and see it for yourself: the children, the dedicated Project team (who are all great dancers too!) and the beautiful green hills of Rukungiri.

God bless you,
Becky
(pictured with Nicholas above)

10am Friday at the Project Office - and all is busy!

2009-05-08T09:07:00.005Z

Today is one of those amazing days at the NKD Growers' Orphans' and Disabled Children's Project office where everything seems to be happening at the same time!

David is talking to the mother of Simon Peter (left), a blind boy, who we have recently found sponsorship for schooling for the next term at least. She is really relieved and happy! Generous is typing up the budget for buying food and supplies for the deaf children at Nyakibale Lower Primary School boarding unit and also has a pile of coming budgets from Evas to type up: May camp, End of May requisition, etc.

Nelson, Zaire and Warren are just gathering the tarpaulins, weighing scales and cash float to go out to two buying centres: Kyamyanga and Rusheshe. This is the 9th day of chilli buying for the 1st of 2 seasons of 2009. Yesterday in Katulika they managed their biggest buy of all centres getting in over 140kgs! This is a centre in Warren's area where he has been able to really set up a lot of new farmers buy supplying seedlings. We really hope that the farmers bring in many kilos not only so that they can they have a good return to spend on school fees, bee hives, hoes, school books, etc. but also so that we can get the money we need to cover more of the costs of running the scheme.

Worrying news from ESCO in April was that the global chilli market is now feeling the pinch of the economic downturn. We were happy that they kept the price up at 6,000shillings (£2) per kilo and we just hope that this stays up for season 2 in September. The farmer gets 4,500 (£1.50) per kilo with the 50p used by the Project to cover costs of diesel and repairs for the chilli collecting truck and as many other costs as possible.

Photo on right is of boy in Rwanyanja, northern Rukungiri, where we went on Tuesday and bought 75kgs. From up on the hill there you can look out and see the Rift Valley, Lake Edward, QEII national park with elephants, lions, hippos and beyond the flat are the striking Rwenzori mountains (literally Mountains of the Moon). It's amazing! But the business of this photo is this orphaned boy who's grown this kilo of chilli which will help him with buying exercise books, pens and uniform for school.

Also at the Project office today Evas has about 40 children with parent/guardian for a Life Learning Skills clinic. All children have a different form of brain damage arising from deformities that they were born with or acquired since birth e.g. from cerebal malaria.

Then there is Jones who met with some of 10 parents of children with spine deformities who he took up to Kampala last week. He ended up staying up there for over a week because the US surgeons, who we took the opportunity of seeing, were able to pay for x-rays and tests for many children. Jones ran around Kampala to the various testing centres getting these tests done and picking up the results. The final word from the surgeons is that they'll be able to operate on 6 of our children in July/August. This is a real blessing but our struggle has been to find the money for transport and accommodation of these children in Kampala. Thanks to recent donations this has been possible but we'll really need another boost for this in July/August!

Following relaying the news of operations to these 'spine' parents, Jones has set down to his usual Friday task of removing and replacing plaster casts. Usually for children with clubfoot but also today there was Edgar who I remember from the February Orthopaedic surgical camp. His mother also remembered me and gave me a big hug. She was pleased that Edgar was now having his final plaster removed following his repair to a mal-united fracture on his left femur. However she is concerned that his leg is still stiff at the knee. "Please pray for him, every day" she asked to me. So I'm just passing this on to you! Jones will be showing her some physio exercises that little Edgar can do to help this so we pray that he does this and that it works!

Last but not least is me! I'm now fully connected up within Generous' office on a desk - with internet! (albeit on a slow connection). But this is certainly enough for me to be able to write to all of you even if I can't upload photos. I have a bit of a cold today but thought I would struggle into the office anyway and I'm very glad I have! Even Generous has bought me two avocados which will be yummy for lunch.

So whatever you are busy doing today, just think of us here in Rukungiri busy too! We are blessed that funds are here to be this busy and for that we pass back our love and thanks to you!

Signing off, Becky Thorn, Trust Co-ordinator
(at the end of month 3 of 5.5 of my self-funded visit to get to the grassroots of what the project is, does and needs)

Team photo: (top row l to r) Zaire, David, Warren, Generous, Evas, Nelson, (bottom) Becky, Jones.

2009-04-28T12:03:00.001Z

Latest up-date from Becky, after a phone call with Sue (Trustee) this morning.
The Project staff are all keeping extremely busy. Jones has taken a group of children up to Kampala, who have spinal problems. A medical team from Mission Direct are currently in Rukungiri and one of the doctors was able to assess a group of children with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, which was fantasic. The school term just ended and 4 children from the Mengo school in Kampala for physically disabled, as well as the children at the secondary school for the deaf were collected and brought back home for the school holidays - Just to give an idea of the cost of petrol, this ‘school run’ up to Kampala and back cost £140! Warren, Nelson and David are visiting 14 centres over the next 4 days collecting chillies.
So, it’s all go! Let’s keep up the good work this end too.

Easter blog

2009-04-12T21:29:00.000Z

Another message from Sue Woods
There’s a lot happening both in Uganda and in the U.K., so here is an Easter addition -
The Trustees met up on the 21st March at Susie Bishop’s house in Bristol, and agreed to send out almost all the funds in the Chilli Children account, which came to a record sum for the next quarter. Unfortunately the worsening exchange rate and high prices in Uganda meant that despite this it looked as if the surgical camps in April and May would have to be cancelled. This was quite a blow. However, the good news is that we have since received two large donations from two churches specifically earmarked for surgical camps, so it’s all systems go again!
We will have to work extra hard however to replenish our general funds, so any donations will be especially welcome.
Do take a look at our photo library as we now have some photos of the February camp sent by Becky.

Phone call to Becky

2009-03-09T20:59:00.001Z

It was good to talk with Becky again today. Sorry, I better tell you who I am, forgot to do this last time! I’m Sue Woods, one of the 2 new trustees. Hi everyone!
Becky sounded quite excited on the phone today because she was at the Project office and in the process of, hopefully, getting them set up with internet access!
Whilst I was speaking a newborn baby arrived on the scene with a tumour, so there was a lot going on in the background.
Becky spoke of the huge price rises in Uganda, particularly the price of petrol which affects the Project a lot. (Prices have risen by 25%). This along with an unfavourable exchange rate is not good news, and Becky was eager to hear how the fund raising was going.
She had also been to visit the deaf unit. Five of the children are ready to move up to senior school, and the Project Staff are looking into the possibility of their going to a Vocational Training School at Mbarara. Of course this will be another expense, but I believe truly worthwhile if these children are to make their way in the world.
That’s all for now…

Latest News From Becky

2009-02-27T21:57:00.002Z

I talked to Becky on the phone this evening, and wished her a ‘Happy Birthday’ (I hadn’t realized it was her birthday and it was a happy coincidence rather than a plan that I’d phoned her today!)
She was very cheerful, and full of praise and enthusiasm for all that is going on at Kisiizi Hospital this week at the surgical camp.
58 children arrived at Kisiizi at the beginning of the week, 30 to have operations, and the other 28 for assessments. So, for the first 4 days there were 58 children to be cared for! When the surgeon arrived the team swung into action, and were very organised, despite the seeming chaos caused by the large numbers. Nelson had his spread sheets out. Louis, the matron, was organising beds, Jones was sorting out X rays.
Four children were operated on on Monday, six on Tuesday, nine on Wednesday and a further ten on Thursday. Becky described the surgeon as a ‘real star.’ The children had talipes (club foot), osteomyelitis, shortened limbs and badly healed fractures. Becky says, ‘These little ones are holding up though and bearing with the pain and heavy plasters on their legs now very well.’
One little boy, named Saddam, particularly moved her. Jones recognised at once, and it was later confirmed by the doctor, that he has Muscular Dystrophy.
I am sure that Becky will write more fully of her experiences, but for now our thoughts and prayers are for all the children at kisiizi, and for little Saddam and his family in particular, at a very difficult time for them.

Trust Co-ordinator begins 5 month visit in Uganda

2009-02-25T18:40:00.004Z

Greetings Chilli Blog Readers! Agandi from Uganda!

As you may have read in the recent Chilli Newsletter (available on our website www.chillichildren.org.uk), I have been planning to visit the Children's Project in Uganda. I can now report that I have arrived safely and I find the team here well and busy!

This visit should be a big boost to the Chilli Children Trust in terms of gaining knowledge on the Project's work and needs but also in terms of strengthening the bond between the Project and the Trust and ultimately narrowing the gap between the child who receives and the supporter who gives such that the child gives back their story and the supporter receives back warmth!

"For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness."

2 Corinthians 8 v 13-14

I'm so happy to leave behind the enormous worry that seems to sit over the UK like a big black cloud. Particularly at the moment with the financial crisis. It would not have surprised me to see people carrying placards reading: 'The End Is Nigh'. We seem in the UK to be beaten down by failure rather than just accepting it as part of life. The weather has also been a big burden this winter. So I hope in return for your great support (in all manner of ways) of the Chilli Children Trust I can bring back to you some of the joys and warmth of South West Uganda.

There are many things that go wrong here daily: electricity, x-ray machines (2 in the region are down today!), children losing school funding. Somehow people don't 'seem' to be so beaten down by this but perhaps they are just so used to these things. Maybe part of the British culture not to accept a bad situation means things get fixed quickly - but certainly not without a lot of noise! I think there is a lot our cultures can teach each other and I only wish you were here with me to see, hear and smell this amazing place. If you are even considering visiting then please be in touch. My Uganda phone number is: +256 783 101 586 and you can make this a cheap call by investing in an international phonecard e.g. from the Post Office. Also feel free to call if you are having a fundraising event or just want to hear the news direct! Just remember Uganda is GMT + 3 hrs. I look forward to hearing from you.

So you maybe wondering about the logistics of how I'm managing to do 5 months? I was lucky to be offered voluntary redundancy from my management consultancy job so am able to fund myself. My trip is eased and more comfortable because I am staying in the home of Pat Gilmer (former Project Manager) who has finally been able to set a date for her return following successful knee operations: it's October 2009! So I'm in Rukungiri and have a shower, a flush toilet, a sofa and a little kitchen with a gas stove. Electricity seems to be better now and stays on most of the time but I seem to have arrived on a bad week!

My visit so far:
Sun 8 Feb - arrived Kampala
Tue 10 - visited Patrick at Namirembe
Sat 14 - travelled down to Rukungiri (photo above)
Sun 15 - Project team had welcoming meal for me (left)
Mon 16 - Life Skills clinic at the Project office
Tue 17 - Assessing the recent Project income from UK/Ireland
Wed 18 - Clinic in Kihiihi (far western town close to Congo border) for giving out chairs to children who don't yet have strong backs for a range of reasons: hydrocephalus, quadroplaegia,
Thu 19 - Money arrives and is divided up for the Surgical Camp and for the next month's wages and expenditure.
Fri 20 - Sat 28 Feb - 1st Orthopaedic Surgical camp - more on this in the next post.

And as I sign off I just feel that I'm on the 'other side'. It's taken me about 15 minutes just to upload the photos on to this blog and this is the fastest internet I've had since I arrived! I'm glad I can still connect with you so please keep sending news. Today I've heard of the first Vanishing Tea Party being set off in North Waltham in aid of Chilli Children Trust - thanks to Lois and friends there. The idea is that they have a tea party for donations and then each guest has a tea party and invites the same number of people less one and so on until the last person has a tea party for one friend. In the end the number of donations that can be collected is staggering! So thanks to North Waltham for this idea and for anyone else who is inspired please see this little video clip which could be played to your guests! http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&v=1laeAoJ0xzU

If you want any advice on fundraising or to pass on your fundraising stories then please email Susie via chilli.children@googlemail.com

Thanks and watch this space for regular news from Uganda!
Byee
Becky

December news from the Children's Project in SW Uganda

2008-12-23T11:56:00.005Z

I spoke to Evas the Project manager and she relayed the latest news to pass on to all of you. The Children's Project has been much busier this December than usual and the team are all working up to 23rd December.

Warren, Zaire, David and Nelson have been out collecting in the chilli harvest grown by the families in the scheme for the 2nd harvest of 2008. After droughts earlier in the year, prospects were not looking good but so far this harvest they have already sent 23 sacks to the exporter in Kampala, another 30 sacks are in the Project store and there are still approximately another 8 sacks to collect from Zaire's area - Rubabo.

So we're looking at about 61 sacks from 2nd harvest, with approx 46 sacks collected in 1st harvest the yearly total so far is about 107 sacks = 3745kgs which makes this year not one of the worst - more like an average year. This is a great relief!

What has saved the harvest this year? The Project's Chilli Extention Officers have been working really hard to increase the uptake with radio broadcasts, making more seedlings available and building the relationship with ESCO, the exporter. Well done lads! ESCO in turn have shown their faith in the farmers by increasing the price per kg. With basic costs like school fees, food and fuel rising this increase is much needed. More photos of chilli growing here.

On the medical side of the Project, Evas and Jones have travelled together for their clinics - Jones: club foot and Evas: life learning skills (occupational therapy). They've travelled over to Kanungu to the east of Rukungiri boardering the unsettled Congo district of North Kivu.

The mobility of the project team to all go out there and find the children, talk to the families, bring in the harvest, this outreach makes the project's work unique.
If they did not do this and just waited for the children to come to them, they would only help a small fraction of the thousands of children who they are able to help now.

Please pray for the team's safety as they travel around their region on mostly unmade roads with a frightening war going on just kilometres away in Congo. Our thoughts are with them all this Christmas.

Evas wanted me to pass on to you and all our supporters, thanks from her and all the Project team (Warren, David, Zaire, Jones, Nelson, Generous) for the great support you have shown for their work this year and also hopes for a wonderful Christmas for you!

Read all about it!

2008-12-22T15:18:00.002Z

Trustees have created the latest Chilli newsletter (No.4) to keep you informed about what your donations are doing.

View the newsletter now from the Chilli Children Trust website: www.chillichildren.org.uk

Inside Chilli No.4:

Stories of children who've been helped including heart patients, Sam and Darius.
An interview with Pat, former Project manager, with some wise insights into the real needs of the people in SW Uganda
Photos from 2008
and more....

Please share this good news with your friends and family. Email them the link, tell them what you think.

Email us on chilli.children@gmail.com to ask for printed copies - ask for 1, 10, 50, whatever you need. Distribute with a 'hopeful' donation form or even standing order form for those who aren't shy of commitment! Get these on request by same email.

Sit back, relax and enjoy! With a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine, why not?!

Autumn news - a little delayed - arriving in Africa time...

2008-12-20T16:57:00.007Z

August: I visited Pat in Scotland recovering from her 1st of 2 knee ops. We battled with accounts software, thought and prayed for the Project and the Trust. Pat agreed to do an interview that I conceived could really bring to you, our 'fan base', some of the deeper thoughts and learnings that Pat has after having been Project Manager for 14 years. An extract of the interview has been delicately squeezed into the latest newsletter (more on that soon) and the full interview will be available on the website in the new year. But for now here's a taster of Pat's wisdom:

"Because of the AIDs and the Amin period, there were holes appearing in the [extended family] net. Parents were dying, both parents were dying, and the child was being left to go back to grandma and the village. Our need then is to push that net together."

September: Following some visits to Rukungiri over the summer by an organisation called 'Mission Direct', two of their volunteers who visited our Children's Project were moved to become Chilli Trustees. Yes, after over a year of hoping for more trustees two came at once and just in time for a great Trustee meeting in October. Welcome Sue Woods from Leek in Staffordshire as Big Grants and Needs Co-ordinator and Susie Bishop from Stoke Gifford near Bristol as Supporters Co-ordinator. Both bring with them supporters from their churches who have already given generously, welcome to all of you. This is greatly appreciated and a real support to Sue and Susie as they begin their work as Trustees. (Photo of Trustee Team: (l-r) Graham, Susie, Rachel, Sue, Becky, Ian at Becky's flat in Hackney)

October: A previous source of funding for some of the expenses for the surgical camps revealed itself to be much less than usual. The October orthopaedic surgical camp was nearly cancelled even thought there were 30 children from the April survey in Kisoro region who were badly in need of surgery. The new Trustees were thrown into the deep end as we tried to think if we could help out. Having looked at our donations this year we did see that although we had had some lean months we could just hope that winter would be better for donations. So we took the risk to fund the extra expenses for the surgical camps on a one-off basis and the camp was able to go ahead. The children all showed up and all operations went well. It just goes to show that no funding is certain and every new help the Project is able to give is another blessing.

November: Following the October Trustees meeting we sent out the next block of donations (gathered since August) to cover November, December and the Big January spend for the Project. But come November, we saw just how badly the pound had dropped against the Ugandan shilling making our block of donations much less than we had hoped. Patrick and Evas must now work out how to stretch those shillings even further. Economic downturn - misses no-one.

Thank you for all who have donated and fundraised over Autumn. Especially whilst there was little info coming back from us. We've all been busy - more about this in the next post!

New member of the Project team born this week!

2008-08-11T17:39:00.003Z

I'm pleased to announce that Evas, the children's project manager, gave birth to a baby girl on Monday 4th August. Simon and Evas have named her Faith, mother and baby are both doing well. Evas was still working up to the day before she gave birth but I'm hoping she is resting at least this week!

The rest of the project is doing well except, a phone call this morning told me funds are short. Donations in the UK have slowed in recent months so we are hoping we can send some emergency funds to sort out the short term but in the medium and longer term we are all needing Faith!

News from Pat Gilmer is that she's had her knee operation and is recovering at home in Auchlochan. I'm going up to visit her this weekend to learn more from her about the Project - we'll be recreating our own Rukungiri in Lanarkshire's Tinto hills!

Any questions you've been burning to ask Pat Gilmer: MBE, children's project founder, manager of 10 years and all round expert in children, disability, care, chilli growing etc, then please email me on chilli.children@googlemail.com I'll attempt to ask her and put the answers up on this blog in September.

Summer lovin' to all our supporters!
Becky

New Photos from February visit to Kisoro

2008-07-06T15:57:00.003Z

We've just got some photos through from Anne Kent who was recently visiting Rukungiri. She was able to also visit the Chilli Children's project and send us in some photos - thanks Anne!

See the photos at this website: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/chilli.children/February2008FromAnneKentSVisit

The photos include a couple from the project team's big survey of the year in Kisoro. It's been great to get out to Kisoro for the first time since 2001 to see how the children are who we already knew about but more importantly to find children who we didn't know who need help.

Many of these children require surgery and the project have booked them into the project's surgical camps. Photos of the March surgical camp coming soon.

Fundraising news: Thanks to Windsor Scouts who raised £200 and to North Waltham church for a fundraising cream team event, to mention just two. We're somehow even more grateful for donations during summer than at other times because it's always a slower time for donations. We still live on the knife edge not knowing if we'll have enough to send out at the next quarter. But we appreciate people are busy over the summer time having a well deserved rest! That's why we'd like to continue to ask for more regular donors who can give us stability during leaner months.

Every little bit really does add up to make a big difference. Just look at some of the photos and you'll see what I mean.

New Website

2008-06-22T18:06:00.002Z

Yes finally we have a proper website! It's www.chillichildren.org.uk

From there you can download the Chilli newsletters including the most recent Spring 2008 newsletter with lots of colour photos, children's stories and project updates. There's also the annual report from 2006/07.

We hope this new website will become the first stop for people new to Chilli Children Trust with a summary of what we do and how to contact us.

This blog will continue to run as the more fluid part of our now expanding 'online presence' (see we even know the jargon). The blog will become more about news and the links on the left hand panel will migrate across to the main website.

Many, many thanks to the Holland family for setting up, hosting and maintaining the website for us. Despite their many movements between London, Exeter and the US!

This website will help us explain who we are to more people and hopefully get more people donating and keeping in touch.

So thanks for reading the blog - keep reading - but also bookmark our new website and pass it on!

Coming soon: More news about the project - including some great new photos we've just been sent from Uganda (via Singapore!) from the Orthopaedic Surgical Camp in March.

Until then, keep well and enjoy the summer days.

Chilli Children Trust Treasurer Makes A Run For It

2008-04-03T20:29:00.003Z

Can you believe it? Our very own Graham Carr, Treasurer extordinaire, is running the London Marathon in 10 days time in aid of our Chilli Children Trust. At age 60, you might think Graham could just stick to doing the more sensible things in life like his treasurer work of writing back in person with thanks for each Chilli Children Trust donation, but no Graham is anything but sensible!

Do you know how far the London Marathon is? It's 26.2 miles! That's miles, not metres nor even laps. I'm half his age and I can barely run to the end of street! If you think Graham is as much of a nutter as I do then please show your support by sponsoring him through his justgiving webpage: http://www.justgiving.com/grahamcarrchillitrust

Alternatively, you can send a donation direct to the Chilli Trust by cheque, bank transfer or pay it into a Barclays - for details email Marathon Man at chilli.children@googlemail.com

He might be a nutter, but at least he's our nutter.

Thanks Graham - you're a legend!

Chilli Children update from a phone call on to Rukungiri 16th March 2008

2008-03-22T11:00:00.004Z

Project surgical trip to Kampala

Evas and Warren drove up to Kampala on Tues 11 March with an ambulance full of children and attendants (usually a family member of the child) for consultations, visiting children in hospital and surgery for some. But even after the 6 hour drive back to Rukungiri last Sunday, Evas still had energy enough to stay up until midnight to pass on all the stories and news. So here’s what she told me.

Dianah Akantoorana (17 years old) has suffered all her life from difficulty breathing through her nose. This has really scared her at times and has got worse as she’s got older because the bones in her nose were starting to collapse in on themselves. In February she was brought up to Kampala by the Project to see a consultant who said surgery was possible, but at a cost of £300 (operation, ward costs, xray, consultation). Thanks to recent money sent by the Chilli Children’s Trust they were able to bring her to Kampala again for the operation which she had last weekend. Evas said Dianah was very brave on the run up to the operation, relieved to know that there was a way to make her better.

These Ear/Nose/Throat (ENT) ops are expensive compared to other operations, particularly when you consider all the money which needs to be spent on top of the operation cost to make it happen. Extra costs include: petrol, drugs, food for the patient and attendant, bus fares - £3 each. Why bus fares? After the Project team return to Rukungiri, the patient and attendant need to get back to Rukungiri and even £3 bus fare is not an amount the child’s family can afford. This is the main reason why poor people in remote villages don’t get help: they can’t afford to get there. It’s another reason why this Children’s Project is so special, they go out into the communities and they find the children who need help. Evas and I added up Dianah’s nose surgery to be a total cost of £400.

Also seen in Kampala last weekend was Herbert Niwamanya (aged 3) who has been diagnosed with severe torticolis after a CT scan (£45). This means Herbert has seven vertebrae in his neck which are squeezing together because of over-tight muscles causing his head to tilt to one side. The consultant was amazed that Herbert has not been paralysed by this already. Evas took him to get a special collar fitted for now until he can be operated on in July when surgeons from the US are visiting who can perform the difficult operation that little Herbert needs.

Precious Asimwe (Senior 4) from Kabale was also taken to Mulago hospital to have spinal surgery on Tuesday 18th. His lower limbs are paralysed so we will see what they can do for him.

Heart cases
Patience Ampeire who was up in Kampala in my last post, has definitely made it on to the short list for going to India for heart surgery. Please pray that the Cardiac Institute can find a donor to cover the £8,000 required. Unfortunately this amount of fundraising is beyond the current abilities of the Chilli Children Trust.

There is new hope for heart cases though, in the form of Hope Ward at International Hospital Kampala (IHK). Pioneering heart surgeries have been performed there recently – see this article in the New Vision newspaper: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/616576 . The cost of a surgery here is in the region of £3,000 per case plus all the advantages of surgery in the child’s home country. Please pray that Evas and her contacts can find a way for our children to be treated here. Especially at the moment please pray that we can make contact with the team at IHK and can explain our needs for the children.

Mbale trip
The fuel crisis was mostly over by the end of January but it wasn’t a day too soon because the Rukungiri Children’s Project had to be back on the road taking children up country to Mbale for hydrocephalus surgery. They also had many children organised to attend the February surgical camp. Some sad news is that Edgar who previously had surgery for hydrocephalus died last fortnight.

February Orthopaedic Surgical Camp
The February surgical camp at Kisiizi hospital was a success and all 30 children showed up for surgery plus more showed up for consultation with the visiting surgeons. Thanks to all involved for helping the camp go ahead, including the matron of the rehabilitation unit who is still there looking after the few children finishing recovery.

Dr Sheck Matsiko to visit soon
Dr Matsiko is a Rukungiri born doctor who is currently working at hospitals in the UK. He’ll be visiting the Children’s Project soon with two physiotherapy students. This will be a great support for Evas’ occupational therapy work in the Life-Learning Skills clinics which she runs out in rural communities in the Rukungiri region.

Kisoro survey
The Project’s next road trip is to Kisoro starting on 6^th April. Kisoro is the district in the most south-westerly tip of Uganda, surrounded by mostly dormant volcanoes and met on the south-side by Rwanda and on its west-side by DR Congo. It’s a really beautiful region and although only 60 kms from Rukungiri, as the crested crane flies, it’s several hours over very rocky and winding roads. The team are excited to get out there to see the progress of children they registered a few years ago and also to find new children who are in need of medical assistance. For the ones who need surgery, the Project team will be allocating them a place at one of the next 3 orthopaedic surgical camps at Kisiizi: May, August or November.

Plastic surgery camps
We are happy to say a wonderful thank you to Dr Andrew Shutt who has been in residence at Kisiizi hospital and is returning to the UK in May. Andrew has been performing plastic surgery on children with cleft lips every Wednesday since last August. This has been a great help to the Children’s Project who have sent children they’ve found to this weekly surgery instead of needing to organise them in a camp. What happens next for plastic surgery: will we have one big plastic surgery camp in 2008? Will it be at Kisiizi where we can have the usual rehabilitation ward and get ‘economies of scale’? Or will it be in Kampala where it’s more expensive for rehabilitation but there is certainly better access to surgeons and other medical facilities? Watch this space.

Chilli farming
Many of the children helped by the project are orphans who are taken in by a family. The project enables the family to increase their income to cover the cost of the extra child(ren) by giving them the means and the market to grow chilli on their own land. The Project buys the chilli at each of the biannual harvests from all the farmers in the programme. The chilli is taken up to Kampala to sell to an exporter. Despite this being a big part of the project, I don’t ever seem to write much about it – sorry to all the chilli fans out there! The news I do have is that the Chilli team have high hopes for this year’s harvest because there have been lots more nursery seedlings grown and passed on to help farmers get a head start with their growing. Also recently there has been more rain, a blessing after the droughts of 2007.

Donations
Thanks from Project workers for all the continued donations. Special thanks to Helen Robinson’s family and friends who gave generously to the Chilli Children Trust in lieu of wedding presents. Congratulations to Helen & David on their marriage on 8^th March and thank you – wabare munonga!

As a Trust, our current need is for more regular donors to give us some sustainability – my heart is in my throat every time we check the bank balance! If we could find 30 people in April to start giving £2 or £5 per month then that would really help. Could that be you? Little amounts do add together to make big differences. To make a regular donation you need to set up a standing order with your bank to our account. Email us chilli.children@googlemail.com to get the donation and standing order forms.

Nearly over – you certainly deserve a nice cup of tea and a biscuit after all that news!
Just a last word to say thanks to everyone for keeping up to date via the blog – I’d love to know your opinions. If you want to leave a comment on any of the blog posts then please do or email me. The big news in the Chilli Trust is that our SPRING 2008 NEWSLETTER IS DONE!! It’s taken a while – hence the blog silence between Jan and now! If you’re on the email list you should have got it already and if you’re on the postal list you’ll get it in the next fortnight. If you haven’t got it, get in touch – maybe we don’t have your correct address.

Ok time for me to dash to the shops for some Easter eggs – yum yum. Thanks for listening.

Becky

January Update - Sat 12th Jan - Becky chats to Evas

2008-01-13T13:13:00.000Z

Today I spoke to Evas, the Children’s Project manager, who was happy because she had just got back from a lunch party, for the Project workers and their partners, which was held at Pat’s house in her absence. The Project workers (Nelson, Warren, Zaire, Generous, Jones, David and Evas) all enjoyed the chance to get together and celebrate the work they are able to do for the children. Evas said that there is so much they want to do to help the children who they see. When money comes through from the Chilli Trust, from many people who have not seen these children or even have never been to Rukungiri, she says “… then tears are coming, if you can imagine what this means to us. We are thanking God for His mighty hand on us all.”

The big news in Uganda at the moment is the fuel crisis caused by the unrest in Kenya following the Presidential elections. Without trains, Uganda’s entire transport system is reliant on petrol and diesel coming through from Kenya. Over the last fortnight they’ve seen petrol prices rocket to 10,000 UgSh, that’s £3, per litre for petrol! All three petrol stations in Rukungiri closed when they ran out completely. The project was due to take children with hydrocephalus for an operation in Mbale in eastern Uganda – a 9 hour journey each way – but this was delayed due to the lack of fuel. Fortunately at the end of last week, fuel got through and prices returned to a normal. We hope that the situation will remain stable and the children will travel to Mbale within the next fortnight.

Good news is that one of the three children with severe heart problems, Patience Ampeire, has been short-listed for funding for an operation in India. Patience has a large TDA (thoracodorsal artery?) and she cannot be operated on in Uganda. Patience, 2 years old, and her mother are up in Kampala now sorting out the paperwork so please pray that this goes through okay this week.

Coming up in February, the new school year starts on Monday 4^th February. So Warren will be busy transporting four children (Alex, Bruce, Phionah and Vincent) back to Mengo, the physically handicapped school in Kampala. David sorts out the food and materials for the children coming back to boarding at the Deaf school. Also, all the Project workers will be putting their superb teamworking in action at the start of the year’s first surgical camp at Kisiizi hospital. Thirty pre-selected children arrive and are registered on Friday 8^th February, lab tests and surgeon’s assessments happen over the weekend before the surgery starts on Monday. Please think of the Project team as they gather things like firewood and medicines and prepare for this camp.

Thanks to some extra donations at the end of 2007, we are able to send on Monday some extra money from the Chilli Trust to fund this camp. The whole camp costs are about £1200 which includes the fortnight of surgery (medical supplies, surgery fees, accommodation and food for surgeons and staff) and up to 3 months rehabilitation for the 30 children (food, medical supplies, cook, matron, petrol).

From these extra donations we’re also able to send money for an urgent ‘Ear/Nose/Throat’ (ENT) operation which needs to be carried out in Kampala. Totalling up all the costs of surgery fees, transport and accommodation, it costs about £100 per child which is quite expensive compared to the ‘economies of scale’ gained at the surgical camps. The child needing an ENT ops is Constance Tukamuhabwa, aged 15, who has a polyp growing in her nose. Martha Kobuabe from Kanungu received an ENT op on 12^th November thanks to a donation ‘on the spot’ from Mission Direct visitors – thanks guys! Martha had an successful operation to reduce her enlarged tonsils which caused difficulty breathing. Evas told me that “she is doing very well now”.

Next ‘Chilli’ newsletter is being written at the moment with lots of colour photos, more news and ways that you can help. To request a copy by post or email please email us on chilli.children@googlemail.com . It should be out sometime in February. (Crikey! I better get writing!)

Thanks for all your support in 2007 – let’s hope 2008 we can increase donations and help even more children!

December Update from the Children’s Project

2007-12-09T19:38:00.000Z

Update from Evas, Children’s Project Manager, Sunday 9^th December2007

Becky Thorn, Trust Co-ordinator

I had a lot of problems trying to call Evas today and yesterday. They were due to the poor connection from the International calling cards I bought (Cobra and Talkdirect) and also because of network problems in Uganda on Sundays. Apparently, the MNT network in Uganda has offered customers low call rates on Sundays which overloads the network so they cut off your call after a few minutes! If anyone knows of a reliable way to call from the UK end then please let me know!

The news I was able to get was as follows:

End of term for Christmas

Children in the Deaf Unit, and in most schools, finished their school term on Friday 7^th December and went home for Christmas.

November Surgical Camp

Starting on Monday 26^th November, this year’s last Orthopaedic Surgical Camp was a great success and 30 children were operated on. As I mentioned in the October update, there was also an assessment of children for next year’s camps. 55 children were assessed. The Children’s Project is hoping to have surgical camps in February, May and August next year and hopefully more if funds allow. Evas is already thinking about allocating each child an operation date for 2008.

Ebola outbreak in Western Uganda

This weekend surgery of 3 children has been delayed after 2 surgeons from Children’s Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Unit (CORU), who were touring Uganda, cancelled their visit to Rukungiri due to fears of the spread of Ebola virus. This deadly virus has claimed the lives of 25 people in Bundibugyo, according to the latest news reports. Bundibugyo (bun . di . budg . io) is a district 150km north of Rukungiri and is also on the boarder with DR Congo from where the virus is thought to have come. See more on this at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7119662.stm Our thoughts are with all those in the South West who are fearing the spread of the disease.

Winter Trustee meeting - brrrr

2007-11-11T12:50:00.000Z

Yesterday, we had our Winter meeting for the Trustees of the Chilli Children Trust. We were really delighted to welcome our newest Trustee: Rachel who is joining the current Trustees: Graham, Ian and me (Becky). See a photo of the Trustee team by clicking on the link labelled 'Chilli Trust Photos' on down the lefthand panel of this webpage.

We looked at donations that have come in since March and it's notable that people really responded to our last newsletter in Spring. Thanks for those! Since then the fundraising events that are keeping us afloat include: donation box collections in Cheltenham, sponsored channel relay swim, coffee morning in Biddestow and German feasting event in Bisley & West End, to mention just a few. Many thanks for all the work put in to fundraising events. Also thanks to the regular donors who give us a little stability and to those random one-off donations that make picking up the post a great surprise!

Latest news from the Children's Project is in the 'post' below this one.

The next 'Chilli' newsletter is starting to be written now and should be ready for February. (Sorry that we can't do them more often - all the work done by the Trust in the UK is by the 4 Trustees in their spare time - so please bear with us!) To get a copy of the newsletter, email us at chilli.children@googlemail.com to make sure your current address is on our mailing list. Please specify whether you'd like it by post or by email.

Please note that I've moved house so 20 Lang St is no longer the address for correspondance. Please post donations/correspondance to Graham (Treasurer) - address on Spring 07 newsletter.

Best wishes to all on this windy day!
Becky

October 07 News from Children’s Project

2007-10-15T21:00:00.000Z

October 07 News from Children’s Project
Notes from Becky’s phone call to Evas the Project Manager on 14th Oct 07

Cardiac children
Hydro cases
Surgical camps
Clefts
Chilli programme
Mission Direct
Wages
Price increases
Floods

1. Cardiac children
An American cardiologist is coming soon to do operations on children with the particular heart conditions that he can treat. From Evas’ assessments she has identified one case who will go on Tues 24th Oct with Jones by public bus and 5 more on 31st Oct in the Ambulance. The Project won’t have to pay for the operations but will need to fund the echocardiograms (ECGs) 100,000 UgSh (£30 each). These children are from very poor families who can barely afford to get to Rukungiri so the Project will also need to fund transport to Mulago Hospital in Kampala where the operations will take place. The children go to Katelemwa Cheshire Home for recovery after an operation in Kampala (for a small fee of £1 per child, and per attendant, per night) Putting all these costs together (ECGs + transport + rehabilitation) the cost per child is about £90 – paid for by the Project from UK/Ireland donations.
The Project had 11 heart cases registered, however two children died earlier this year. Some of them need an operation which can’t be performed in Uganda but can in India. A big fundraising effort would be needed to get the children who need this op to India.

2. Hydro cases
This month has seen another group of children with hydrocephalus get life-giving treatment in Mbale hundreds of miles from Rukungiri on the far east side of Uganda. It costs 70,000 UgSh (£21) to make the journey, a sum that the parents would not be able to muster. Before the hydro operation the children were assessed in Mbarara (about 60miles) on 3rd October by the surgeons who’d travelled over from Mbale. The last assessment of the year in Mbarara will be on 5th December when they’ll assess hydro and spina bifida cases.

3. Surgical camps
The next surgical camp starts on Monday 26th November at Kisiizi. It is an orthopaedic camp largely for the children who were surveyed in the Kabale region at the end of August. Cases from Rukungiri region have also been identified either from Evas’ visits to the rural communities for Life Learning Skills clinics or Jones’ rural visits or simply from people who just turn up at the office!
Often people hear that there is a children’s project who might be able to help their disabled child so they journey to Rukungiri – sometimes for more than a day – and when they find the office they’ll be lucky if someone can see them and are not out in the field.
At the next surgical camp the project will use the opportunity of the surgeon to assess many of the children from the recent survey. They have 90 children who all need assessing. If they’re lucky (and the surgeon is happy) they’ll try to get through all 90 on the Sunday before the surgical camp starts. The osteo and clubfoot children are easy to assess but the congenital cases are harder and take more time. Children needing surgery will be allocated a slot at a camp next year.
Nelson is in Kisiizi from Friday to get the camp organisation sorted. Almost all members of the team are at the camp to help from registering children to getting the firewood for the ward where the children will stay with an attendant. The camp will perform surgery on about 25 children over 4 days. The organisation of the camp is almost an operation in itself!

4. Clefts
A new programme at Kisiizi to perform cleft lip operations every Wednesday begun in July by Dr Schott, a Ugandan surgeon, and is going well. He manages a few cases every week and this is greatly reducing the burden to get these done during Dr Andrew Hodges visits. However Dr Hodges will be in Uganda at the end of October to operate on 10 patients – the majority having cleft palates – including some severe cleft lip patients. These children will also rehabilitate at Katelemwa.
Evas is also taking this opportunity for Dr Hodges to assess some of the other plastic surgery cases and photograph them for proper assessment by Dr Vik, another doctor from London who visits Uganda to operate every 3 years.

5. Chilli
The second chilli harvest of the year is in progress with Warren, Nelson, Zaire and David all out in the field busy. They were really pleased to get the colour photocopies of photos I sent them which were taken by Rev Ian Elliot of Penrith on his visit in July. More of these photos to come in the next newsletter. The photos are a real boost also for the farmers too who are asking for more copies!! Photos of the team were also sent and they’d all like a copy each for their home.

6. Mission Direct
Mission Direct organise trips for families to Rukungiri throughout the summer to help out at a school building project. They get involved in all activities, even bricklaying, and stay at Alice’s guest house. Whilst in Rukungiri the groups visit the Children’s Project including: a Life Learning Skills clinic, Club foot clinic, Deaf School and Chilli gathering (with gloves on!).
The visitors have made some extra donations which have paid for:
8 New bunkbeds (made by local carpenter), 10 mattresses and 50 mosquito nets at the deaf school
40 special chairs for children who need spinal support
Motorbike repairs for the Project workers who drive out to the rural communities
I’m going to Mission Direct Debrief day 20th October so will hopefully get some more photos and drum up some more support.

7. Wages
Because of an increase in donations to the Chilli Trust this year, we’ve been able to recommend a wage increase for the Project workers (their first in several years). This is a boost with increased prices all round in Uganda including school fees for secondary (not free), petrol and food. The team all sent great thanks for this help and Evas said, “they are all determined to press on and press on and press on” with the work of the Project in all its sections.

8. Price Increases
Although there are increased donations coming from UK/Ireland via the Chilli Trust there are also price increases in several areas. Guest house fees at Kisiizi Hospital (where the staff stay during the surgical camps) have gone up by 30% this year but Evas is trying to get a discount because their work is really an extension of that of the hospital – albeit a mobile one.
Food prices and fuel prices also continue to rise.

9. Floods
Many people have seen in the news the flooding in Uganda. Fortunately it hasn’t been as bad in the west of Uganda as in the east so Rukungiri has largely escaped the worst. However there has been a lot of rain and this is making the potholes on rural roads even worse than usual! Not good for getting out to a rural chilli farmer and back in a day!

Pronunciations
Rukungiri = Rook . un. jeer. ee
Mulago = Mu . lar . go
Katelemwa = Kat . e . lem . mwa
Mbale = Mbar . ley
Mbarara = Mba . ra. ra
Kabale = Ka . bar . ley
Kisiizi = Chi . see . zee (or Ki . see . zee in some dialects)

2007-08-28T13:06:00.001Z

Join the trustees and friends of ‘Chilli Children of Rukungiri (Uganda) Trust’ support ‘The North Kigezi Diocese Growers Orphaned and Disabled Children Project’.

The project helps 5,000 orphaned or disabled children through; teaching families chilli growing; providing surgical camps and occupational therapy; a Club foot programme; and paying orphans’ upkeep at the Deaf school.

We are raising money to send in December for the purchase of crucial supplies, eg
£5 will pay for an eye operation for a child with cataracts,
£50 for petrol will take 8 children with parents for pre-surgery assessment in the capital city and
£500 will provide food for 1 month for 59 children at the region’s only Deaf Boarding School

What to bring: Picnic food/drinks, your own plate/cutlery etc, a rug, games like Frisbee or football.

Other ways you can help: We are collecting children’s shoes, new and 2nd hand, to send to children being treated for club foot. Any you can bring are invaluable!

Can’t come but would like to donate? Please email chilli.children@googlemail.com

Wet weather plan:
Meet at Becky’s house for an indoor picnic.

Hope to see you there!

Welcome! Agandi!

2007-03-04T20:33:00.000Z

Welcome to our site or Agandi as they say in Rukungiri!

The Chilli Children of Rukungiri (Uganda) Trust is a very small, registered UK charity (no. 1106601) which was set up to help orphaned and disabled children in rural Uganda. The Trust does this through it's support of the Rukungiri Orphans and Disabled Children's Project in S.W. Uganda.

The Children’s Project helps 3,000 orphans and 2,000 disabled children in the rural areas around Rukungiri. They help orphaned children through the chilli growing programme which gives families a means of income to pay for school fees, uniforms, medicines, etc.

The Project helps disabled children through four programmes: Surgical Camps, the Club Foot programme, the Life Learning Skills Clinics for brain damaged children and the Deaf School.

As well as these programmes the staff at the Project help sick or disabled children in other ways as far as money will allow. Other help includes: epilepsy drugs, preliminary examinations, providing handbikes, wheelchairs, etc.

Contact the Trustees - Graham, Becky and Ian - by email: chilli.children@googlemail.com

We can send you:

our first newsletter (from Summer 2006)
a donation form
our second newsletter - coming soon (hopefully by Easter 2007)
fundraising tools e.g. photos, more info about the Project, a bunch of newsletters and donation forms ( you could also borrow the video of the Project and our BIG banner!)