Farewells and Hellos…
Saying Goodbye…
Towards the end of 2023, we said goodbye to two long standing Project staff - Evas Nahabwe (Project Manager) and Mwesigwe John Zaire (Chilli Field Extension Officer). Evas moved to Canada with her family and we wish them well.
Additionally, Jones, our Project Physio Assistant, is soon retiring and currently doing a handover with Flavia.
We appreciate their commitment and hard work over many, many years, and wish them the best in all their future endeavours.
Welcome to…
Ainembabazi Grace - Project Manager
“My name is Grace Ainembabazi the newly appointed Project Manager for Chilli Children Rukungiri- Uganda. I am 37 years old and I have served with vulnerable children in my previous duties for 12 years.
I am very passionate about serving the vulnerable because I believe it touches God's heart. I love Chilli Children. It's such a great opportunity for ministry and its potential of growth to minister to many with visible impact is evident.
All we need to do is to rely on God because He who called us is faithful, He will do it .1 Thessalonians 5:24”
Nakalanzi Flavia - Physiotherapist
“I am Nakalanzi Flavia and I am 27 years old. I am a dedicated and self motivated physiotherapist with expertise in assessing and treating children with disabilities, implementing tailored exercise programs, teaching life skills and providing parents and caregivers education about their children’s conditions. The Chilli Children Project has a strong and dedicated team which is hospitable and God fearing. I pray that my skills and strong passion for helping children with disabilities achieve optimal health and mobility will bring a big contribution to the Project’s mission.”
2023 in Review
Over 50 children had surgery/treatment from CORSU Hospital and 27 received services from Kisizi Hospital.
Over 300kgs chillies bought from farmers, and 137 farmers/families receiving income through chilli growing
Over 30 children received treatment for club foot and hundreds attended learning life skills clinics
Kitazigurukwa Special Needs Unit received new cooking stoves and a chimney in the kitchen!
We ran a number of Outreach/Field Clinics across south western Uganda
Can you help us make our work in 2024 even more impactful?
We've included a second newsletter for you to give one to a family member, friend or colleague
We would love for more people to hear about our work!
Kitazigurukwa Special Needs Unit update
It’s been a while since we updated you about Kitazigurukwa SNU!
We currently have 31 students and 7 full time members of staff working at Kitazigurukwa Unit. This year, the children have started learning more practical skills such as making doormats. We hope to expand this skilling over the coming months - we will keep you updated! . We hope and expect that these skills will better equip the children for life after school.
We would like to specially acknowledge and thank Hazel’s Footprints Trust for awarding us a grant to pay the salaries of teachers Sarah, Princess and David for 2024.
A busy 2024 already…
2023 closed with the annual diocesan staff retreat, hosted by Bishop Onesimus Asiimwe and Mama Florence. In December, the staff went to Lake Bunyonyi, Kabale, for a day and had a wonderful time. Here are Project staff Jones, Carol, Nelson and Zaire pictured with the Bishop at Lake Bunyonyi.
The start of 2024 has been very busy so far! As well as welcoming Grace and Flavia to the staff team,
February consisted of the first of two chilli harvests this year. Martin and Victor travelled across Rukungiri and Kanungu districts and collected over 170kgs of chillies. This elderly lady, Elivaida (pictured) had grown 14.5kgs! Quite a feat, and some very well deserved income for her.
In March, the staff travelled to Kisoro, which is a district in SW Uganda that neighbours the DRC, and is about a 5 hour drive from Rukungiri. We last did a ‘survey’ in this district in 2021. A survey is where we register and assess new children, and review children who have previously had treatment/surgery under the Project. We spent a week travelling around the district, meeting people who are informed about our visit through radio announcements. We meet the groups in churches, health centres, hospitals, and other communal areas. We registered 92 new children. This time, the team decided to bless all beneficiaires who turned up with a drink and snack. These were much appreciated by all.
We are so thankful for our Project ambulance, which was purchased thanks to the huge efforts (over a number of years) of the Chilli Runners and Walkers fundraising activities. During fieldwork, there are always many obstacles to overcome which require a strong vehicle and a competent driver (thank you, Martin!). Here is just one of the many challenges encountered on the rural roads of Kisoro district. The road had collapsed, so the team had the option of crossing a rickety wooden ‘bridge’ or a footpath! After some careful planning, Martin and the team crossed safely. We always thank God for safe travels, as journeys are never to be taken for granted!
The chilli buyer has encouraged the growers to start growing a slightly different variety of chilli which has more value and demand on the global market. The Project has been provided with seedlings of this new variety, and it is now up to Victor and Martin to get these distributed to existing and new farmers. A big task! They have made nursery beds at the Project office, and even a demonstration bed to show new beneficiaries who come to the office almost on a daily basis. We are hopeful that this new chilli variety will benefit the growers even more in the years to come.
We are so happy to see Nelly’s progress, and are forever in awe of CORSU Hosp\\\ital for the miracles they perform! Nelly has recently returned from CORSU where she got a new prosthesis fitted. We love that Nelly has a lovely beaming smile in both ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures.
Did you know that we take groups of children and their caregivers to Mbarara every two months for neurological assessment and review? The first Wednesday of February was another successful trip. Did you know it costs only £8 for each child to go to Mbarara (two hours away), be reviewed, and come home? Not a bad use of the cost of a coffee and cake!
Power in Uganda is off and on. In fact, it’s often off more than on! This unpredictability can severely impact the ability of the staff to work. Finally, the Project has bought a generator which will enable the staff to be productive regardless of whether electricity is on or off!
Do you have a little bit of spare time? Or a skill in administration or fundraising? Do you want to invest in the future of the Chilli Children Project?
We are looking for a couple of new trustees to join our small but dedicated volunteer team. We meet online, for a couple of hours, every 6 weeks, and give some time here and there to support the work of the Trust.
Please email trustees@chillichildren.com for some more information, or to arrange an informal chat to discuss this more.
