A new place for volunteers to stay in Buyaya is on the way.
The existing guest house has suffered some structural damage after the cumulative effects of torrential rain and poor initial construction.
The new location is very close to the existing compound.
Pictures will be made when available.
12 Aug 2012
Q Drums Arrived in Buyaya
Q Drums have arrived in Buyaya.
Thanks to the support of an anonymous donor, two Q Drums have arrived in Buyaya, Uganda.
What are Q Drums?
A Q Drum is a device designed to ease the physical burden and reduce the time spent collecting water; thus ultimately improving the lives and well-being of the people in Buyaya.
See below for more pictures of the Q Drum in action
West Middleton 3rd-grade Helps School for Andy
The third-graders at West Middleton held a market from April 10-13 to raise money for School for Andy - a solar powered school built by Meaningful Volunteer in Uganda. Among the items they sold were bookmarks, painted fans and jewelry. They raised a little more than $1,700.
All three third-grade teachers, Sammy Newburg, Diane Boles and Beth Marty, along with student teacher Nikki Clinger collaborated on the project.
“We didn’t know what to expect,’’ said Newburg, who did her student teaching at West Middleton and is in her third year there. “We thought we’d be lucky to end up with $100 or $200. We blew that out of the water on the first day.’’
The project tied in nicely with the district’s new social studies curriculum, which included a unit on the economy, Newburg said. The students looked at different kinds of markets, products, producers, consumers and profit. They advertised by posting signs throughout the school and reading ads on the morning announcements. They also handled the cash registers.
Other classes signed up in advance or came in during free times.
“It’s been a very busy week,’’ Newburg said. “A pretty big portion of the school stopped in.’’
The third-graders didn’t just benefit in social studies. The market project also provided language arts and math lessons.
“We thought it would be important for our students to have a first-hand look at how an economy works,’’ Newburg said. “It’s been a great experience for everyone.”
The students made the products just before spring break. They also priced the products. Tables were stocked with items throughout the week, although by Friday afternoon many of the tables were bare.
“Now it’s everything must go,’’ Newburg said.
All of the profits will go to the School for Andy, a solar-powered school in Buyaya, Uganda. The school was built as a memorial to Andy Manley, who died in a Sun Prairie house explosion in 2010. Manley was in Newburg’s teaching cohort at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“It feels great to do something for him,’’ Newburg said.
Newburg also thinks there is real value in students from the West Middleton community reaching out to those in need.
“It’s good for our students to learn what it really means to help others,’’ she said.
Newburg, Boles and Marty hope to make the market project a tradition.
More photos of the event below
Source: http://www.mcpasd.k12.wi.us/news/west-middleton-market-offers-lots-lessons
Help MV's very own Meran Rogers as she helps fight Diabetes
Meaningful Volunteer's volunteer coordinator - the very awesome Meran Rogers - is undertaking the Swim for Diabetes in Cleveland to help combat this horrible disease.
You can help support her by following this link.
In Meran's own words:
Hello All!
Many of you know that every year I participate in the Diabetes Partnership of Cleveland's Swim for Diabetes event. This year will be no different! This cause is especially close to my heart since my mom has diabetes and this has greatly impacted her life - and so also greatly impacts my life too. If you or someone you know has diabetes, know that I understand and care!
Pool together for a good cause! I am writing to ask you to support my participation in my Swim for Diabetes on April 21, 2012, which will benefit the Diabetes Partnership of Cleveland. I hope you will support me in this important endeavor. Please visit my Web page if you would like to donate online or see how close I am to reaching my personal goal of $300. I plan to swim 1oo laps in about 60 minutes.
For more information about the Diabetes Partnership of Cleveland and the services it provides, please visit http://www.diabetespartnership.org/
Diabetes Partnership of Cleveland's annual SWIM FOR DIABETES draws people together from all over Northeast Ohio in a healthy activity for an important cause. Diabetes Partnership of Cleveland (formerly Diabetes Association of Greater Cleveland) is a local and independent nonprofit organization providing life-long programs and services to children, adolescents, adults and seniors with type 1 and type 2 diabetes in Greater Cleveland.
Thanks in advance for your support!
Well done Mimi!
Q Drums Coming to Buyaya
Q Drums are coming to Buyaya, the small rural parish that Meaningful Volunteer serves in Eastern Uganda.
What is a Q Drum?
The Q Drum is a durable, donut-shaped plastic container which when full holds 50 litres of water. Its uniqueness lies in the design of the longitudinal shaft or central hole, through which a rope is tied, to pull or roll the drum along all terrain types.
Due to the linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) it is made from, the drum is also practically indestructible and has no removable handles or other metal attachments that could detract from the Q Drum's intended purpose if lost or broken.
The rope can be repaired on the spot or easily, if lost, be replaced by a leather thong, woven plant substance or any other appropriate material. The simplicity of the design ensures the ease of use.
Two of the drums are due to arrive in Buyaya in the not-too-distant-future! Pictures coming soon
Rain Fed Water System Complete
The rain fed water system in Buyaya has been completed!
A big thanks to everyone at Brodhead Middle School and their Penny War that made this project a success.
This water system will provide valuable drinking water for students at the school during the dry season.
The rain fed water system is the latest addition to the School for Andy - a solar powered school in Eastern Uganda that was built as a memorial to Andy Manley who died tragically in a house explosion.
School for Andy Penny War a Success
Brodhead Middle School held a Penny War the week of January 9-13 in hopes of raising the funds needed to supply School for Andy with a rain-fed water system.
School for Andy is a solar-powered school in Uganda that was built as a memorial to Andy Manley, a 2002 Brodhead High School graduate who died in a 2010 house explosion.
$850.00 was needed in order to supply the system that would collect water from the roof, funnel it into guttering, and then into a large storage tank, ultimately providing the school with much needed water.
The students and staff at Brodhead Middle School were able to raise more than needed for the system, collecting a total of $944.00. The rain-fed water system will now be able to be installed at School for Andy.
Through collecting change, BMS was able to make a change at School for Andy. Thank you to all who participated and donated to the Penny War. Every penny truly did count!
Yoga Bags on their way to Canada
The Mama Pamba ladies in Uganda have been hard at work developing yoga bags for sale.
Their shipment is almost ready to be sent to Canada, which will serve as a base for distributing the products world wide.
Feel free to contact us if you want to order one. Check out more pictures of the yoga bags here.
If you are in the Toronto area, you might to check out on of our partners: InSite Yoga.
Christmas time in Buyaya
When volunteers leave their placement areas, they are often asked by the locals "Please remember me. Please don't forget me."
The people of Buyaya - a small rural parish in Eastern Uganda - have not been forgotten by volunteers who have been placed there.
Thanks to numerous donations by former volunteers, Meaningful Volunteer ordered a Christmas party for Buyaya. The people from Buyaya were also given donations by several people and organizations who have never even been to Buyaya!
Many presents were handed out and much food consumed. A special thanks to Esther Nabukonde - our awesome district manager in Uganda - who helped organize this event.
Adanac the Cow purchased for the School in Uganda
Thanks to the help of many people a milking cow has been purchased for the solar powered school in Uganda.
The cow was named "Adanac" is recognition of the fundraising efforts of the U14 Coquitlam Adanacs lacrosse team.
Adanac will provide valuable milk and nutrients for students at the school, including the upcoming preschool.
Adanac has her own cow shelter, pictures of which can be found here.