New Projects for the Bitengye Designers

I've previously written a little about new projects that the Bitengye Designers are considering for the coming year, and one of those is the making of re-usable sanitary napkins. Several times in the past, school girls have told us that having the appropriate supplies for the time of the month they have their periods is often a problem. Disposable pads are expensive, and often beyond the reach of school girls, so often they end up missing school. I have also been told about a couple of Canadian groups making re-usable pads for these girls, and while I'm sure this is done with the best of intentions, how much better if Ugandan women (or women from any African country), who have the necessary sewing skills and supplies, were to make them themselves, and to develop an income-gnerating business from from selling them? While I was in Uganda I was able to show Alice several possible patterns from making pads, and then she showed me a sample she'd come upon herself, and which is photographed here. She and the Bitengye group, who have been looking for in-country ways to make their sewing pay, didn't take long to decide that they would like to begin production as soon as possible. They'll be making up carrying bags (red and black in the photo) which will contain six pads and liners, and a plastic bag for used pads. They will take samples of these around to nearby schools for them to be tested, and all being well, will then begin to supply schools in their areas with these bags. Along with the making of school uniforms and school book bags, these are items which have the potential to boost their in-country sales. Alice and all the Bitengye women, we wish you every success with this new venture!

Dorothy,Lydia and Stella, and Knight - Their Stories

As promised, here are the stories of a few more of the Bitengye Designers. First there's Dorothy, who comes from Rubingo, where Alice's Sewing School and a number of other Bitengye women live. She is our expert beader, and has crafted the expandable bracelets and beaded journal covers you may have seen us selling at various places in the past. And which we'll have for sale at the Christmas Fiesta sales in Courtenay and Campbell River again this year. Dorothy has been a wonderful addition to the group, and took on the teaching of Lydia and Stella (both from Kikagate) how to make the bracelets, once she learned the skill from Joan Darling. Ever patient and with a smiling face, she can be heard sharing stories and laughing with the other beading ladies from the table they worked at in the shade of the veranda.  

Lydia (from Rubingo) and Stella are seen here watching me act out a little drama, with help from Perez and Nightingale, to teach the women the basics of small business. Specifically I was trying to explain to them why the "middle-man" pays less for the goods than he/she charges the customer. Lydia has always been a strong but quiet member of the Rubingo Bitengye group. Her sewing is now expert, and the quality of the products she makes is always high. Stella, from Kikagate, did not have such a happy time sewing, and is now much, much happier making bracelets. In fact she came to the workshop with a bag full of 50 bracelets to show us. She is much more confident, as a result, a lovely thing to see.

Knight is from Rubingo, and is doing "somehow OK" now, although she has had illness to contend with over much of the last year. She was one of three women who needed medical care on arrival at Canada House. Hard to imagine what it must be like to carry on without much-needed medication, because you don't have enough to pay for it. Knight's daughter and grand-daughter also paid a visit to us at the workshop, to thank us for what we'd done for her mother. Knight's sense of humour was as much in evidence as ever this year, in spite of her illness. You might remember the photo we took with her lying on a bed, the first thing she bought for herself with her earnings from her sewing. 

One of the most touching things we saw this year, and heard about, was how much the women in this group support one another. They keep in touch by phone, and those that live in the same area, visit each other and often work together. Our impression is that this will continue long after we're gone, such a good thing.

The Kikagate Care Clinic

Yesterday was a marvelous day - visiting Recheal's Clinic for the first time since it was completed. Trudy and I were just blown away by how far this dream has come from its beginning not so very long ago. Recheal was there in her uniform when we arrived, as was Elly Nakunda, who will be keeping in touch with Recheal after we leave and who has supported this project from the beginning. His home in Kabyenda is where the hospital is, that Recheal will be referring her patients to when necessary, and whose staff have committed to liaising with the Kikagate Clinic as needed. Rose, an HIV/AIDS counsellor that I first met back in 2007, is acting as "matron".

There's a wonderfully bright, new latrine out the back of the Clinic, with its own hand washing facility on the right. We brought with us the solar power that will be installed so that Recheal can have lighting, especially necessary when patients come to see her at night, and while she currently gets water for the Clinic from a nearby tap stand, she has obtained an estimate for a rain water collection system, which will be the next priority after she has finished registering the Clinic with the government. The registration itself is almost completed, with only a few items to be added before full approval can be given, things like hand washing facilities in each room, gumboots to wear when washing down the floors, a rubbish collection area, and signage to go out front of the Clinic. 

The Pharmacy may look pretty sparsely stocked from a Canadian point of view, but contains most of the supplies Recheal needs for the ailments she will be dealing with. Missing were an adequate supply of first aid supplies and a cooker and saucepan (possible once the solar is installed) for sterilizing equipment. The Lab too is operational, with testing for HIV and malaria done by pin prick blood sample, and other basic lab tests being available too.

Record books have been set up for each department - antenatal, counseling, lab work, and out patient. Recheal will be reporting her stats to the Ministry each month. She's also drawn up a budget for the next 6 months, and has most categories covered. Capital costs will be impossible for her to cover to begin with, but we have every confidence that this Clinic will grow over time, and that from its very earliest beginnings, it will earn enough through lab tests and medication charges to recoup its basic costs and replenish its supplies.

And if that weren't enough, there on the front porch there is a suggestion box. Recheal has thought of absolutely everything, and we are so incredibly proud of her and so thankful that we were allowed to come along side her and help her realize this amazing dream. Recheal is HIV positive herself, but has in no way let that stop her. She wanted more than anything to care for the people in her community, as well as her own family of 5 children and the 3 orphans she's taken in and given a home to, and she's doing that. Just incredible!

In case any of you would like to contribute to the Kikagate Care Clinic, you can still do so by contacting me directly. Unfortunately we're no longer able to issue tax receipts, as oversight by ACTS  is coming to an end, but I can promise you that any donation will go directly to offset this project. And to all of you who have already contributed in so many ways, this is your success too. Thank you from Recheal and thank you from me.  

Alice's Sewing School

So here we are at Alice's Sewing School - which consists of a large classroom, a shop, an office, Alice's bedroom, a store room, and 3 dormitory rooms for boarders. It was 2009 when Alice first told me of her dream for a new school. I had been admiring the "Alice bags" she made, and told her that if she would keep making the bags, I would keep selling them in Canada, with all the proceeds going to her school. Before I left Uganda that year, she had sent 92 bags to me by boda-boda. And they kept coming, and they kept selling. One enterprising young woman sold nearly $1000 worth of bags at her school two years running. A number of you - you know who you are - in Fredericton, Winnipeg, Kelowna, and other communities, sold them. Many of you bought them when I was teaching at your

 Guilds. And others of you gave straight donations. And this is the result. Unbelievable!

But more than the building itself is what goes on in the school. Here is this year's class photographed with Alice - twelve students, mostly 18 or 19, all of whom are just finishing up her one year training program. Four of the students were sponsored by Quilt Guilds in the lower mainland of BC, and on this visit we transported the sewing machines up to Rubingo, which will be presented to them on graduation. Thanks to Debbie Burwash and friends from Saskatchewan, we also had the great honor of presenting Alice with funds for 5 more sponsored students, all of whom will start in January, all of whom will receive a sewing machine upon graduation. Most of these girls only finished P7 in school

(no secondary school), but with this training, they are able to earn an income. The four who were sponsored were all orphans, who would have been destitute without this training. And each of these 12 will probably end up supporting another 10-12 people, as well as contributing to their communities. So quite an impact from this investment in the lives of these young women. No wonder they're looking so happy!

And in case you've forgotten where we started, here's Alice's old school, where students sat on the ground outside under the covered area, stitching their samples from heavy paper which came from cement bags. Alice hopes to increase her enrollment up to 20 students, with up to 9 boarders (3 are boarders right now), and I have no doubt she will accomplish this, and that her school will be known all around as best place to go to learn to sew.

Lydia, Kamidah and Justina - Their Stories

When this project first began, I told you some of the women's stories, and with their permission I am going to give you an update on each over the next few posts. First up is Lydia from Kikagate, the oldest member of the Bitengye Designers, and now 60. Quite elderly in a country where the life expectancy of a woman is 54. She had such difficulty learning to use a treadle sewing machine that a couple of years ago we taught her how to make beaded bracelets as an alternative, and now she's a happy camper. She's also delighted to have a new pair of specs - there was only one glass in her old pair when she arrived here from 40 kilometers away, having ridden side-saddle on a boda-boda (a motorcycle) in order to get here. She has four grandchildren that she looks after on a daily basis, ranging in age from 5 to 12. One of her sons was sponsored by friends of the Kitambaa Sewing Project, and now works as a brick-layer, helping to support her and the rest of the family.

Here Kamidah is putting the finishing touches on an apron she's making (this is one of the top selling items the women make). Of her 12 children, only 4 are still at home and dependent on her. You may remember that early on she bought a plot of land with bananas and coffee growing on it in order to provide for her family. Well both were infested by a local bug of some sort, and never one to give up, she is now in the business of replanting the entire plot. She has also put up a small building on the plot, which is now the home of one of her children. Another of her sons was sponsored some years ago, and is now working as a carpenter. A second son is presently attending trade school. Her desire is to learn how to make school uniforms, to supplement her current income.

Justina lives in Rubingo, and was in a house that was almost falling down when we first met her. When she first started earning an income from her sewing, she bought a boda-boda for one of her sons. He earned enough from this to buy a plot of land, together with the proceeds from the sale of the boda. She built herself a new house on this plot, from which she operates a small shop, selling bananas, cakes and sewing, and also used clothing. Her son pictured here with her, was sponsored in brick-laying and given a tool kit to start him off. He has been successful in his work, and has now sponsored one of his brothers to get the same training. Justina has also made loans of some of her earnings, charging interest, which also earned her some of the money to buy the land.