New partner in Uganda needs a Teacher and a Development worker!

A new partner organisation in Uganda is looking for two volunteers - one for the position as a Teacher and one as a Development worker.

For more details, read the description below from the project site manager. If you or anyone else is interested in the positions, please email me at: tiija@volunteereast.org.uk

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RUFG is a Registered, non profit, Community Based Organization established by a group of men and women farmers in 2006 in Bukibokolo Sub County, Bududa District. They are focused on promoting and empowering rural communities to improve their lives in the rural community. RUFG-is non-Profit Community Based Organization (CBO) with its Registration Status Number BDD /059

In the Eastern Uganda Bududa District, Bukibokolo people have been faced with a huge orphan problem due to a widespread HIV/AIDS epidemic, Malaria, Land slidehttp://www.independent.co.ug/index.php/cover-story/cover-story/82-cover-story/2605-bududa , and Poverty. In addition, malnutrition is a big problem. Hundreds of children are now without parents, and they’re roaming the streets with no access to food, Basic necessities or education. Naturally, before we could even think about getting these children an education, we needed to take a step back in hopes of solving a variety of problems and supporting the community for the long haul. Therefore, RUFG has teamed up with local community to come up with the solution of helping to provide for the needs of these children.
Randa United Farmers Group centres on a number of areas in the field of Rural and Community Development including:

• Community Education Services
• Needle/Vulnerable/Orphans
• Health and Sanitation
• Biodiversity Conservation
• Sustainable Organic Farming

RUFG works with different categories of people ranging from orphans, widows, HIV/AIDS Positive patients, youths, women and all those in disadvantaged positions/conditions within the community.
In the recent past, RUFG has implemented a number of Community Development projects, carrying out several activities including;

• Establishment of a Community Library
• Orphanage School
• Establishment of Community Nursery Beds
• Environmental Education Programme
• Community Tree Planting Programme
This is therefore we are looking two Volunteers, one to work as Teacher and other to work as Development Officer, the development Officer/Fundraising Officer, will carry out the following duties
• To research, prepare proposals and follow up on new sources of project funding working in close coordination with the relevant RUFG staff;
• To foster existing and future donor relations by making sure that grantors are acknowledged and kept regularly informed of RUFG’ work and managing deadlines relating to the submission of applications and reporting obligations;
• To actively pursue non-project sources of funding (such as individual supporters, major donors, sporting and other events and through greater use of internet fundraising techniques);
• To organize periodic events aimed at generating support for the organization.
They have to be willing to stay in the village setting life, Accommodation is RUFG’s responsibility.

Thanks Mukhobeh Moses Khaukha Uganda

New volunteering placement in Nepal!

Volunteer East has a new partner in Nepal - a school that has educated Tibetan refugees over the years and currently educated locals and refugees as a private school, yet without the high fees that most private schools ask for in Nepal.

Brother Chhewang, one of the school leaders, tells us a little more about the school: 'Vajrayana school was founded in 1991 by the brothers Chhewang and Tshering sherpa and registered as a charity in 2000. The school focuses on English, Tibetan and Nepali language training and has recently introduced computer tutorials. It serves the Tibetan and Nepali communities living in Boudha. The school is well established and has very good reputation in the local area.

Historically, most of the school's student were refugees from Tibet who would seek assistance from the many Buddhist monasteries and Tibetan citizen situated in Boudha. meanwhile the political situation in China/ Tibet has changed and not many Tibetans can leave
their country. If they do, they now tend to go straight to Dharamsala, India, where His Holiness Dali Lama lives.

State schooling in Nepal is of doubtable quality, hence, the market for private education and tuition in this country is huge and fees are expensive. Vajrayana school focuses on offering education opportunities to those student who can't afford to pay mainstream prices for education from private sector.
Many students of vajrayana school's students have had little exposure to formal schooling. The school's students include Tibetan refugees and Himalayan Sherpas from throughout Nepal, Tibet and India. They are Buddhist monks and nuns, women, children and so on...

Students learn 'real' English from native speakers who conduct formal classes. Students learning from native speakers easily improve their pronunciation and conversation skills. Teachers are recruited mainly from United kingdom,United state, Australia or Denmark.'

So... Volunteer East is now looking for teachers for the school! If you, or anyone you know, is interested, please get in touch a tiija@volunteereast.org.uk

More information on the school can be found here: http://www.vajrayanaschool.org.np

Weekly stall for selling products from placement sites

Volunteer East is starting up a weekly stall at the University of London in order to raise funds for project sites by selling their local products. Such products include: bags and bead jewelry from Uganda; mandala paintings and small purses from Nepal; and scarves from India.

The stall will be at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) every Wednesday 11am-5pm, starting tomorrow. It will be in the Students' Union, Junior Common Room.

If you are around SOAS, or anywhere close by, come by!

All money goes directly to the placement sites without any admin fees.

Our priority is to raise funds for the Uganda site since they have had a malaria epidemic recently. They need money for medicine and for transporting those affected to the hospital. So far,6 children and 4 teachers have been hospitalised.

News from the placement sites

There has been exciting improvements in our placement sites where locals are starting to build their own social enterprises and to generate a sustainable income through such activities. Below you can read more on the improvement in our Uganda and India sites.

In Uganda, the locals have developed an innovative hammock project:

http://www.bunabumali.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=16:stitch-uganda-together&Itemid=2

In South India, they are running a community radio:

http://www.kolam.ch/leed-en/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=36&Itemid=65

Fever Malaria in Uganda - donations needed for helping those affected

A couple of teachers who teach the orphans in Uganda have gotten ill with a severe form of malaria. They are in the local hospital receiving treatment at the moment. Six of the children that attend the school at the project site have also been diagnosed with malaria. They have also been admitted to hospital. It is not clear as of yet who else in the project site has contracted the illness.

The project site is in great need of donations! They need money for medicine and for transporting the sick to the hospital. Please donate on the following site: http://www.bunabumali.org/

Every pound would really be of great help!!

Specific needs in placement sites

Autumn has come and brought new dilemmas to each of our partnership sites abroad. Please read through the specific requirements for each place and let us know if you can help:

1. Nepal: Summer months are the busiest time for volunteering and so the orphanage in Kathmandu Valley was flooded with people over the summer. Now that autumn and winter are coming, the staff over there are worried about the workload that is likely to face them when there are no extra pairs of hands around. If you or anyone you know is interested in going over to volunteer even for a short time, do get in touch!

2. India: The placement site in India is also in need of volunteers. They would, in particular, need people with expertise on development, economics and business, as they would need people to go over and help them with making their project more self-sustained.

3. Uganda: The placement site in Uganda has received many volunteers but is now in need of finances. They have been hit badly by weather changes and illnesses, which means that they crops and the regular work force are not bringing in as much money as hoped. One very good way to help them is by sponsoring a child. See their site for more details: http://www.bunabumali.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=27:sponsor-a-child&Itemid=45

Handicrafts from Uganda placement site

Our placement site in Uganda is trying to generate funds through selling their own handicrafts. They have made some beautiful bracelets and necklaces. Here is the link so you can see photos:

http://bunambale.blogspot.com/

We are bringing some of them to London and will be selling them on our weekly stall. If anyone is interested in buying some, do get in touch!