Dear all,

It's been a while since you received the last update from Jinja. Paul and I wrote an update of the achievements this year.

At the same time Paul's team sat together to discuss their priorities for the coming months. He'll update us on their plans and ideas shortly.

I hope you'll enjoy the story below. Thanks to all who have contributed and we hope to see you online in Jinja Central again!

Warm regards,

Paul & Pelle

Computer training

In February, the computers that were sent last year finally reached their destination (after a journey of nearly 5 months). After arrival, the installation and testing of the computers started. It turned out that only 5 mice were working, so only 5 computers could be used for the training. Next to that BEHOD didn’t have a secured training room, so the computers had to be carried in every morning and were brought to a safe place every evening.

Nevertheless, registration for the computer training started in March, with 5 candidate students. On the 25th of May, the computer training centre was officially opened and the training started with 20 students.

Thanks to spare parts that were sent from the Netherlands and with the help of the volunteers that visited BEHOD in August, 14 computers are working now. The number of students has risen to 27 right now, of whom 3 are paying for the course thus generating a small income for BEHOD.

Security measures, such as window bars, are now being installed thanks to donations raised by the visitors.

Volunteers visit Jinja

Through NABUURs partnership with FairGround Sessions, a special volunteer visit was arranged: 5 young Dutch people with a disability and their buddies visited the Beam of Hope for the Disadvantaged. Together with the local members they worked on:
- Sensitization of people with disabilities in Uganda. The exchange of experiences and ideas.
- Renovation of the shower block.
- To improve the computer training facilities by fixing computers and providing training.

On the 17th of August the group of Dutch volunteers arrived in Uganda, on their way to Jinja. On their first day in Uganda, the volunteers were received at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. The following days they have started their volunteer work: painting the toilet & shower block, fixing computers and giving computer training.

On Friday the 22nd of August, the Dutch ambassador in Uganda paid a visit. He promised to stay in touch with the Beam of Hope.

Website
During the first months of 2008 the BEHOD website was filled with stories and pictures. (www.behod.org)

Hairdressing
BEHOD is constantly trying to improve the services they offer. One of the new plans is to start a hairdressers training. In order to start this training BEHOD needs equipment. The the Essent trainees who got involved with the project have managed to arrange 3 hair dryers, 2 electrical hair trimmers and a couple of scissors. They are now being shipped to Jinja, where two teachers are already waiting to start the training.

School started in Kajansi

Apart from the work with neighbours & partners, BEHOD also started a school for vulnerable children in April of 2008. The school is located in Kajansi, about 7 km from Jinja city centre.
Paul wrote: “We started it seven months ago, when parents there decided to neglect their child because she is handicapped. We wanted to see it on its feet first, and then tell you. The third semester has just started. 20 kids attend the school: some are orphans, a few are not but from poor families. They were not in school, so we want to teach them.”

BEHOD is the owner of the school, that currently uses a rented building. Two teachers teach the children the same as they would learn in regular Ugandan schools. Of course the children also learn about PWDs and how to support them. Paul has discussed with the Ministry if they can help him to get the school registered.

Malaria
On the 1st of October, one of BEHODs staff members – Mustafa - died of malaria. This has made us aware again of the fact that many Ugandans still don't have the means to protect themselves from mosquito bites, and when they get ill don't have the money to buy medicine. Through a US contact www.mosquitocurtains.com, two 40 lb boxes with nets are available to be shipped from the US to Uganda, to be divided amongst a number of NABUUR projects.
Recent tries to get the nets shipped for free, haven’t succeeded yet.