On 21st April I learned that I had been selected to be one of ten people people chosen to go to Uganda to help street kids have a chance in life. You can read more here on why I applied and here for the full insight into this wonderful cause.
To volunteer for eight days with Retrak will make a fundamental and sustainable difference to the lives of children who, through no fault of their own, are fighting for survival on the streets.
I am enormously grateful for all of the support I have received so far. I've raised £770.00 in direct donations to my Virgin Money Page and £15.00 through text donations
An example of how to donate via text, if you wish to: please type CHRA50 £20 (and send to 70070). I have £3,215.00 to raise to meet my target and 127 days to do it in. The pressure is on! I CAN do it.
Add to this my Wolf Run in September and I'm on to a great start. I will not rest on my laurels though. Pub quizzes, raffles, auctions, boot sales….you name it. It's happening.
Our Connecting HR Africa team is formed by these very fabulous, kind and giving people:
- Alice Cowell
- Helena Hounslow
- Hils Willcox
- Lisa Leighton
- Katrina Collier
- Amy Littlefair
- Kate Griffiths-Lambeth
- Milena Tekaste
- Sophie Tothill
- Ian Pettigrew
The plan
To give you an idea of what we will experience when we all get to Uganda and what you are donating for Ian and Retrak have shared their insight with us:
"Day 1 will be a briefing at the drop-in centre followed by an afternoon of playing sports/crafts/activities with the kids. From then on, we will spend most of the rest of the week divided across 3 Retrak centres:
Drop-in centre which is the most challenging environment as the kids have been fighting for survival on the streets and are wary of trusting anybody. A number of them will be struggling with drug addiction (mostly sniffing fuel). Although they can be challenging, it is a real joy to start to catch a glimpse of them becoming kids again.
Tudabujja is a half-way house, where the kids have been with Retrak for a little while and have been working with their counsellors and social workers. Bulamu is a safe house for girls.
We will be dividing our time mostly between the three centres, and we will be using our time both with the staff and with the children. When we are with the children, it helps if we have a load of sports/craft/dancing activities planned for them.
This will be something we will plan as a group as we will need to take some stuff with us for some of the activities. Things like loom bands are hugely popular and dancing is always a huge success! We will be having full-on days and we will get to eat lunch with the children, too.
HR in the community
Our wonderful inspiration and creator of Connecting HR Africa, Ian Pettigrew, is also hoping that we'll be able to organise a community day for when we're there.
This is a huge event on the edge of the slums where we arrange a football match, HIV testing and medical and dental care, and food for everybody. Retrak run these from time to time to raise awareness and reach children who it is otherwise hard to reach. We'll be part of the day in a number of ways, including serving the food.
There area couple of evenings where we are planning to do something different:
(1) Organise a social evening for us to meet with HR people from local Kampala businesses.
(2) We will have the opportunity to go on a night-time visit with the outreach workers. This will mean leaving the hotel at midnight/1am and travelling to the bus station and the slums. We will really get to see why Retrak do what they do."
So, how can you help? You can be so kind and share my blog, donate via web or text (details above), company sponsorship (which includes me wearing your branding during my trip) which will help me raise awareness and much needed funding for this fabulous cause.
My very awesome community and network on Twitter, along with some of the best restaurateurs, are supporting me and Connecting HR Africa. I am humbled, beyond words. Thank you. Really. A massive, heart-felt, thank you.
The luggage allowance is 2 suitcases so I am hopeful that I can take one suitcase with my stuff and one suitcase with stuff for the kids/activities. In fact, I might just wear all of my clothes and fill the 2 suitcases for the kids.
If you are having a clear out, items for my suitcase will include:
- Clothes (t-shirts, shorts, elasticated waists are good so they will last). Nothing too big or baggy though. Age 5 upwards
- Sanitary pads (not tampons)
- Girls bras and pants are really helpful. Crucially, they must be plain i.e not lacy / sexualised in any way
- Shoes / trainers. Open shoes such as sandals are most preferable as they allow for the children’s feet to grow in them.
- Footballs
- Educational DVDs e.g. national geographic
- Simple story books with a low reading age (for beginners at English) / educational books
- Football kits
- Educational flash cards
- Coloured pens, pencils and paints
- Towels
- Music speakers
- Mini sewing machine (really helpful! As can be used for skills training)
- Play materials like goals
- Sports uniforms (jerseys)
- Knitting threads – wool / cotton etc
- Aprons for cooking demos
- Water guns
- Soccer boots
- World Map
- Children's Plastic Hockey game
- Scrabble board
Things the kids will LOVE:
- Nail varnish
- Skipping ropes
- Loom bands
- Transfer tattoos (they should like my real ones, then!)
- Face paint (white / yellow is best as dark colours don’t who up on dark skin)
- Paper plates to make into masks
- PVA glue and craft materials
- Chalks
- Haribo to use as prizes for games / competitions
- Mini toy cars (the boys all obsess with these!)
- P.E style bollards to use for relay races
- A parachute
- Playdough
- Bubbles
- And any other kids games that can be run in a group!
and if you need a reminder about the great work Retrak do, please watch this.
This epic fundraising effort will not be achieved without the very kind and generous donations from each of you. THANK YOU!
Jo Smith, Jacqui Price, Paula and Daz Reilly, Babeta Schneiderova, Ben Evans and Max, Annette Hill, Karen Wilson, Sue Medlock, Yaser Martini, Janice Keyes, Mark, Mum, Dad and Kyle Hewitson, Mary Millar, Anonymous (I know), Dawn Smedley, Paul Walsh, Ade McIlvar.
I genuinely appreciate you reading this post and if you've got this far, HOORAH. Every penny and item that you are able to donate is heart-felt.
Love to you all
Dx