New volunteers just survived our first week in Lugazi! 8 of us arrived last Sunday and were put right to work. Hooray second wave! First wave volunteers have done a marvelous job of getting projects up and running. There are so many projects that we are working on!
I've been helping a lot with the disability choir choir that we're starting up. Its a choir for kids with disabilities or those who have parents with disabilities. While they are practicing for the choir, the adults will be meeting in the next room as a support group with various lessons and classes. Our goal is to help the children develop their talents and feel like they are part of a group. We also want to educate the parents on how to take care of them so they aren't neglected. I'll be in charge of coming up with hygiene, sanitation, health, business, and various other classes for each week. Our first meeting is tomorrow afternoon and we can't wait to see how everything goes!
Last week I also had the opportunity to help with the mushroom house project. We will be building the first one next week. There are seven villages that will have one and they each help each other build them. Once they are all built they are required to give 10% of their profit to Buikwe Village Care which is a group that also helps with self sustaining projects. We met with the village council and the people are so excited to start training and building!
I am now in charge of heading up our business training project. We hold weekly classes for those with local businesses and those who sell in the market to help them be more organized and potentially increase their profit. Hopefully we can continue having more people come to the trainings by word of mouth that way we can help as many business owners as possible! This project will make a huge difference in many lives.
Last week the team was able to finish two of the adobe stoves that they had been working on. We're trying to leave them with lots and lots of training so that they can maintain these stoves and build new ones when needed.
Peter from the HELP board of directors has been staying with us the past few days. He has so much helpful advice and insight its been great to spend time with him as a group and one on one.
I can't wait to continue working on these projects over the next few months! I'm grateful for the group of volunteers that are here and for all of their hard work and dedication to this opportunity that we have to help others.
Welaba!!

Chelsea