We also believe that education is the best way to come together as human beings to promote peace and understanding.

By providing children across the world with schools, scholarships and other educational necessities, we can achieve our goals.

www.bluekitabu.org

Blue Kitabu: Sustainability from Blue Kitabu on Vimeo.

Pastor Henry and the PiFFers get on the same page

So, people keep calling me and asking me about stuff that was discussed in the meetings. I don’t mind it but most of the time, I don’t have the facts on my fingertips. I had this idea that we could use the technology available to us to engage more people in the running of the PiFF. I have several audio recordings of meetings we’ve had over the last few months, the latest being from last Sunday’s meet with Rev. Henry, Pastor Robert, Harriet (can’t remember her title) and Juliet (can’t remember her title either), all of Oasis of Life for Africa Orphanage.

I am of the view that we should put these audio recordings on this here website for other members to download if they so desire. I’m sure there will be lots of voices screaming “Nay” but keep in mind that only a handful of people will download these and they will help people understand the inner workings of the PiFF. Also, seeing as the PiFF is an entirely public entity (there are no secrets, except the “Robin Hood” acts), it is only right that we open it up for as much participation as possible.

I must however caution those of you who will no doubt engage in all sorts of weird acts that human beings are wont, please do not seek to undermine or discourage anyone for putting forth their opinion. It is theirs and they have every right to hold it.

PS: The PiFF takes care of its own, so if you end up on its wrong side, expect a visit from a few feather wielding “shaolin monks” who will mercilessly tickle you to death

PiFF Meeting: 27th June 2010 at the Oasis of Life for Africa orphanage. (Audio File, Wave Format, 34MB)

PiFF Meeting: 27th June 2010 at the Oasis of Life for Africa orphanage (PDF, 60KB)

TED: Ideas Worth Spreading

TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Along with two annual conferences — the TED Conference in Long Beach and Palm Springs each spring, and the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford UK each summer — TED includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site, the Open Translation Project and Open TV Project, the inspiring TEDx program and the annual TED Prize.

The annual conferences in Long Beach/Palm Springs and Oxford bring together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes).

Fast Tube by Casper

Fast Tube by Casper

Fast Tube by Casper

www.ted.com

Africa Rural Connect

Africa Rural Connect (ARC), a program of the National Peace Corps Association, is an online global collaboration network where knowledgeable people work together to communicate and respond to the needs of African farmers. The ARC platform allows you take an active role in building development initiatives that can directly affect the lives of rural farmers.

When you comment on, improve, or endorse an idea on ARC you aren’t just investing in a digital concept– you are helping bring these projects to life. Every time you contribute your opinions, expertise, and experiences to a posted idea you are building valuable connections with like-minded professionals and organizations across the globe.

Last year, thousands of people joined the ARC community– posting and collaborating on hundreds of ideas. Active users benefited from engaging in the ARC community and many watched as on-site discussions turned their ideas into detailed and practical project plans. They made expansive connections and garnered significant investments and some even received free resources, requests to volunteer for their projects, and international exposure, all to support their project.

Now it’s your turn

Africa Rural Connect (ARC) is a resource of innovative and informed information on rural Africa as well as a source of skilled collaborators. This year ARC is launching a new round of contests and we are ready for your ideas!

Make your voice heard on the ARC site by posting your ideas, commenting on others’ ideas and sharing your insights.

You have mail!

The PIFF communicates primarily via Electronic Mail (E-Mail) and in light of this has a mailing list which all members are added to automatically upon signing up.

Active members (members involved in the daily running of the foundation) communicate using this mailing list on a daily basis and the nature of these conversations can be exclusive to these members and considered as SPAM by others. In light of this, we have created separate mailing lists which we hope will address this issue and make the communications easier.

There are currently 7 mailing lists, namel;

• allmembers@piffuganda.org
  This is the list with all registered members of the PIFF Uganda. It should be used only for sending out communiques that are meant for every one.
• members@piffuganda.org
  This list includes all “Active” members of the PIFF Uganda. This is where a lot of the planning takes place; any issue is aired in this forum for discussion including “beach plot”.
• fundraising@piffuganda.org
  I’m sure you’re getting the hang of this now. This list consists of members who form the fundraising committee of the PIFF. Any issue pertaining to fundraising should be communicated to this committee for discussion, analysis and blah blah before it goes out to all members.
• planning@piffuganda.org
  The illustrious planning committee! This committee will analyse any PIFF plans and make recommendations to the members as per “the way forward”.
• projects@piffuganda.org
  The committee (I’m starting to hate this word!) or group of people tasked with overseeing the various projects. Since each project carried out by the PIFF is suggested by a member or members, this committee comprises of the people overseeing the various projects run by the PIFF and the project coordinator who keeps track of it all.
• trustees@piffuganda.org
  The Board of Trustees (see admin structure here) oversees all activities of the foundation
• seniors@piffuganda.org
  The allegedly old and wise of us. Nuff said. Um, whoever wants to be added to this list should send an email to admin@piffuganda.org

Below are a couple of links to articles/tutorials detailing how you can create custom filters for your mail program

• GMail
• Yahoo Mail
• Outlook Express
• Microsoft Outlook

Guests at the PIFF party

The PIFF would like to thank all of you who showed up for the “glamour party”; it was as ballistic as ever. The party was organised first; to spread the idea of paying it forward, and second to fundraise for the Oasis of Life orphanage.

As regards how much was raised from the party, we’ll have to patiently wait for our accountant to crunch the numbers and distribute them. She is currently swamped with a heavy workload from her day job and will take a few days to have the numbers ready for you.

We’ll be visiting the Oasis of Life orphanage on Saturday 22nd May 2010. Below is the proposed programme for the day.

• 11:00am: Meet at 14A George Street Nakasero, Opp. UNICEF, next to former TLC Club
• 11:30am: Depart for the orphanage ( We’ll be hiring a taxi but those of you who would like to drive there are welcome to do so. Transport to the orphanage should cost approximately UGX 3000 per person)
• 12:00pm: Arrive at the orphanage and be subjected to lots of singing and dancing
• 12:30pm: Registration of children (medical history)
• 13:00pm: Snacks/Lunch
• 13:45: The Briefest Speeches on Earth
• 14:00: Handover of items
• 14:00: Interaction with the children and stakeholders
• 16:00: Departure

We hope to see you there.

Mutundwe Church of Uganda Primary School, where the primary pupils attend school.

Despite the inception of Universal Primary and Secondary Education in Uganda, the cost of educating the children at Oasis of Life Orphanage remains unaffordable. School fees are Shs 28,000 per primary child and Shs 90,000 per secondary child. However, this does not include educational materials and other costs like registration for examinations for candidates classes.

The PIFF began an Education Fund through which contributions towards school fees are received. Since January 2010, we have raised UGX 858,000 towards this cause.

Sanitary Towels for the girls

From our first open day at Oasis of Life Orphanage, we identified one of the urgent needs as provision of sanitary towels and some basic guidance to the teenage girls.  The girls had been using small cotton towels which they had to continuously wash and re-use, and they would generally not attend school during their menstruation periods.

During the first ‘Girls Day’, we were able to sit and talk to the girls and gain a better understanding of the challenges they face. We shared some of our own experiences with them as well. Subsequently, we have continued to provide sanitary towels on a monthly basis, from contributions received specifically for this purpose. We have received contributions amounting to Shs 372,000 towards this cause.

Saturday 19 December 2009

PIFF members at the Oasis of Life orphanage

A team from the Pay It Forward Foundation (the PIFF) visited the Orphanage on 15 November 2009 to find out what was ‘on the ground’, meet the Orphanage’s Patron – Henry Nsubuga, and identify where the PIFF can step in to help meet the children’s immediate needs and provide a long-term solution for them.

From this visit, the following were identified as immediate needs:

• Food;
• Medicine and healthcare (particularly for those children not catered for by Mildmay);
• Basic necessities such as clothes, shoes, sanitary towels, soap;
• Meeting the cost of education;
• Settlement of outstanding amenities bills

Recommendations to resolve the short term problems include:

• Providing a sustainable source of income for the Orphanage so that it can maintain itself;
• Alternative skills training, particularly for the older children, e.g. vocational training;
• Improved housing including purchase of the land on which the boys’ house sits;
• Mentoring and life skills education for the children.

It was thus decided that while a plan is formulated to address the long-term needs of the orphanage, we would put our available resources to meeting some of the immediate needs.

An ‘Open Day’ was planned, which would enable more members of the PIFF to visit the Orphanage and meet the children, as well as provide some of the basic supplies to the Orphanage, to ease the burden of the immediate needs. This took place on Saturday 19 December 2009.

The orphanage is supported by members of the local community through the church and well intentioned individuals like you.

The Pay It Forward Foundation Uganda partners with the Oasis of Life orphanage offering support to the children both material and otherwise.

We hope to build a sustainable partnership that addresses the most pressing issues and will attempt to solve the long term issue of improving the quality of life of the children and others associated with it.