Economic Challenges

Inevitably the effects of the current economic crisis will extend well beyond the shores of the west where it originated, to have a serious impact on poorer countries like Uganda.

Uganda's inflation rate is currently running at around 7%. That's quite moderate compared with many third world nations. But when you are already living on the breadline, a 7% reduction in your standard of living has serious repercussions.

Added to that, the value of the pound against the Ugandan shilling has slumped dramatically in recent months. The overall result is that, pound for pound, the value of donations from the UK had fallen by around fifth in the last year - putting added pressure on the various projects that we and others are supporting there.

Please pray that as people and governments in the West look to cut back during the recession, support for people in developing countries will not be a casualty. They should not have to pay the price for the fiscal irresponsibility of the west. They cannot afford it.

Namungoona Orphanage

Gichuru Jeremy reports from Uganda:

As per now, we are maintaining 16 orphans in a rented house at Namungoona. The project is sponsored by Louise and Andy Bowley from the UK. Since the money donated is not enough for the children’s upkeep, Eunice and I have been trying our best to assist as we did not want to overburden our Church members because of the heavy task of the Church construction. We are praying that the Lord will open more doors for the provision of these needy children.

We have rented the house for the last four months and the landlord wants to renovate his house after which he will use it as at the moment he lives in the UK.

That means from December this year 2008,we shall rent another house which should be paid 3 months in advance. The current house rent is about 130 English pounds excluding water and electricity.

The photographs show the current house from the front, and from inside the compound.

Building Project - Plans & Progress

The church in Namungoona has been continuing the building project, raising about £100 a month locally, which is a relatively huge and sacrificial effort by the members.

This photo shows a model of the finished building, based on the actual plans.

The next stage of the project will see the completion of the third and final floor. This will house the youth and children's work, which currently numbers around 150 individuals. The estimated cost is around £15,000.

'Namungoona Cathedral'

The church building project in Namungoona was started in 2006, when the City Council passed a law that all temporary timber buildings must be replaced by permanent structures.

The project has been substantially funded through Discovery Trust, but over the last few months the church has been pushing on under its own steam, raising around £100 a month locally for the work. In such a poor community, this is a considerable achievement.

The next important stage will be the completion of the second storey, above the balcony. This will house a hall and rooms for the growing children's work, which currently numbers around 150. This stage will require a further injection of cash from overseas donors. Some concrete work for the floor support has already been completed, and formers are in place for more.

The Continuing Crisis In Kenya

After delivering relief supplies to the refugee camp in Uganda, the team from Quality Discipleship Church brought several of the worst affected families back to Kampala so that they could better care for them. They have been provided with housing, food and clothing, and their children settled in local schools.

One of the refugees Mr Solomon Koome, seen here in Uganda with his wife and children, went back to Kenya in March to assess the situation there. This is his report.

“I left Uganda on 2nd March 2008 to Kenya. I went to Eldoret showground where Internally Displaced People (I.D.P.s) were camping, to see them. I found all my neighbors where I used to live were all at the open showground. They had a lot of problems as they were even lacking food to eat.

Because of the hard situation in the camp, some of them even sold the blankets that they were given by the Red-Cross officials to use in order to buy food to eat

I had rescued some of my property and left it with someone I know, but I found that he had already sold it all and used all the money. The situation there is pathetic.

I am very thankful to Bishop Gichuru and the Q. D Church who have been so kind to us in providing everything that we needed since we arrived in Uganda. I also thank all the people who have donated their financial support through Bishop Gichuru Jeremy.

My coming to Uganda did not mean only saving the lives of my family, but also I have received the gospel and surrendered my life to Jesus after Bishop Gichuru preached to me. That was another good plan of God for my coming to Uganda."


For more news of the refugees and what we are doing to help them, join the Cause 'Help the Kenyan Refugees' on Facebook.

Kenyan Refugees

Since tribal violence erupted in parts of Kenya, in which tens of thousands were savagely attacked and driven from their homes, Quality Discipleship Church in Uganda has been helping to alleviate the suffering of several groups of refugees. The photo here shows a few burnt timbers which are all that remains of a family home destroyed in the violence.

In January, a team from the church visited one of the refugee camps on the Kenya / Uganda border. Based in an old school, they found the people living in great deprivation with only the most basic of essentials. Many had fled their homes with little more than the clothes they were wearing. Thanks to the generosity of donors in both the UK and Uganda, the team were able to provide a significant quantity of food, clothing and blankets for the people living there.

Ugandan orphans

In December 2007, Kerry Townsend arranged a collection of children's clothes and toys for two orphanages in Namungoona, in the outer suburbs of Kampala the capital of Uganda.

Discovery Trust was able to help with the shipment and distribution of these toys through our local partners, pastors Gichuru and Eunice Jeremy of the Quality Discipleship Church of Uganda.