Published
1st December 2022
Categories
Charity, Economy, General News, Perspective News
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Kris Grannell, Office Manager at our Chesham and Rickmansworth offices, and her daughter travelled to Uganda for a second time in the summer to support the Fountain of Peace project, a cause close to their hearts.
“In July-August 2022, we were part of a team of 14 from the UK who were finally able to visit the Fountain of Peace (FOP) project at Miranga village, Kyenjojo, Western Uganda, the trip having been delayed from July 2020 due to COVID.
This was my second trip to the children’s home, having first visited the project in January 2018 and I was amazed by the progress made since then.
Once the children reach the age of three, they move from the Bethel Babies Home into a family home of eight children looked after by a house mother and a nanny.
In 2018, there were four family homes, now there are seven with another two under construction – a heart breaking reflection on the number of abandoned babies, but a great achievement for the charity.
In addition, there is now a small infirmary, a new school building and a farmhouse is under construction on land owned by FOP. Here they grow crops to feed the children, while any excess is sold, helping the home become self-sufficient. Last time I visited, I spent a day picking maize which was very hard work in the blazing sun!
We took with us clothes, shoes, toys, books and craft activities for the children as well as tools and medical equipment.
We spent two weeks with the team in Uganda, getting involved in many activities and using our differing skills to support the work of FOP.
The projects were proposed by the team on the ground and on this occasion included building African kitchen gardens for the children to grow vegetables; constructing a new community well in the village; painting murals in the babies’ home and nursery school; organising craft sessions and, most of all, spending time with the children.
It was a joy to see the children thriving, to help with feeding and looking after the babies, and to play with the older children.
We also visited the nursery and primary school at Rwenjaza Hillside where we attended the opening ceremony of the second school building funded by Fountain of Peace UK.
We returned to the UK, tired, but with a great sense of achievement.”
The Fountain of Peace charity is based in Chesham and you can find out more about them here: https://www.fountainofpeace.net/
