Uganda Relief Update

We continue to make progress with our commitment to build 10,000 highly fuel-efficient wood burning stoves in the refugee camps around Lira, Uganda. As you know, Peter and Christine Keller, and Chuck Wojnowski joined Ken Goyer's undertaking of building these stoves. Adelitus Mgao joined us from Christine's Peace Corps village in Tanzania. Mathew Langol, the project's coordinator with All Nations Christian Care in Lira, also contributed invaluable help in our work. He is truly an amazing person dedicated to helping the people of Northern Uganda.

During the month of May, we set up the infrastructure - opening brickyards, teaching techniques, building brick molds, collecting tools and supplies - to start our enterprise. When we left we had successfully built about 500 stoves. As a reminder, highly efficient stoves mean that the women (who do most of the work) don't have to collect as much wood, so less of the forest is cut down and they have less to carry. The women and children are less likely to be captured and killed by the rebels because they don't have to go as far for wood. Food is cooked faster and there is less smoke - the leading cause of blindness in the world and respiratory disease.

In addition, with the expertise of Adelitus, who is an assistant medical officer, we saved almost thirty lives, mostly infants. We also supplied funds to repair wells in several camps. But perhaps the most important thing we did was to build stronger relationships with the refugees in the camps, with the many volunteers from Uganda that joined us, and with each other.

When we left, we had established three brickyards, turning out enough light, insulative bricks among them to build almost a thousand stoves a week. We hired J.K., Mary and Francis - who are Lira residents - to supervise our project and to educate the refugees on the value of the stoves. We left Mathew as supervisor and in charge of the stove funds and we also left funds for health care. Admitting a baby to the hospital costs about $2.50 and a course of Cipro, for example, costs about $2.00. So our $1000 donation is saving the lives of many people who can't get care on their own.

Since we left, our Ugandan crew has overseen the building of 5,000 stoves and we have enough bricks now to build 2,000 more. It is amazing that from having nothing to work with, we have established an ongoing business that makes lives safer, healthier and just a bit easier.

I wish each of you could see what a difference our donations have made in real people's lives. I wish we could express adequately how you have made a difference. I wish peace upon you and all the people of Uganda who have lost their homes and dignity. The needs of people in the world are so great that we think we can't make a difference. But I'm telling you that in the small agricultural town of Lira, Uganda, lives are better - safer, healthier, easier - because of your help. Thank you all for your support.

Peter