Patchwork Quilt raffled for Street Kids

This beautiful patchwork quilt, entitled "Romantic Roses", is to be raffled on behalf of the Kasese Street Kids.

It was made by a friend in the next village, Heather Ballantyne, who has used her great craftsmanship gifts to support KSK in various ways before.

The actual quilting was carried out by Dianne Watson from Lochearnhead.

Heather has given her time and considerable skills free.

It is to be raffled, with £1 tickets being sold over the coming months; the draw will take place at the Orton Farmers' Market church Coffee Morning, on Saturday 10th December.

Whoever wins it will be acquiring a treasure that would grace any bedroom.

Any visitor to the Blog who would like to buy tickets should email us on chriscjenkin@aol.com.

We are so very grateful to Heather and Dianne for donating their talents so generously.

Budgets for next stages of building

Here is Cheryl inspecting the outside toilets.

Alan has sent us some budgets for the next stages of the building - the windows and doors are nearly complete.

1. Plumbing: we have a detailed item-by-item quotation for everything from WC pans to connecting to the mains; it includes a lot of things that I haven't a clue what they are! Like "elbows", "nipples" and "tees"... and what on earth are "get-values"? (We apparently need 25 of those!) But the total bill comes to £3,400.

2. Electrics: Wiring, switches and sockets, and a threefold Solar Panel. Total: £4,300. (We had a quote for the electrics last October for only £3,000; Alan will investigate why this is so much more.)

3. The big one: Plastering and tiling: about £18,000. This is not an actual quotation, just a "guestimate".
-

We already have nearly £15,000 in banks in the UK; we will send this out in stages as Alan authorises it. But it looks as if we will need to go on fund-raising for a while yet to find the £11,000 or so still needed.

All donations, invitations to speak, or suggestions for fund-raising ideas or sources welcome! chriscjenkin@aol.com

Site used for food

This close-up of a door and two windows shows
(a) the window has a mosquito screen - essential in a country where Malaria is a major killer.
(b) One of the two security guards, who are on duty day and night; they are both homeless boys, who were orphaned when young, and were then mistreated by those into whose care they had been given; so they ran away and lived on the streets, where Enos met them and befriended them.
(c) Around his feet are some young chickens!
Enos has six hens which have then produced some young ones. He has also been promised more poultry by a government scheme.
This is part of his programme of using the 2-acre site to produce food to feed the children once they move in. He has planted some pineapple plants; he grew some cotton, and the profit from selling that was reinvested in G-nuts. Corn was pictured on yesterday's post.
Enos is thinking very much about the future sustainability of the site. One trouble is that wild animals come in and damage the crops; almost certainly fencing will need to be erected to protect the crops. At present they rely on the guards driving the animals away.
He also has two goats, but before he can bring them to the SKILL site a shelter will need to be erected.
He has also been promised a maize mill.

Latest report from Kasese

Our contacts in Uganda, Alan and Cheryl, have done the 8-hour drive from Kampala to inspect progress at the SKILL site.


It can be seen on the picture above that the external doors and windows are mostly complete.



There is also a crop of corn growing in the compound, so the 2 acre site is being well used.





Visit to Church in Barrow


We took a service at Trinity (Methodist and URC) Church, Barrow, on Pentecost Sunday, which is their Overseas Mission Sunday.


We gave them our KSK PowerPoint presentation, and they are having a retiring collection for two Sundays for us.





Another church engagement


I had applied to a Westmorland Arts Trust for funding for the Photographic Exhibition; whether they will fund us remains to be seen, but the secretary is a churchwarden, and has invited us to tell her church all about KSK! SO another speaking engagement and fund-raiser - July 24th.

All engagements or contributions welcome: chriscjenkin@aol.com

A successful and enjoyable Concert

Some sixty guests had paid £15 each for a ticket to a delightful concert, with buffet and glass of wine included, on behalf of the Kasese Street Kids.
It took place in the ancient but splendid Great Hall of a restored medieval home near Penrith.
A choir of twenty voices, a violinist, a flautist; two sopranos (as soloists and as a duet); a flugel horn player and a guitarist: all these made for a varied and thoroughly enjoyable programme.
All the musicians gave their time and talents free, some travelling a considerable distance to be there. (Pictured: Andrew Forsyth playing Bach on his flute.)
Despite chilly weather, the buffet and wine were served in the spacious grounds, and quite a number of hardy souls stayed in the garden chatting over their supper, while others found seats indoors.
There was a raffle, and a Powerpoint presentation about the Street Kids to explain to the assembled company what the charity was seeking to achieve, and what progress had been made. The total sum raised by the occasion, when all expenses had been deducted, was £1,120.
Thank you, all musicians!

Thank you, programme organiser!
Thank you, host and hostess!
Thank you, furniture movers and piano provider and tuner!
Thank you, cooks and servers!
Thank you, guests, for coming and being appreciative!

Contact chriscjenkin@aol.com for further information about Kasese Street Kids.