The Hanging Committee say "No"!

"The Hanging Committee" is a body which, despite its somewhat menacing title, is in fact a harmless and worthy group of people responsible for deciding who can hang or display their pictures - in this case, in York Minster.
We had asked if we could display our Photographic Exhibition, "Children of Hope", in the Minster, encouraged to approach them by the Archbishop's wife, Margaret Sentamu, who spoke at the Guest Preview of the Exhibition in Kendal in October. However we were disappointed to receive their decision today that on this occasion we can't be hanged - rather, hung - in the Minster. However they invited us to apply again in 2013.

As we incurred the considerable expense of getting all these photographs printed and mounted for the original Exhibition, the more often we can display them, and the more places people can have the chance of seeing them, the better the value. So we said, "Yes, please!"

Any visitors to this Blog who can suggest any other possible venues, please get in touch!

chriscjenkin@aol.com

How supporters appear!

It is interesting how people are attracted to supporting the Kasese Street Kids.
Recently at an amateur orchestral workshop I overheard a girl talking about training for the Great North Run (half-marathon). I chipped in and told her that I had run it in 2008.
This led to a chat about what I had been raising funds for, and after an exchange of emails she found this Blog.
She now tells me that in April she is running in the Edinburgh Half Marathon, and wants to raise money for Kasese Street Kids; between us we are trying to get a logo designed by friends for her to wear on her tee shirt!
This is so very encouraging for us.

Future events
Speaking engagements are slowing down now; we have one in Carlisle in February, in Sedbergh in April and in Windermere in October.

Carlisle Cathedral: March 16th - 31st: Our Photographic Exhibition, "CHILDREN OF HOPE", is being mounted in the Cathedral south aisle for two weeks. We have been sending out publicity about this through the Carlisle Diocesan mailings - email and post. So every Anglican church in the Diocese will receive a poster, and an article for their parish magazine. (Whether it will be used or go straight into their recycling bin depends on each vicar!)

Contact: chriscjenkin@aol.com
Contribute: www.justgiving.com/kasesestreetkids

Why they end up on the streets

Why do children end up on the streets?
There can be many different reasons, and each child has a story to tell - sometimes a horrifying and heartbreaking story.
But it can be as simple as orphans living in poverty. The picture above shows a family with six children, looked after by the grandmother (I am not sure who the other two adults are - they are not the children's parents, who are dead.)
This old lady simply cannot cope - not only financially, but with handling six lively children, who - as in any family - can be rebellious and defiant.
And sometimes a child in such a family decides that they would be happier living independently on the street, and runs away to the nearest town.


What can be done?
Help and support can be given to the caring grandmother - such as instructions how to make a garden to grow food, and setting up savings and credit schemes. Enos Kyibibi, Director of the SKILL Centre, is involved in such support.
Likewise runaway children can sometimes be helped to return to their family, though this is not always appropriate, such as where there has been abuse.

Here is Enos outside the new SKILL Hostel.

http://justgiving.com/kasesestreetkids

chriscjenkin@aol.com

Raffle and Reward

After selling raffle tickets for the beautiful patchwork items for three months, the draw was finally held on Saturday 10th December.

A fourth prize had been added by the skilled and crafty maker and donor of the patchwork quilts and cushions - two beautiful, large, hand-made Christmas baubles.

The first prize (double quilt) was won by a pensioner couple from Ulverston (who bought their ticket at Orton Farmers Market).

The second prize (lap quilt and matching cushion) by a couple in Penrith, who bought their ticket at a Penrith Singers rehearsal.

The third prize (two matching cushions) and fourth prize (baubles) were won by people in Kirkby Stephen - they probably both bought their tickets when we were stationed outside the Cooperative one Saturday!

The raffle brought in a total of £1,300 - the best prize of all!

Street Kids suffering goes on

Enos Kyibibi tells us from Kasese that the kids have been getting a lot of harassment from the police, and two of them are at present in prison.

Enos comments that prison staff are not known for their gentleness and kindness.

A generous gift

www.justgiving.com/kasesestreetkids is a site where people can make donations to the Kasese Street Kids. We mention it in our leaflets, but generally get hardly any response that way.

But this week we found that someone has donated £1,000 to Kasese Street Kids on that site.

He wrote:
"This donation is in memory of my brother ...... He had a kind and generous spirit so please accept it in his name."

Another recent donor wrote:

"The pictures shown in Kendal tell the tale, and if big boys can look after little boys, we are bound to support them all."

I am sure he was referring to the Photographic Exhibition held in Kendal Parish Church, which ended nearly a month ago.

He particularly alludes to the wonderful picture shown here, of the boy looking after a baby boy, the child of a sex worker dying of AIDS.

He must have picked up one of our leaflets at the Exhibition.

Thank you, both - and all who continue to give to support our work!

chriscjenkin@aol.com

Finishing the Hostel Building

At last we have received costings for all the remaining work to be done on the Hostel.

The detailed, itemised budget - hardcore, sand, cement, for floors; interior doors; plaster for walls - all room by room; tiles for the toilets; cladding; labour - all comes to a total of 77,792,000 Ugandan Shillings, which - at the exchange rate at time of writing - is £19,820.

That may seem a terrifying sum, but - here is the good news - we have already raised the bulk of it, and it is in banks in the UK ready to be sent out to Kasese!
Alan, our Emmanuel International missionary friend in Uganda, has asked for clarification on one or two points from the newest member of the SKILL Centre team, Alfonse Kambale - a Baptist minister with much experience of work with orphans, and a professional builder as well: what a useful man to have on board! When Alfonse has checked all the figures Alan will give the go-ahead for funds to be sent out from UK.

Just to remind you what it's all for - here are two Kasese street children - about the same age as my grandchildren - scrabbling in the rubbish, hoping to find something worth trying to sell for a few pence.

Let's hope that within two or three months, these lads will be welcomed into their new Hostel, given decent food, and love and care!

chriscjenkin@aol.com

www.justgiving.com/kasesestreetkids

Pictures from an Exhibition

We dismantled the Photographic Exhibition in Kendal Parish Church yesterday, after a four-weeks run. (And just as we were tidying up, a lady appeared to visit it!)

So here are a few more pictures to record the event.

1. Margaret Sentamu, our guest speaker and opener, with us - Christopher and Mary Jenkin.

2. The display showing the "story so far" of the Kasese Street Kids hostel; and a stand of colour photographs of African children, which were for sale (but no one bought any!)
3. Some of the guests at the Preview gathering to hear the speakers and see the Presentation; in the foreground are Margaret Sentamu and Carol Allen Storey (the photographer) chatting.

4. The photograph of the boy holding the baby, which was the one we used on all the publicity for the Exhibition, and which we had blown up to AO size - almost four feet high. 5. The crowd enjoying the wine, canapes and chat.

Was it worth it?

Many people saw the Exhibition during the four weeks it was in Kendal Parish Church - not only the regular Sunday congregations (who, we are told, were very interested and appreciative), but also the many who attended baptisms, weddings and funerals; those who attended concerts and seminars and other such events in the church; and the casual visitors who dropped in to see the church - though there were fewer such people in the later autumn than during the main tourist season. And, of course, there were those who had seen the publicity, and decided to visit the Exhibition, like the unfortunate late-comer!

The bottom line...

How much money was raised?

Given at the Preview: £1,600

Received since the Preview: £575.

Promised but not yet received: £580.

Yes, I think it was worth it!

-

chriscjenkin@aol.com

www.justgiving.com/kasesestreetkids