| Greetings!
Welcome to your monthly e-news update from AbleChildAfrica. We apologise for the delay in getting January's newsletter to you but hope you can see below the great work we have been up to in the meantime. This month we bring you updates from our January visits to Little Rock and USDC. We also tell you about some fun opportunities to get active and great gifts to wow your loved ones on Valentine's day, all while supporting AbleChildAfrica.
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Valentine's Day Gifts
Sending flowers to a loved one this Valentine's day? When you order from Charity Flowers AbleChildAfrica receives 15% of the price of your gift. Check out their Valentine's Collection and potted rose bushes. Go on, you'll thank us for it!
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| Little Rock's Ground Breaking Ceremony | |
 On the 20th January 2012, Little Rock and AbleChildAfrica proudly broke ground on the building site for Little Rock's new centre. A modest ceremony attended by friends and family of Little Rock included moving tributes by previous Little Rock graduates, a performance by the award winning Cavina School Choir and a breaking ground/tree planing ceremony. Guests of Honour included a representative from the office of Honorable Raila Odinga, Prime Minister, US Ambassador Scott Gration, Canadian High Commissioner David Collins and the Representative from the Republic of Malta, Alice Murphy.
You're invited! Please join us for the celebration, view pictures and watch video clips of the different sessions by clicking the link above. |
| Katy Bodkin, Programme Officer visits USDC | |
This month I spent 5 days in Kampala at the USDC head office working with the new Executive Director, Dolorence Were. Dolorence took up her post in September 2011 and is full of new ideas and motivation to continue and improve on USDC's great work. As our oldest and longest partnership, AbleChildAfrica was on hand to lend USDC support with organisational development.
USDC is a unique NGO in Uganda, in that is one of the only NGOs in the country working specifically with children with disabilities to ensure they are able to achieve their full potential. Unlike many other NGOs, USDC does not focus on a specific impairment, but works with all children with disabilities and their families to ensure they know about their rights and have the best start in life, something we all take for granted. USDC works predominantly through parent support groups (PSGs), empowering parents and guardians of disabled children to campaign and lobby their community, society and government to include children with disabilities so that no child is left behind.
I spent the week with Dolorence and the team working on a new fundraising strategy, funding proposals and beginning their new strategic plan- all in a week's work! It was a pleasure to spend time working closely with our partner and to see the great work they are doing first hand in what is becoming an increasingly challenging economic environment. I look forward to great things from USDC in the future. Katy.
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| Challenge Opportunities | |
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AbleChildAfrica has places available for two exciting events this summer:
BE AN ABLECHILDAFRICA HERO Join the Heroes Run in Brighton on the 20th May. Dress up as your favourite superhero and run 5k in support of AbleChildAfrica. Children as young as 8 can participate - have a superhero family day out! NIGHTRIDER We have just 2 spaces remaining to join the AbleChildAfrica Nightrider team. 100k overnight cycle ride on the 9th June through the deserted streets of London- are you up for the challenge?
For more information about either opportunity please contact Nick McKensie on Nick@ablechildafrica.org.uk. |
