Hi Everyone
Just a brief message to say thanks so much for your donations. The people of Rubuguri have repeatedly conveyed their appreciation, via our Uganda coordinator Moses.
With adverse weather events ramping up across the globe, it's now or never, as we struggle to leave our young folk with a liveable planet.
And every little helps.
We have completed stage three, benefiting subsistence farmers; plantings are complete.
The Rubuguri town council have requested that we help them to plant a few thousand shade trees in the urban area (like most such settlements, it's a sprawling area with many hundreds of dwellings & food gardens and a network of semi-rural roads. So there might yet be a stage four!
Moses has completed the final trip to Rubuguri. here are the signatures from the various community group reps, showing the money each has received to distribute to their members. It;s been suggested that we register as an official CBO (community based organisation) and proceed with a small stage 4 planting: trees in Rubuguri township itself.
Dear generous donors, We now have photographic evidence of plantings from all 7 community groups so I have sent the balance of funds to Moses. He'll now make the unpleasant journey via 'boda-boda' (motorbike taxi) to Rubuguri and complete the process. The mobile money app did not permit me to not send the entire amount in one transaction, hence the two entries in this image: Note that this page has raised NZ$3,387.00; the extra NZ$2,000 shown in the top line was a donation by a friend direct to me and not via this page. As exchange rates fluctuate daily, I sent a bit more than required - adding a little of my own money (bottom line) as a gift to Moses who, after all, was the brains behind the whole programme.
I'm getting updates from Moses showing stage 3 plantings by the various community groups. Of the 7 groups (Higabiro Youth, Higabiro Bachara Tukore,
Nyabaremura Youth, Reformed Poachers, Kashija Youth, Hakahanga Tukwatanise
and Hakahanga Women's group, all but one have now provided photos of their plantings. I anticipate making full and final payment within the next month. Thanks again to all donors.
I await some photos from Moses, showing the completion of stage 3 plantings. As soon as they arrive, I'll forward him the final payout for the farmers and supervisors. Thanks to all donors. The long rains are starting to arrive which makes travel hard, but is the right time for planting seedlings!
Recently I sent a second amount of money so Moses can pay the final advances. Here are the current budget, contract signatures, and receipts for these advances. In view of Moses' outstanding initiative and drive in pushing this through over the last 7 years, I've made an extra donation to him personally to cover his two kids' school fees. That is clearly set out at the bottom of the spreadsheet, but is NOT part of the scheme, so your donations are not being used for that purpose. Questions welcome. Thanks again for your generosity!
Thanks to a VERY generous direct donation, we have the money in hand to plant 9,000 trees. That's fantastic - thank you so much to each and every donor!
Thanks to a very generous anonymous direct donor, we're now underway with contracts for planting 9,000 trees. That includes payment not just for the seedlings but for distribution, labour, forestry advice and supervision. Together with stage 1 (3180 trees) and stage 2 (11,225 trees) that brings this project to 23,405 trees in total.
The contract stipulates that native trees will be left to mature, while exotics can be harvested for housing poles etc when necessary. But over the next crucial few years, they'll be busily sucking up CO2! The pic is of our three nurserymen (Mr Tom Byamugisha, Mr Fred Bagorogoza, Mr John Bosco Bitoroki) with Mr. Tumuheirwe B. John (centre, planting supervision and sign-off) and Mr. Felix Byarugaba (right), forestry expert. (He's my age and nearly as tall!)
We have advised our three nurserymen that we currently have enough funds to plant around 9,000 trees. Moses will shortly travel to meet with community leaders to sign contracts for supply, transport and planting of seedlings.
If more donations arrive, we can up the 9,000 figure! Thanks everyone.
receipts from our three nurserymen for the advance payments to get them started.
Thanks everyone for donations to date! This advance will allow our three suppliers to start raising the appropriate seedlings. Moses is visiting Rubuguri this coming weekend so I've asked him to send pix of signed receipts from them.
