June 2007

We are delighted to update you on the progress of the Abayudaya Community Health and Development Project.

_________________________

Guest House Construction

The Abayudaya community hosts an increasing number of tourists and volunteers each year. The community needs to increase their accommodation capacity. Thus far, they have been hosting individuals in their homes, asking for donations for food and home stay, but not always receiving the appropriate compensation.

A Guest House that was started awhile ago and is now being finished to capture a desperately needed stream of revenue. The pace of guest house construction has greatly increased over the last month, and it is slated to open by the end of the summer. The Guest House will offer a viable economic development opportunity for the Abayudaya community, allowing them to benefit from the expanding tourist industry. This will be a legitimate business opportunity moving the community towards economic self-sufficiency, instead of primarily asking for donations. The guest house will host other services such as an Internet café, a restaurant, and a touring business.

_________________________

The First Aid Room Renovation is Complete

Be'chol Lashon volunteers, Jane Feil and Judy Gigliotti are visiting the Abayudaya community this summer to help stock the First Aid Room with basic supplies such as anti-bacterial soap, gloves, antiseptic, gauze, syringes, IV fluids, and anti-malarial and antibiotic drugs. They will bring toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss to hold simple dental hygiene demonstrations. Currently, many Abayudaya use a special tree twig to clean their teeth. The twig must be broken fresh each day, and is not always convenient. A dentist is consulting with the community on dental hygiene, including sealing children's teeth, as well as working on the list of equipment needed for a Dental Clinic in the future.

_________________________

Electricity Poles for the Water Pump

The electricity pole has been installed at the site of the well, and an extra pole was also installed near the future Medical Clinic to make sure that Nabagoye Hill has enough power to serve all of the expanding development projects. The electric pump will be purchased next week. The distribution lines and communal faucets will be installed over the summer.

_________________________

Starting the Medical Clinic

The time is finally here! Clearing the land for the health clinic will begin in the next few weeks. The physical construction will take approximately 36 weeks from site preparation to completion.

Danielle Meshorer, Be'chol Lashon Africa Director, will be traveling to Uganda in the middle of July with a JDC consultant to coordinate meetings with the Abayudaya community leadership and government health officials to finalize plans for the health clinic. The health team will also be touring the Mulago Hospital in Kampala to explore partnership opportunities.

_________________________

Letter From Seth Jonadov

Abayudaya High School Director, Fri. 1 June 2007

Samson is in charge of the First Aid room. Seth sent the email below as he watched the progress first hand. Dinah and the other community members are excited at the progress.

Oh wow, this is so great and wonderful! I am pleased to see that the work is going on well at the hill here. As I write on JJ's Internet here at Nabagoye right now, I can see a big truck offloading the electric poles with all the accessories. An excitement to all members around! A great thanks goes to your Institute and everyone for enabling the Abayudaya community achieve such a drastic change.

Sincerely,

Seth

_________________________