A Promise Enacted

A friend of mine from my old parish made a promise that if she got work she would donate 10% of what she made to the girls in the House of Jjajja Don in Kampala, Uganda. Today I received a check for $10.00 from her first pay check of $100.00 She promises more checks to come. I am left speechless by her faithfulness and her concern for my daughters! Thank you my friend!

Dear Don,   Some good news from the girls house: Sunday 03 January 2013 saw three girls, namely: (1)Eve join St John Bosco Primary school - Katende in P.5;  (2) Regina join Emmanuel College - Kazo in S.2; and (3) Mariam return to St John Baptist College - Gaba to complete her 2nd year in Teacher Training College. All these are nice schools! What a chance for a positive difference these girls have acquired in their lives from the streets of the slums. Thanks for all your support and concern!   God bless!   Gerald.

A Report on the Daughters of Jjajja Don in Kampala. Uganda

A couple of parishioners from OLGC were able to be in Uganda this last week. Here is the report Fr Gerald gave them about my daughters at the House of Jjajja Don in Kampala.

A report presented to OLGC members to the Home of the girls in St Kizito, on 12 January 2013.



Some Developments of the Members: Rehabilitation Home 12.01.2013

Dear distinguished visitors and friend of St Kizito from OLGC-USA.

This home/hostel was acquired with the help of Deacon Don Leach, who solicited for the first 12 months rental fee to house some 14 girls from the streets of slums of Bwayiise. An agreement was signed with the Land-lord (Hadji Ahammad Ntambala), on 20 September 2011, but the house had to undergo some major repairs first. The tenancy agreement was later renewed for the next 12 months to end on 30th September 2013.

The girls started using this home on 14th October 2011, assisted by SKOLGC members. It was put under the guidance of KCSC headed by Ms Olive Bwana, for one had to consider their vulnerability and rehabilitation not withstanding their reproductive health. Andrew Yong did a lot in identifying a number of these girls from the streets, and some other people have been giving this home spiritual and moral support for a difference.

In case I am away, as the coordinator and as the in-charge, Ms Gorrete K. Musoke and Mr Sammy Musoke are always available to do the needful.



Allow me here to bring to your attention an update of the Girls’ Project for proper mapping:

1.       Mariam Namatungo came into the house in October 2011. She started school early last year (2012), in St John the Baptist, Ggaba Primary Teachers’ College. She studies “Early Childhood Development. It is a 2 years – 6 terms Course. She will graduate with a Grade III Certificate awarded by Kyambogo University, Kampala - Uganda.  School dues: Ug. Shs. 577,000/=, plus other School requirements Ug. Shs. 150,000/= termly; total amount required termly is Ug. Shs. 727,000/= (Seven hundred twenty seven thousand only), i.e. total amount required for academic year 2013 will be Ug. Shs. 727,000/= x 3 terms = Ug. Shs.  2,181,000/= (two million one hundred eighty one thousand Uganda Shillings only); an equivalent of Us $ 883, when 1 $ is equivalent to Ug. Shs 2470/=
Date of birth: 25th December 1991.
2.       Rachael Namutebi did not come into the house; she had received a job in Namungoona, - a suburb of Kampala.
3.       Roy Nabukko did not report into the house. She had promised to join the house later. She instead started some petty business on her own.
4.       Amina Nakawungu is in the house; she has acquired candle and Crisps or chips making skills, now busy acquiring sewing machine skills.
Date of birth: 23rd July 1993.
5.       Juliet Nakafeero  is in the house; she has acquired candle and crisps or chips making skill, as well as shoe making by her own initiative accompanied by a certificate. Her shoe making requirements need to be put into consideration. She is now busy acquiring sewing machine skills. Juliet has two children in the house:
A)     Steven Sserungaya (boy) is 3 years and 7 months old and ready next year 2013 to start Nursery School.
B)      Bashir Kirangwa (boy) is 6 months old.

Date of birth: 21 July 1991

6.       Madina Ndagire Nakabuuubi is in the house; she has acquired candle and crisps or chips making skills. She is now busy acquiring sewing machine skills.
Date of birth: 04th December 1991.
7.       Jackie Nabbumba had disappeared and returned. Unfortunately, she re-disappeared and last seen in the house on 21st October 2012; but still trying to trace her whereabouts.
8.       Fiona Namugrwa is in the house; she wants to do hair styles or hair dressing (Saloon).  Fiona has two children in the house:
A)      Shakira Najjingo (girl) is 3 years and 6 months old.
B)      Paulo Anthony Ssemuju (boy) is 4 months old.

Date of birth: Unknown (We agreed to celebrate her birthday on August 15th each year)

9.       Regina Nantabadde is in the house. She joined Senior 1 in Crane Hill Secondary School, located in Kawaala – Makerere, this ending academic year, which she started in February 2012. N.B.: Her school is classified among the Universal Secondary Education (USE) provision, and leaves a lot to be desired including lack of teaching staff; scholastic materials; to mention but a few; and at times miss classes due to frequent floods due to heavy downpours in the area. One would recommend Regina to change from Crane Hill, and join Emmanuel College – Kazo (EMMACO) in 2013 as a resident learner for stability and follow up, where Clare Namirembe studies from.
Regina will require Us $ 800 (Ug. Shs. 1,976,000/=), including School dues and requirements in the Boarding Sections at EMMACO during the academic year 2013.

       Regina has also acquired candle making and chips or crisps making skills; and now busy with   sewing machine skills during her Christmas holidays.

        Date of birth: 15th June 1994.

10.   Eve Namuli is in the house. She had joined school in February 2012, but absconded since June 2012, and she is reluctant or seems not ready to resume classes any more, despite a number of admonitions from different and interested parties.
Eve has acquired candle and crisps or chips making skills. She is now busy acquiring sewing machine skills.
Date of birth: ... August 1997. Exact date is not known to her.
11.   Agnes Nagaddya is in the house. She has acquired candle and crisps or chips making skills. She is now busy acquiring sewing machine skills.
Date of birth: 22 May 1993.
12.   Juliet Nakku had entered into the house at the beginning; but she stayed in the house for only 2 months, and she later disappeared from the house to an unknown destination. Juliet Nakku has never been seen again.
13.   Harriet Nakabugo did not come into the house. It is reported that she had entered into “marriage”, but divorced and later got a mental problem. Her aunt took her into the village, and she was never seen again.

Sewing Project:

-          All girls have taken on this project with a keen interest and enthusiasm since the  26th November 2012. It occupies some of their considerable time and concentration.
-          Ms Flavia Nabukalu is in charge of the sewing project. She instructs (teaches them sewing skills) them 3 days in a week: 1) Mondays; 2) Wednesdays and 3) Fridays.
-          It is hoped that the girls will be in position to produce something tangible on their own within a period of 6 months.
-          The instructor charges Ug. Shs. 50,000/= per head monthly, i.e. 8 girls x 6 months x Ug. Shs. 50,000/= i.e. total amount required for the Instructor will be Ug. Shs. 2,400,000/= (an equivalent of Us. $ 972).
-          This project will also require the girls to solicit for some money and be able to buy some roles or pieces of cloths for the various designs, styles, attires, models, etc…

Challenges: Chips, Candles, and Catering Services
-          The girls had acquired splendid skills of making crisps or chips and other stuffs; but the marketing skills are still inadequate, packaging, expiry dates, labeling, etc…  plus appropriate accountability for both products and proceeds need to be put in place.
-          Unfortunately, a number of people in the community, who would have been of great help and supportive to both these girls and their activities after abandoning the streets, still look at them with a low opinion, discriminated upon, despised  and calling them names of their former livelihood: “… you prostitutes, who can eat your… etc… “, publicly.     This does not make it an easy deal for the girls to carry out their business (candles, chips and catering services) transactions smoothly, effectively and profitably.
-          Perhaps one might end up putting in place a stall or a lock-up, where the girls’ products will be easily exhibited from for easy accessibility and marketing.

Conclusion:

Thanks for your concern and valuable presence to the cause of humanity!

Daughters of Jjajja Don learn to be seamstresses

Mary and I were able to send Fr Gerald enough funds to purchase two sewing machines for our daughters in Kampala, Uganda. He purchased the two machines and hired a tailor to teach the girls how to use the machines. This is their fourth business enterprise (along with banana crisps, catering and candle making) since they moved into their home together. We are so very proud of how hard they are working. One of the girls has moved out and is in college full time  studying to be a teacher  Another girl is back in school full time and hopes to graduate from high school soon.

Check out the article at this site:

http://www.freep.com/article/20121105/NEWS05/311050126/entrepreneur-New-Frontier-Award-John-F-Kennedy-Library-Foundation

So many faces and life stories……

Street ministry started for me last night when one of the volunteers showed up with a bag of candy to hand out for Halloween as we walked the streets. She had a bag of sugarless candies for a man I see at noontime and is diabetic. I was struck that she remembered someone she has never met personally. A few blocks away a young man came up and said, “Deacon, do you have any gloves?” I do not ever remember seeing this man before but he knew to call me Deacon. I told him that I had been out walking for about 20 minutes myself and my hands were freezing. We do not have gloves yet but we soon will. No way to gage what Mother Nature will bring or when.

A few blocks over, we met a family of six kids and the mother who were on the streets in Greektown. The mother was making calls for someone to take them in. We were able to leave the kids some candy, a sandwich and water. The mother was still talking to someone as we walked away but the kids looked happy.

Around the corner, we ran into a man who said he would love some candy. As he looked in the bag he started to talk about the Saints and Halloween. We had a good 20 minute conversation about how God sent His Son into the world so that we would all be saved. I asked him to pray for us and he immediately took our hands and began to pray an ancient form of prayer of protection and defense over us. As I turned, he asked me to pray for him which I did in another ancient Charismatic form. When I said Amen he looked at me and whispered to me, “We are brothers!” Indeed we are.

A few blocks down we saw some people lying in the window sills of the old Detroit Traffic Court building. As we approached one lady from our group spoke out, “Hello, we are from St Al’s.” From beneath a blanket we heard, “Who the f___ is out there bothering us?” I recognized the voice and said, “Hey girlfriend, how are you?” The blanket flipped back and I heard her say, “Deacon Don is that you?” The woman who I have known for 15 years on the streets jumped up and hugged me and apologized for her first comment! We talked and she asked about my wife and kids whom she knows from their times downtown. We gave her and her friend some food and water. She asked us why we were out so late. She told us it was dark and no longer safe on the streets. I told her that if it wasn’t safe for us then it wasn’t safe for her. She smiled and told me she had been on the streets for years and knew how to survive. I told her to be careful and stay warm tonight. As we walked away she hollered out, “I love you Deacon Don!” and I hollered back, “I love you too girlfriend!”

We were approached by a man asking for food and he was delighted by the offer of the candy. As we talked to him, he told us about a house in the Eastern Market area where several teenaged girls are staying and that they have no food. I promised to swing by there on my way home to check on them. He said he would walk over and meet me there when I arrived. As I was going home, I found the house and he was waiting outside. When I stopped, I heard him yell out, “I told you he was coming! God is good!” I left some sandwiches, candy and water. I will have to call my friends who are the pastor and deacon of the area to check on this house. It reminded me so much of my daughters in the Ugandan slums. What indignities these young girls suffer just to survive.

I later approached four men standing on a corner trying to light their crack pipe. I walked up and told them who I was and commented on how windy it was and that they were having trouble lighting their pipe. They all just stared at me for a while. Then one of the older men put his arm around me and said, “You’re from St Al’s. I have known you for about 20 years now haven’t I?” I had never met this man before but responded with, “Yes I was ordained about 18 years ago so we are coming up on 20 years together.” He was telling his friends that he knew of St Al’s and that I was safe for them. As I was handing out water and sandwiches, one of the men became agitated at me for now getting his water fast enough. One of the young men grabbed him by the arm and said, “Relax the Deacon is working as hard as he can. Don’t you see how old he is?” I looked at him and winked and he winked back. Those winks meant “Thank you” and “You’re welcome.” He respected me and what I was trying to do for them.  He was willing to help me out by calming his companion.

I am constantly amazed at what I hear and see from the homeless on the downtown streets, I find each day that I love them more and more and I hope they are coming to love us more and more as we walk the streets among the people from St Aloysius.

My friend Bill Tulloch visits my daughters in Uganda...

 I did spend some time with Clare, Diana and nine of your daughters.  Everyone sends their love and thanks for your gifts.  Several of your daughters are now "girl-guides" (scouts) and they helped out with the large crowd during Sunday's 25th Jubilee celebration.  They looked proud in their uniforms.  They've come a long way from their nights on the streets!  I also had a chance to visit them in their home, very nice, just not much furniture yet.  Still, a solid floor, dry, electricity, a good roof and a private walled in backyard, not bad by Bwayiise standards.  We also got a chance to visit your daughter Miriam at the teaching school where she lives and studies.  She is very concerned about tuition money for next term.  But then again, as you might expect, I heard about money needs from most everyone.

Thanks Bill for the update from Uganda. If anyone is interested in helping Miriam with m her college education contact me and I will work it out with you

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