Make, believe: John Brown of Friends Community Development Trust (Uganda)

‘We are supporters of local ideas, rather than being proposers of them.’

The Friends Community Development Trust (Uganda) was created out of a concern of Alex Gyabi of Northampton Meeting. Alex and his colleagues in Uganda set up the Butta Furniture Makers Association (BFMA) to teach practical skills. In 2013, Northampton Meeting’s Peace and Service Group worked with Alex to generate funds for the BFMA. Quaker Peace & Social Witness helped with the building of a workshop.

As this project was nearing completion, John Pamely, also of Northampton Meeting, began talking to Alex about possibilities for further support. They both felt a strong need to develop opportunities for education and training for young people. With the support of three other trustees and the Meeting, Friends Community Development Trust (Uganda) was established.

It was decided early on that we should support projects proposed by the Ugandan community, to be enacted by the community, and run by the community. We are supporters of local ideas, rather than being proposers of them. We fund buildings and infrastructure only, for projects which must be sustainable within the community.

The first project was a secondary school, and we were able to raise the money required. In March 2015, the Ugandan government authorised the development of ‘Seed’ secondary schools – schools that can be developed and expanded. The building we funded was one of those. It consists of four classrooms and an admin room. In 2021 the Ugandan government recognised it, and put the teachers on the government payroll. It also committed to support a new building, with a library and a science lab.

Butta Community Secondary School, in the last full year of schooling, 2019, had eighty-eight pupils. After Covid closures there are 131 students. We were pleased to hear that the school was also able to provide shelter for homeless families during the recent floods.

Since the scope of its ambitions has developed, and to emphasise our symbiotic relationship, the Butta Furniture Makers Association has renamed itself as Friends Community Development Trust. The next project is the building of a health centre. This facility will monitor the health of the schoolchildren, and we are hopeful it will also radically improve healthcare for mothers and babies (the maternal mortality ratio in Uganda is 343 deaths per 100,000, compared to 8.79 in the UK). The health centre will be modest by European standards but a quantum leap for Butta. The building will contain a lab to test bloods, room for eight beds and a small consulting room for a doctor. But first we need to raise the £14,000 we need.

John is clerk to Friends Community Development Trust (Uganda). To donate, visit https://fcdtu.org.uk/donate.html.

---

Comments

Please login to add a comment