Almost 90 per cent of
the Bugabo community is reliant on agriculture. Over the past 17
years, 3350 farmers have received training in modern agricultural
practices to improve production. A breakthrough has been farmers'
acceptance of solar driers to dry banana and fish. The dried
products sell at a higher price, plus families can now store the
food for later use.
Improvements in the
quality of education and infrastructure have led to higher school
attendance with 90 per cent of children younger than 5 now
attending preschool, 98 per cent of children between 6 and 14 years
attending primary school and 54 per cent of older children enrolled
in high school.
Bugabo is one of the
areas hardest hit by HIV and AIDS, and the community has about 1700
orphans and vulnerable children. A very successful programme of HIV
and AIDS clubs has been established at primary and high schools
where pupils are trained to counsel fellow students about the risks
and prevention of HIV and AIDS.
"We we would like
to give our heartfelt thanks to the people of New Zealand for their
financial contribution toward the Bugabo community development
programme. All our planning and operations would be unsatisfactory
without their effective participation and support."
Makoye Kaniki,
World Vision Bugabo Programme Co-ordinator
July 2010
The people of Bugabo may
not know you by name, but they will never forget what you've done
for them.
Like your sponsored child has grown, Bugabo has also grown in
independence and confidence. Now, the people are ready to take
ownership of their own community development projects, marking the
end to a wonderful journey with World Vision. Thanks to the
generous support of about 2250 compassionate New Zealanders, like
you, the lives of 46,500 people from 17 villages have been
transformed over the past 17 years.
Gilbert Lwejuna
Byebalilo, 17, (centre) from Bugabo, and his Kiwi sponsor friends,
14-year-old Chris (left) and 12-year-old Jono Ross of
Auckland.
Emergence of Hope
In 2009, when the Ross family of Auckland, Dave and Gill and
their two children, Chris, 14 and Jono, 12, went to Tanzania to
attend a family wedding, they also decided to visit their sponsored
child in Bugabo, 17-year-old Gilbert Lwejuna Byebalilo. Gill
writes: "It was a great honour for us to meet Gilbert and to see
for ourselves what a difference our money has made. We have been
sponsoring Gilbert for 13 years. At times, it had been difficult
for us to pay the $40 per month, but having had this experience was
certainly worth it."