Build Resource Centre for 4000 children in Kibuli

How is it the end of August already?!

This year has simply flown by. You have kept us going, in more ways than one!

As you might already know, we have not yet hit our target for the first learning centre which we intend to set up. The good news is that we are close! We are finding new, creative ways to raise the remaining balance.

We were priveleged to host Leena, from Global giving last month. We spent a wonderful day together visiting the communities we work with and discussing best practices. She not only has a warm personality but she was also quite helpful in sharing ideas.

One of the communities we work with in Kabalagala has agreed to provide space for the centre. (Yaay!) This will be their contribution to the process. They will also help with the construction when the time comes. This is all quite exciting for us especially because we endeavoured to involve the community from the very beginning.

While we were concerned about leasing costs, they seem keen on letting us utilise the space indefinitely as they appreciate the inspiration behind the dream, having worked with us consistently over time.

Special shout out to the area Local Concillor, Carol who has been supportive throughout the process.

We will keep you posted on the progress.

Your support is invaluable! Thank you for sticking with us.

I hope the first quarter has been kind to you.

This year, 40 days over 40 Smiles Foundation celebrated its 7th Birthday! Yaay!

We certainly would not have come this far without your support. It is humbling to look back at how far we have come and how much further we have to go.

It has been a difficult year for us, especially financially, and yet even then, we have continued to put one foot infront of the other, thanks to our incredible support system.

We welcomed 35 new interns in January. They will spend the rest of the year with us, volunteering under our flagship program, Angaza and working in the different departments of the Foundation.

The class of 2018 graduated on 5th Februrary in a colourful ceremony. Many of them continue to volunteer with us.

So far, we have hosted one successful fundraiser, #4040Night. We raised a surplus of Ugx 5,963,000 (approximately $1,650) for our outreach programs.

We also organised a Masterclass for the interns. The topic was "How to write a winning grant proposal and improve your chances of funding success." It was both fun and educative.

As an update on the progress of our learning centre, we have raised a little more than half of the funds we need to set it up. It is ging slower than we anticipated but we have not lost the faith.

We are currently looking for partners who can help us raise the other half and/or provide the materials needed. 

We have sent a number of proposals and held discussions with individuals and companies who can provide in kind support in form of building materials and also help us stock the centre with items such as computers, games and learning aids. So far, we have hundreds of books and some learning aids which will add life to the centre when it is up and running.

We will keep you posted on the progress, as always.

Xx

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