Donations...

So - I guess I lied. I am posting again before I leave. This is a letter that I put together to ask for donations for our trip with. They are donations for the organization, and will all go straight to the organization.

If you would like to help with donations, please let us know. We would love to take as much as we can to share with the people of Namasuba, Uganda.

...

In the coming months, my mother (Michelle) and I (Alena) are heading off to Uganda to volunteer with a small, community-based organization that works with people living with HIV/AIDS. The organization, RWEYOWA, which stands for ‘Rescue Widows, Elderly, Youth and Orphans with AIDS’, was started after a group of concerned citizens became aware of the conditions of people living with and affected by HIV. They started the organization to work toward improving the living conditions of people living with HIV/AIDS and increasing HIV education and sensitization opportunities in the community. The community they work in is a semi-rural community close to the capital city of Kampala. RWEYOWA reaches out to community members through donations of food and clothing, vocational training opportunities, and the procurement of scholarships for orphans to attend primary and secondary school. They also help to administer treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS through a partnership with a local treatment center, and by providing home-based care and health status checks to individuals and families who are unable to make it to a clinic.


Although we have different life experiences and training, we are going with the same goal of trying to assist the organization in any way that we can. As a Public Health Practitioner specializing in health education and outreach, I am hoping to work with the organization in a professional manner while taking part in all of their organizational activities. Michelle, while working with the organization on outreach programs and vocational training, will also be partnering with a local primary school to assist in teaching English to local school children.

As part of our goal of working with this organization, we are trying to bring as many donations for the organization as possible. The main donations that we are seeking are monetary and medical supplies. As the organization performs health status checks during their outreach programs and works with individuals in all stages of HIV disease and AIDS, they are in need of many medical supplies. Any monetary donations will go straight to the organization for use in their outreach programs and for donations to the community; none of the donations will go to administrative expenses or toward our travel, as we are covering these expenses ourselves.

After speaking with the organization, the main supplies that they are seeking include:

* First Aid Kits                                 * Gloves

* Antiseptics                                     * Blood Pressure Machine

* Thermometers                                * Stethoscope

* E.N.T set


We are hoping to take donations in two installments, as we are travelling at different times. I am leaving near the middle of February, while Michelle is joining me a month later, near the middle of March.

We appreciate any help that you can give, and thank you in advance for your generosity and kindness.

With much thanks and gratitude –

Alena Mack & Michelle Workowski



For more information on the organization, please see their website: http://www.rweyowa.org/

Getting Started...

T-minus 37 days til departure for Alena, and 61 days for Michelle.
We are getting super excited, and trying to get all of the logistical details figured out.
Just wanted to make a quick post to get us started.
Probably won't post again until just before I leave...
See you then!