Stitch Uganda Together is a social entrepreneurship project providing beds to Uganda's homeless, while promoting cultural exchange opportunities through video, pen-pals, multi media presentations, and workshops to demonstrate the power of creati...vity and unity.
What can you give to the person who has everything and the person who has nothing? How about a HANGING HUG?
HANGING HUGS are fabric hammocks sewn in Uganda to benefit the large population of homeless children and adults who need nothing more than a cozy place to rest. For every Hanging Hug purchased in North America, a twin hammock cut from the same cloth will be given freely to a needy person in Uganda. A photo of that Ugandan enjoying their HANGING HUG will be placed in the hammock pocket that gets shipped to the sponsor who pays $80 for both.
HANGING HUGS are being sewn by Life in Africa, an art collective in Kampala, Uganda's Capital, and Bunabumali Good Samaritan Orphanage and Needy School, located in the mountains of Eastern Uganda. The Action Hero Network donated sewing machines to these non-profits, taught how to make hammocks, and will employ those who take part in creating HANGING HUGS.
Action Hero Network community organizer, Cory Richardson, will be in Uganda managing the HANGING HUGS project mid-November to mid-January, and will return to Canada with HUGS for sponsors. $80 includes shipping, which is a great deal for a high quality hammock. This pilot project will be expanded to full production with a better understanding of all costs involved. HANGING HUGS can be used to provide beds in orphanages, hospitals, schools and disaster relief around the world where emergency accommodation is needed.
Creativity and Unity will fashion the life we want for ourselves and others.
KidSing director, Casey Yerxa, will be with us in Uganda to develop a cultural exchange project between students in New Brunswick and youth at the Good Samaritan school in Bunabumali. Each Kidsing student has a photo of their pen pal who will receive a book about what is important to them, and we will create videos interviewing all children, both Uganda and New Brunswick, asking what they could teach each other. This documentary film will be posted online and tour schools around New Brunswick.
Kidsing's 10th year anniversary show "Be the Change" will feature youth in New Brunswick singing songs they learned from youth in Bunabumali, and youth in Bunabumali singing via video songs Casey will teach them, so it will appear they are singing together on stage, much like the award-winning documentary, "Playing For Change: Peace Through Music" ( http://playingforchange.com).
More Questions than Answers.
It is common to think rural people in Uganda are poor and sad, due to what we may consider a lower standard of living. Video shot in Bunabumali shows people are very happy. This makes us question: what do people need to be happy? What do we have to offer? What do people need to know to live healthier, more sustainable lives? Are we any happier or healthier with all that we have? Fortunate to be blessed with resources, do we have a responsibility (an ability to respond) in a way that will truly make a difference? We believe, yes! If we can help one child, then we change the world for that one child. But the question remains... what can we do to help create a sustainable life for the people of a small village in Uganda?
Our objective is to celebrate fulfillment through service, creativity and unity.
The premise of this documentary is that we have as much to gain from a relationship with people in Bunabumali as they do from us, if not more. Through the process of learning about what they need to be healthy and create a sustainable lifestyle, we will also learn to not take what we have for granted. Most of our food is not grown locally, but is transported thousands of miles. Availability of cheap oil and soil depletion as a result of chemical farming have put us in a precarious position, relying on many factors beyond our control for our most vital needs. In a short time... the tables could turn. Those living simple lifestyles in rural villages as they have for many generations will be a lot better off than people living - what is considered - a modern lifestyle dependent on global economics.
Located at the base of Mt.Elgon, Bunabumali is within a green dot on the satellite map of Eastern Africa, where there is an abundance of rainwater for growing plants. The political climate is very stable, without any sign of tribal or rebel warfare. This is a safe place to invite friends - who will together - build a playground and garden where orphans and seekers will come to learn natural building techniques, circus skills, literacy, languages, and methods to enrich the soil to grow everything needed to thrive as a community. This relationship will birth many documentaries and presentations to institutions around the world, which will result in a model for international skill-sharing and social development.
Emmanuel Norman Nakhokho
Good Samaritan Orphan & Needy school
Bunabumali ,Buwali ,Bubiita ,Manjiya
P O Box 36021 kampala Uganda
Mobile:+256772465135
Home: +256753465135
http://bunabumali.org
http://www.actionheronetwork.net/norman.html
http://www.actionheronetwork.net/uganda.html
http://abc4all.net/gsonproject.htm