Vocational Training - Uganda

Tailoring class starting from 17th October  in Masafu - using sewing machines supplied by Tools with a Mission. Streams of Mercy paid for the shipping, customs and handling.

A tailoring class has been using sewing machines supplied by Tools with a Mission. Streams of Mercy paid for the shipping, customs and handling. The course will run for nine  months.  The  30 participants are older orphans and some of the guardians. At the Fellowship day towards the end of our mission, Florence (picture 5) listed their achievements during the course so far.  She said : 

"We look at our past with gratitude, our present with confidence and our future with hope as we build the generation that fear and serve God. This centre is training, preparing, shaping and guiding us for today's tasks, challenges and responsibilities. It is preparing our bodies, minds and hearts. We should not only prepare to become skilled. We were far away from Christ but the centre is preparing our hearts and bringing us nearer to God."

Our achievements so far: 

Ability to make measurements and sew shirts and shorts.
Learning to operate the tailoring machine
Learning new ways of relating to others.
Learning about different personalities and being able to handle others and live in harmony with them. 
Learning how to speak to and handle clients.
We have made new friends.
Our spiritual life has been uplifted.
Discussions are also underway with the Officer in Charge of  Prisons  to work out how to begin training the in-mates, since training them after serving  their sentence will be very expensive.

The Carpentry class is due to start in May 2012.
We believe that there will soon be a  vocational training centre for ex prisoners in Masafu similar to the Samaritan centre in Zambia.

The above pictures show  the first students in the tailoring class. From left to right: Jane in class; Jude in class; Afternoon class;  Florence; Tailoring class; Gertrude in class. 

THE CONTAINER OF AID IS HAS ARRIVED.

On Dec 1st 2012 a 40 foot Container left Southampton bound for Soroti, Uganda via Mombassa in Kenya. Streams of Mercy  bought space on this container, which was  organised by Friends of Teso. We sent a consignment of 42 sewing machines, boxes of fabric and dressmaking accessories, carpentry, mechanics and builders tools, medical aid, scholastic materials, GO TEACH Sunday school materials, Bibles, SOON, Upesi, meal trays, knitted goods, 18 manual typewriters, offices supplies, football kit, a photocopier and 4 bicycles.

Half of the sewing machines were manual and were destined for women's groups in Kotido (a Karamajoa region) and Soroti.  The rest of the consignment was bound for Radiant Love in Masafu (Busia) where Pastor Jimmy  allocated the goods appropriately. the praise God that the container arrived safely in time for Easter. An opening ceremony was held on Good Friday, led by Rev Boniface. Many thanks to all those who  made it possible to send this aid.

Friends of Teso - see www.friends-of-teso-uganda.org.uk

GO TEACH - see www.goteach.org.uk

SOON and Upesi - see www.soon.org.uk

Football kit donated by KITAID:  www.affinitywater.co.uk/kit-aid.aspx

All tools, typewriters and most sewing machines, knitted goods, and miscellaneous other items donated and packed by Revive 'n' Thrive who work out of Mychett Baptist Church in Surrey. 

Medical aid from a clinic in Milton Keynes.

Reconditioned Photocopier sold to us at a reduced price by UTAX.

See pictures in the container photo album.