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International
There is no end to the number and variety of good causes awful disasters
to which we are regularly asked to contribute, quite apart from our ongo-
ing connection with the Hout Bay school. We have fulfilled our initial
obligations to the latter but still, of course, have an ongoing connection
through Harold’s regular journeys to his house situated in the area.
Very recently, I reported at Club meeting that we had received a request
from the VI Form College to contribute towards a project which 13 of their
students are undertaking in July this year, in conjunction with a charitable
organisation called ‘The Great Generation’, the name being taken from a
phrase in a speech by Nelson Mandela. I have visited the charity’s web
site and can only say that it appears to be well set up and connected.
The project involves the students in raising approximately £18000, less
than half of which will go towards their travel to and accommodation in
Uganda. The balance will be split between
a). capital expenditure on a project in a town called Jinja, building a
new playground and providing tools, seeds etc. to plant a sustainable
vegetable garden at a respite centre for orphans in Jinja, where the stu-
dents will be working with children and young people, of various ages,
who are affected by HIV and
b). money used to provide microloans among people in the
communities allowing them to start small businesses and thereby moving
towards self-sufficiency whilst repaying the loans at reasonable rates of
interest.
‘The Great Generation’ charity provides expert partners to guide and run
the schemes and the students and presumably to regulate the lending
and recovery of monies used in the micro-lending activities.
It looks to me like a good scheme which fulfils two objectives at the same
time viz.
1). Providing experience at a local Luton level to students, initially
in organizing and managing a significant fund raising operation and learn-
ing to work as a team here and later in Uganda, as well as developing
their feelings of social responsibility towards people much worse off than
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