January 11th found the Suubi community meeting at the centre for the first big training and planning day for 2010. More than 100 people gathered at the centre to witness the establishment of the Suubi sporting teams. A Suubi sports council was formed with nine members of the community putting their hands up to coordinate the development of football and netball in the area. With so many Ugandan youth being sports crazy, just like kids in the western world, it's hoped that by forming teams directly linked to Suubi, it will encourage them to participate in other activities and training at the centre, such as HIV and malaria awareness.
The youth from the area excitedly tried out the new sporting equipment, which was purchased from money donated by Kyabram P-12 College.
Uniforms printed with the Suubi name will help to create a real sense of connection to the centre.
With the sporting component of the day completed the focus shifted to the environment! The newly built kitchen and storeroom at the centre had recently been completed and was in need of a fuel efficient stove. This presented another opportunity for further training to be held for the enthusiastic group of women who had attended early training sessions in stove making. Previously the women had learnt the skills to build small portable fuel efficient stoves, but as the Suubi kitchen required a permanently fitted larger stove, (like many women would benefit from having in their family kitchens) it was decided that the more advanced stove making skills could be passed on at the same time.
The recently completed Suubi kitchen and store room.
The training began inside with instructions and stove dimensions being distributed and discussed.
University students who were conducting the training demonstrated how to prepare the soil which is used to make the stove.
The women were a little hesitant to begin with but soon realised, squishing around in the mud can be fun!
Everyone was thrilled with the finished stove.
So by the end of the day, Suubi had a brand new fuel efficient stove to add to their brand new sporting teams. And the women had the skills to go off and build there own stove if they wished to.
What a fabulously successful day to start the new year. We're sure there will be many more to come this year and look forward to telling you all about them as they happen.
HUG's from the team!
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