Your 2015/16 Impact Report A big Thank You... a’ g n o b ‘Siya
‘Asante’
‘ Tɛnki’
...From GAGA UK
Registered Charity Number: 1092028
From the GAGA UK Team
A message from Sarah Hodgson, GAGA UK Director
Thank you, from everyone here at GAGA UK, including our trustees and the projects we support, for everything you are doing for children and communities in Africa. With your help, GAGA UK continues to support a variety of healthcare and education projects, supporting those seriously affected by HIV/AIDS and other illnesses, and poverty. We pride ourselves on the strong relationships we have built with our projects, and with our donors. As a small organisation we are able to show the impact of our spending, and demonstrate our achievements. We believe that we’re a wonderful family, and we’re happy that you’re a part of it. 2015-16 was a brilliant year, as you’ll see in this report. Throughout the year we were able to continue supporting a variety of projects, including: First Step Right Low Primary School, 1000 Hills Community Helpers, Ithembalihle, The White House, Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust, Zimele, and the Sangobeg Scholars all in South Africa; as well as the Big Red Swazi Education Fund; KYGN School in Tanzania and schools in Sierra Leone. We are so proud of the work they are doing to support children and their communities (and we’ve only included a snippet of it here!). Our main source of income is you, our regular donors, and so we really couldn’t do all of this without you.
Now, it’s time for you to enjoy that cuppa and find out more about how each and every day you help children and adults in South Africa, Tanzania and Sierra Leone.
Thank you!
GAGA UK would also like to give special thanks to David Morrison of Sangobeg Developments Ltd; Citadel Risk; and Big Red Recruitment, who continue to contribute significantly to the work of GAGA UK.
EEducation Throughout 2015-16 GAGA UK were able to provide just over £8,000 in funding to First Step Right Low Primary School (FSR), thanks to your donations. This funding helped to pay for teacher salaries, stationery, food and other costs of running the school, ensuring FSR could provide good quality education.
You helped keep 30 children safe at a safe house at KYGN School, Tanzania.
Education and the well-being of children is incredibly important to us here at GAGA UK. We want all children to have a future to look forward to and you are helping us give so many children a wonderful start in life. During 2015/16 GAGA UK provided funding to the following projects supporting children and education: First Step Right Low Primary School (FSR), Ithembalihle, KYGN, schools in Sierra Leone, the Sangobeg Scholars, and the Big Red Swazi Fund.
You helped over 180 children access education
Gael, project manager at FSR: ‘the children are growing up every day. The crèche children become more and more self-sufficient. The children improve their English and it is a privilege to see our teaching improving their lives month after month.’
Through 2016/17 we will continue to support FSR with their running costs, and hope to install a new classroom for the pre-school grades. We will also continue to provide funding to other educational projects.
16 children were kept safe at Ithembalihle; and more were able to access pre-primary education there.
Training and Development Zimele—The Mtubatuba Agricultural Project
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Beneficiaries affiliated with the Mtubatuba programme.
Thanks to your regular donations, we were able to provide £9,000 to Zimele, towards year two of their Mtubatuba agricultural project. This project aimed to enhance farming practices and enable women to generate a reliable income for their families and communities. Various kinds of support were provided, and self-help groups developed. Farmers were given help with infrastructure, such as fencing; and they were able to work together to share their knowledge and experience. Training sessions were delivered, including ‘value adding’ training which taught farmers to use their commodities to make items such as jam, sauces and juices. Training on poultry production was also provided.
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Farmer groups provided with fencing.
The Sangogeg Scholarship Programme The Sangobeg Scholarship programme, funded by major donor David Morrison, helped 9 women access further education and training throughout 201516. Without your support of GAGA UK, it would not be possible to continue providing these opportunities and changing lives.
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Community ‘The agricultural programme, made possible training in Mtubatuba by GAGA, has days. made a notable impact upon the livelihoods of the programme beneficiaries. Farmers have shown growth and improved understanding of selfreliance.’ Zimele UK Tutu (centre), completed her Physiotherapy degree in 2015. She now works at Stanger hospital,
Wendy, in her second year of Cost and Management Accounting tells us her hopes: ‘My greatest professional ambition is to become a successful business woman... I have younger siblings who look up to me as their role model. I would like to use this opportunity to make you and them proud.’
Health
GAGA UK funds a number of projects providing health care and support, which aim to improve the well-being of many people within rural Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa. Thanks to your donations, we have been able to continue supporting the busy clinic at 1000 Hills Community Helpers; Hillcrest AIDS Centre; and we continue to support the GAGA UK’s funding elderly and vulnerable at The White House project. helped over 20,000
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At the 1000 Hills clinic, a range of services are offered 5 days of the week with doctors on call. There are specific clinic days for babies, and the elderly, as well as HIV/AIDS support groups. The services of a volunteer psychologist are available. 1000 Hills provide family planning and help for new mothers. Our funding helps with the running costs, ensuring patients can be seen, treated and referred where possible. It allows for CD4 counts and HIV tests to be conducted, for counselling to be provided and for caregivers to visit homes in the nearby communities.
We fed up to 70 people once every week at the White House, ensuring vulnerable people have food and a support network.
patients in just one year at 1000 Hills Community Helpers.
At the beginning of 2015, GAGA UK funded the second year of nursing training for Nokuphila, who works at Hillcrest AIDS Centre. We are happy to report that she has now completed her studies. Nokuphila was 47 when she decided to qualify as a staff nurse. At the end of July 2016, she received her last exam results, having passed each year with distinction and she is now officially recognised by the South African Nursing Council as an Enrolled Staff Nurse. Nokuphila, a single mother of 3, has worked hard to provide her children with everything they need including much encouragement to further themselves—and providing much inspiration!
Joseph’s Story
Joseph arrived at the Hillcrest AIDS Centre (HACT) Respite unit in June 2015. He had been sick for two years, and had spent much time in and out of hospitals yet was not getting better. 42 years old and a father of four, his life was on the line. When Joseph came in to the unit, his CD4 count (a measure of the strength of the immune system) was very low, at just 2 – a healthy person has a CD4 count of 5001200. He weighed just 44kg; the situation was very serious... Joseph tells his story... ‘The respite unit started to try different medications and gave me a new ARV treatment. Miraculously, after just two weeks, I started to see the difference. The staff in the unit were so caring and the food was very good and I started to put on weight. Just over two months later and I’m now 54kg! ... The care and the counselling helped me emotionally and mentally to get through this time. The first thing that healed me was the service from the carers and the nurses. The way they treat the patients is very different compared to other hospitals I experienced. They care about the patients here...’ The use of the CD4 Joseph didn’t just experience physical recovery; but spiritual too. He describes how he has Count Machine at learnt from his past decisions, and tells how he has decided to change his life for the sake of his HACT, purchased by family. ‘Everything has changed and I am embracing faith again... I’ve started to see the world GAGA UK, helped differently. I have realised how I was living before and what it was doing to me... I want to be a save over 70 lives in good role model for my kids and for other fathers to follow.’ 2015. As Joseph left the unit he said ‘I have so much hope now that I will lead a long life. I will stay at home for a week and then go back to work. I have a new job as a Warehouse Assistant Manager.... Even though I can sometimes feel scared that the symptoms might come back, I have had such a positive experience here that I know I will be fine. I just look forward to being Get in touch if you’d like to read able to provide for my children.’ Joseph’s full story.
You help us so much already, but if you’d like to be more involved, here’s how...
Together we can change lives
If you feel able to do so, please increase your regular donation. An additional £12 a year can... Provide an extra 12 meals at the White House or pay for a child to go to pre-school in South Africa for one month If you’d like more information about regular donations and how they help, please let us know. Tell your friends and family about GAGA. Perhaps you can inspire them, the way you were inspired to support us. Follow us and share our posts on social media, or through our website. Attend our fundraising events (or suggest an idea, or host your own event!). Become a GAGA volunteer or ambassador—get in touch to find out more. If you knit or crochet let us know and we’ll send you our knitter’s pack!
Registered Charity Number: 1092028
* Photo on ‘Health’ page courtesy of HACT and Xavier Vaheed
GAGA UK –Goodwill & Growth for Africa UK, 50 Cygnet Court, Timothy’s Bridge Road, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire CV37 9NW
www.gaga-uk.org
Facebook: UK.GAGA
info@gaga-uk.org
Twitter: @weare_GAGAUK
01789 414088
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Thank you!