Our projects

Through sales of kippot and generous dontions we have implemented various projects in the communities. Before commencing any project, we meet with the the community committee and elders to decide how funds can be best used. The community are the best ones to decide how to use profits and donations, rather than being told how to use funds.

One of the poorer communities of the Abayudaya is the Namatumba. They told Kippot for Hope that during the rainy season, their synagogues open windows let in large amounts of water, making it difficult for them to pray. One of our first projects was to help the community install glass panes in their windows.

The Synangogue beforehand

The newly installed windows

Kippot for Hope prides itself in establishing sustainable projects. We prefer to set up initiatives that will produce ongoing income for the community. A few months ago we helped the Namatumba community plough a spare acre of land and convert it into a pineapple plantation by planting 10,000 pineapples seeds. With three yields every year, this one acre of land should generate five times what it cost to set up - every year!

We have discussed plans for education.  School fees in Uganda are prohibitively expensive, so majority of children leave school by the age of 12. The community has no health facilities.  If someone becomes sick they are taken by bicycle, over 50 kilometres, to the nearest clinic.  One of the committee’s long term hopes is that someone can qualify as a nurse and establishes aclinic in their community.  Hygiene is also an issue – they have no running water and have to pay a neighbouring community for access to their bore hole. 

The community have plans to use some of the profits from the pineapples to dig two community pit latrines near their synagogue.  They also dream of completing their synagogue and want it to be a special place that they can be proud of.  The remaining eight windows are yet to be glassed; a concrete floor laid; prayer books obtained; and a few more benches made so less of the congregation must sit on the floor during the service. 

Solar Power Project

The main reason for my visit to the community was to implement the Solar Power Program that has been planned for a few months.  The idea of the Solar Power Program is to replace the community’s dangerous, polluting and expensive kerosene burners with a safe, cheaper solar power alternative.
100 solar power lights were distributed around community members.  The average family in the community spends around $3 a week on kerosene, for light alone.  Now, with the solar lights they are making an average saving of $150 per family per year.  This may not sound like a great deal of money but when you consider that school fees for one student is around $175 per year, it can almost pay for one extra child to receive an education.

Aside from the financial benefits that the solar lights bring the following benefits are also achieved:

Environmental - The fuel burning lights that the community uses has a damaging effect on the environment.  Their crops and animals suffer.

Educational - Due to the price of running a kerosene burner, the families only use them for 2-3 hours each night.  This is the time it takes to prepare and cook the family meal.  This means that the school children have no opportunity to do any homework.  The solar lights are free to operate and can be used for as many hours as required.

Health - Breathing in the fumes that are emitted from kerosene burners has a detrimental effect on the health of the community.  The days when they are ill are also costly - subsistence farmers receive no sick day allowance!   The solar lights give off no fumes and are completely clean.

Dangers - The kerosene burners have a naked flame.  Many adults and children have been badly burned in the past.  Homes have also been destroyed.  The solar lights cannot cause any such problems.

Savings program - As part of the Solar Power Program, each family has agreed that part of the money they are now saving will be paid into the community savings account.  This account is to be used in emergencies of the community – such as the provision of medical treatment.

Our Supporters

Leon Haskin, Melbourne Australia Dena Stemmer, Manchester UK

Updated 5 January 2012