NEWS UPDATE - NO.9

Sean Curnow: Welcome to the ninth update for the UAE Charity Challenge Team. It has been a while since we have issued an update – but we are proud to announce that we have recently completed our charitable commitment to our sponsors for 2009.

CHARITY

The Dubai Centre for Special Needs

The Dubai Centre for Special Needs is an established, non-profit organisation dedicated to providing the highest standard of specialised education, therapy and vocational training, for children with various disabilities. Since 1983 the centre has been largely dependant on the generosity of the local community and corporates for financial aid and other support services. Their aim is to provide each and every one of the students the key to a positive life, thereby “Lighting the path to a brighter future”.

“During one of our visits to the DCSN, we were made aware of the issues they are having with the current traffic congestion in Dubai / Sharjah - especially for kids that are coming from Sharjah. The first pick up is at 6:30am in Sharjah with the kids (and their minders) not getting to the DCSN until just after 9am. These are kids with serious special needs and this situation is really unacceptable. To fix the problem, the DCSN was after an additional bus to split up the existing route in Sharjah and subsequently the time the kids will be taking to get to the DCSN every morning”.

On the 16th November 2008 the UAE Charity Challenge team visited the Dubai Centre for Special Needs. Through the support of our sponsors for 2008, we presented the DCSN with a cheque for AED 185,400 for the purchase of a NEW Mitsubishi Rosa bus to split up the Sharjah pickup route and improve the life of some of the kids at the DCSN. It was a great day out. The team stayed behind for well over an hour as many of the kids wanted an opportunity to sit on the motorbikes used to compete in the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge – and everyone did.

The Malaria Consortium

The Malaria Consortium is an international organisation working primarily in Africa and Asia on communicable disease control. Malaria Consortium International’s head office is in London, UK and the Africa Regional Office and Uganda country programme offices are in Kampala, Uganda. The Uganda office has been active since 2003, supporting a large and diverse country programme. Malaria Consortium Uganda works closely with the Ministry of Health (MoH), academic institutions and a range of partners, and is involved in all aspects of malaria control from policy and strategy development to implementation, monitoring and evaluation and operational research.

The Malaria Consortium Uganda has implemented malaria control interventions in every district of the country, with the scale of operation ranging from targeted operations to national delivery. This experience of LLIN distributions perfectly matched the needs of the UAE Charity Challenge team in achieving their objective of distributing LLIN to the people living on the shores of Lake Albert.

On the 14th May 2008 an initial 2 person team (Eugene Mugisha and Mitra Feldman) from the Malaria Consortium travelled out to the target areas on the edge of Lake Albert to carry out a detailed assessment of the population distribution and existing LLIN coverage. Over a 2 day period they met with various local community leaders and discussed the planned LLIN distribution. On returning to Kampala, the Malaria Consortium prepared a custom LLIN distribution, education and monitoring programme for the target area which was presented to and subsequently approved by the UAE Charity Challenge team.

Heritage Oil & Gas generously stepped in to coordinate and finance the Assessment Visit which included flights to Lake Albert as well as ground transportation and accommodation for Malaria Consortium personnel whilst on site.

On the 27th June 2008 a 3 person team (Eugene Mugisha, Agnes Ssubi and Medord Rukaari) from the Malaria Consortium travelled out to the target areas on the edge of Lake Albert to carry out the LLIN distribution and education programme. Over a period of 10 days a total of 5,800 LLIN were distributed to 10 villages in the Buhuka Parish area. Every person that received a LLIN was also trained in its proper use and washing instructions. In addition, two UPDF military camps also received Nets for every person on camp. (Note: A copy of the Official Distribution Report is included in the Charity Page on the website)

Heritage Oil & Gas once again generously stepped in to coordinate and finance the logistics associated with the Distribution Programme which included –

• Flights to Lake Albert, ground transportation and accommodation for Malaria Consortium personnel whilst on site.
• Transportation of the 2.8 Tonnes of LLIN from Kampala to the edge of Lake Albert
• Lake and land transportation for distributing nets to each of the 10 Villages in the Buhuka Paris area. (Est. Population: 10,203)

A unique logistical challenge associated with this particular LLIN distribution and education programme was that a number of the villages in the Buhuka Paris area are only accessible by water. Heritage Oil & Gas subsequently offered the use of one of their seismic boats to ensure these villages were no overlooked and received their allocation of LLIN’s.

The UAE Charity Challenge team would like to thank Heritage Oil & Gas and all its personnel that were involved in ensuring that the LLIN Distribution Programme was carried out seamlessly.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our corporate and personal sponsors for their financial support which has made all this possible.

Fig 1 – Map showing villages covered during the LLIN Distribution programme in the Buhuka Parish area

Fig 2 – Busigi Village

Fig 3 – Kenyanja Village

Fig 4 – Usasa Village

MEDIA

Wednesday 19th November 2008 / 7 Days – An article appeared in 7 Days newspaper covering the presentation of the cheque for 185,400 AED to the Dubai Centre for Special Needs. A copy of the article can be viewed on the 7 Days website at the following URL - Rallying round in support

SPONSORSHIP

2010 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge

The UAE Charity Challenge team is getting ready to kick off its fund raising activities for 2010. We are looking to better our fundraising efforts clear in the knowledge that the current Financial Crisis means that simply matching our previous achievement will be a tough ask.

WEBSITE

Matt Wilson (Wilson Griffin Design) continues to carry out his volunteer work keeping the website up to date and making improvements. Changes for the Month of August are as follows -

• The 9th News Update has been added to the ‘NEWS’ page
• A complete revamp of the UAE Charity Challenge website is on the table in preparation for our latest challenge– the 2010 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
• Photos of the DSCN Cheque presentation will been added to the ‘GALLERY’ page
• Photos of the Malaria Consortium Distribution Programme will be added to the ‘GALLERY’ page