Chairman’s report ; November 2010-11-25
Thank you for coming and for what we have achieved together this year. I would like to say we have accomplished a lot together since SUDA was formally set up and this year is no different. The difference this year is that we’ve been operating in a very difficult financial environment which made fundraising a bit difficult.
• Even with the difficulties that we have experienced we have still managed to complete the project to provide 25 lockers for Matai Secondary School that will provide storage space for one hundred students. Mr. Kapita is contacting the District Education Office so they can transport the lockers to Matai.
• We facilitated Mhairi’s visit to Kalalasi for her medical elective research. The visit has given us the chance to hear from an outsider how the health centre is making a difference to the people of Kalalasi and the surrounding Villages. Mhairi has offered to come and speak at any of our future events if we need her.
• A new doctor has been appointed to the village. He has visited the village to see the health centre but he is yet to report for work.
• We have sent boxes of various donated items including toys, a microscope and a computer for Kalalasi health centre, text books and sports wear for Matai secondary school. Unfortunately all the boxes are still in the port of Dar Es Salaam awaiting clearance. I feel very disappointed with how the Dar. Port is dealing with this issue.
• The Westgate School has been very generous to us again by helping us to raise some more funds and for allowing us to set up our stall at their fundraising events. When I was asked how much we wanted to raise for the project I said £ 2,500. I was told they had already raised £300 for us.
• The trees are doing very well. I spoke to Abinon Tung’ombe on the phone and he said trees are about two and half metres high.
• We are in the process of applying for funding from Trust House Charitable Foundation. We will be sending the application form soon.
• One last piece of news is that the local MP Mr. Mwananzila who was very helpful and trustworthy guy was voted out in strange circumstances by his party. The guy who is in now is not very well known and I have yet to speak to him. The Matai Ward Councillor Mr. Nassoro Kauzeni died three days before the elections. Those who went to Kalalasi to oversee the building of the health centre will remember him for working so hard to make things easier for us which included providing us with his transport.