Brief 2018 Updates
Education
The big news at Think Humanity is that we have graduated our first group of ladies at the Think Humanity Girls' Hostel. After six years of hard work we were so pleased with their exam results. They all graduated and many with impressive scores. Thank you sponsors, individual donors, grantees. Special recognition to UnlockHope.com for all the support to these students for the entire six years.
In a region with 85% unemployment, we are so pleased that most of our students found employment. Many of them were hired as teachers in both primary and secondary schools. In the refugee camp, Betty is working as a counselor with Save the Children and Napona is working with Red Cross Uganda. Think Humanity has hired Moonlight as our office administrator and Grace as our cook. (pictured Napona and Moonlight)
 
TH Team Headed to Uganda in April: In April we will be holding our 6th Annual Leadership Summit and combining it with a simple graduation ceremony. We should have 100 in attendance.
Even though the majority of the first group of graduates have left us (we still have three in business school), the hostel is busy with a new group of young ladies ages 12 - 16. We thank donors on social media and Rich Kaufman for helping us with new uniforms, school supplies and a new "kitchen" because our kitchen had burned down. We also were able to get them all sponsored for 2018. As in the past, we have students from South Sudan, DR Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. We have several orphans and all these students need educational assistance. (not all girls shown) Others who are supporting these students: Foundations Church in Loveland, Colorado and Ron and Vicki Norby of Colorado.
 Water Wells
In April the TH USA/Uganda Team plan to dedicate eight new wells and to look for new locations for at least five more.
Pictured is our latest well in Kisalizi-Kimigi Village in Masindi District, Uganda. Once the cement is dry, the village will have clean and accessible water. This well was donated by the children of Central Elementary in Longmont, Colorado.
Mosquito Nets in Kagoma Receiving Area Kyangwali Refugee Camp
While in Uganda we will be giving out 3,000 mosquito nets to the new arrivals in the Kyangwali Refugee Camp. These refugees are coming over on boats from the DR Congo due to tribal wars and violence. Thank you to so many who took part in our fund-raising efforts.
 
Think Humanity Health Center Kyangwali
In January and February 266 babies were immunized and 246 ultrasounds were freely given. In addition more than 1,000 patients were seen. There was an outreach (Health Day) at the beginning of the year and we will hold another Health Day in April.
Moonlight Nursery and Primary School
Moonlight Nursery and Primary School project is finally completed with three classrooms, latrines and last month the completion with the cement floors. Thank you Sharon Naimon-Norton and Central Elementary School for making this dream come true.
Pictured below is the new cement floor in one of the three new classrooms.
Think Humanity welcomes Kristin Stephens as a Think Humanity board member. Kristin is a Fort Collins City Council Member for District 4.
Be Blessed!
Beth Heckel, Founder Think Humanity
Brief 2017 accomplishments
Donors, you made a huge impact in 2017
- Four large mosquito net distributions in five different villages totaling 7,000 with another 2,500 mosquito nets ready to distribute soon.
- Healthcare provided at the TH Kyangwali Health Center for approximately 7,200 people. (not counting outreach programs and health days) Cases of malaria have decreased due to our concentration of mosquito nets near the TH Kyangwali Health Center.
- 800 birthing kits were given to pregnant women in western Uganda.
- 1,200 ultrasounds were given (free) to refugees from Kyangwali Refugee Camp and to people nearby the health center in Kyangwali sub-county.
- Two Women’s Health Days at the clinic that helped 108 people and an outreach program that served 105 children who received medical treatment and vaccinations.
- Education for 51 children from Uganda, Congo, Rwanda and South Sudan ranging from nursery school to university.
- Three special Visitation Days for parents and guardians at the Think Humanity Girls’ Hostel Hoima.
- Fair trade products made in Uganda were purchased. The socio-economic development program teaches women a skill and helps to develop their community.
- Six water wells were constructed and two were repaired.
- A third brick classroom and a latrine were constructed at Moonlight Primary School.
- Trip to Uganda June-July.
- Emergency humanitarian efforts for children after our nurse was murdered and after our past director died from unknown causes.
- Our first group of girl students passed through the Think Humanity Girls’ Hostel (senior 1-6) and two have found employment before they even receive their diplomas! With 85 percent unemployment in the region, this already shows the success of our program.
- We held our 5th Annual Leadership Summit in Hoima. The theme was “Portrait of a Hero(oine). “ We were honored to have Hon. Byenkya Catherine Joy, Minister for Health Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom as our guess speaker.
- 6th Annual Think Humanity Golf Tournament. We raised enough for four wells and 1,000 mosquito nets.
- Think Humanity held their 6th Annual Bed Nets for Life Christmas Campaign. The New Life in Africa Acholi women made Christmas ornaments. 839 were sold and this went towards purchasing mosquito nets. We also had great results from the annual mail-out campaign with 59 percent response. Between the ornament sales, mail-out campaign and miscellaneous donors we were able to purchase 4,500 mosquito nets.
Miscellaneous quotes from Think Humanity Uganda:
“You got us from zero, and now we are hero!” – Think Humanity's Nurse Jane
“You are around all the time, not like rain that comes and goes.” - Hostel student, Hellen
“Outstanding actions create a positive change.” – Secondary student, Tonny
Beth Heckel,
Founder and Executive Director
Think Humanity
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