Dear donors and friends of Talking Hands,
Ine is back in Uganda! Read in this newsletter what she will be up to during her time there. Also in this newsletter: why we are so grateful for our local community, it's time to renovate the classrooms, and three more pupils have graduated!
Would you like to contribute? We are looking for volunteers for the coming summer markets!
Enjoy the read!
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Update land purchase
Ine arrived back in Uganda in February. She is planning to stay until June, in order to make the first steps towards a land purchase, together with the management and coworkers of the New Hope School for the Deaf. This is what we were hoping and saving for last year! On our own piece of land, we would be able to build a new school, larger and more efficient than the property we are currently renting.
Buying land is not easy in Uganda because of uncertainties with regard to land ownership and ownership registration. Fortunately we are assisted by a wonderful local lawyer. We hope that with his help, and a bit of luck, we can soon find a suitable piece of land.
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Ine is glad to be back!
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Local community to the resue
We were very troubled when our current landlord announced in January that he would sell the land we now rent in less than a month’s time. The building of the New Hope School for the Deaf is located on this land, which meant that the school would need to be closed until a new place was found. That would of course not be easy on such a short notice.
Fortunately, we the local community showed their support for the school. They helped us to convince the landlord to give us more time to find a new location. We can now at least stay until the end of 2020. We hope to be able to move the school to our own grounds and buildings by that time.
The support we received from our fellow community members means a lot to us. Not only did they come to our rescue, it also means that our school is fully accepted as part of the community. Even though there were many conflicts with our neighbours in the first years of our settlement! There is still a lot of stigma around deaf people in Uganda. Many of our neighbours first found our pupils “strange”. Now, however, most people in the community can use sign language themselves!
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In our documentary, you meet some of our neighbours!
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In the coming year, we will still need to work hard in order to collect the necessary funds for building the school.
Do you have ideas for fundraising activities? Please contact us via Facebook or e-mail. You can also donate money to our bank account with IBAN NL 74 RABO 0301 2992 50 on the name of "Stichting Talking Hands". Many thanks in advance!
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Donors and volunteers of Talking Hands help to make education for deaf children in Uganda possible!
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Electronics and an electric sewing machine
Before Ine traveled to Uganda, we asked for donations of electronic devices. Many of you responded! Several smartphones, laptops, cameras and even an electric sewing machine have now arrived at the New Hope School.
The staff members of the school are very happy with these items! Doing the administration is much easier with the help of the smartphones and laptops, as is the cooperation and contact with Talking Hands in Europe.
The electric sewing machine contributes greatly to the quality of the crafts that are sold in Europe. Josephine, one of the women making these crafts, has taken the responsibility of the management of the sewing machine.
Many thanks to all who donated!
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The staff is very happy with the new smartphones!
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What you can do
Inspired? Would you also like to contribute to Talking Hands and do you have some time to spare? We are always looking for extra help!
For example, you can help us translate texts (Dutch to German/English), develop promotion materials, or organize fundraising activities, like sales of second hand articles or Ugandan crafts in your neighbourhood. Or you could ask for a donation to Talking Hands as a birthday or anniversary present!
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Do you have ideas for fundraising? Let us know!
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The work we do in Uganda is very important! We would therefore like to ask you kindly to support us. To help us secure the future of our projects, we are especially happy with a monthly donation, but of course all contributions are very welcome! You can donate to Talking Hands Foundation, IBAN: NL74 RABO 0301 2992 50
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Looking for volunteers
Also in the coming summer, Talking Hands will be present at several markets. The profits we make from selling Ugandan crafts forms a substantial part of the foundation’s annual income! These markets are therefore very important in making possible our projects in Uganda.
In the past year, we’ve had help from a number of volunteers. This year, too, we are looking for support at different markets! There is, for example, the Africa Now! Festival on Thursday May 30 at the Africa Museum, the World Fair in Leiden on White Monday, the Reggae Geel Festival in Belgium on August 2 and 3, and many more. Would you be interested to help us out? Send us an email!
Would you rather do some volunteer work from home? We are also looking for someone who can translate our website to English, someone who can adapt our documentary, and there are many more tasks you can help us with.
Please contact us by sending an email to info@talkinghands.nl.
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Will you be manning our stand next summer?
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Renovating the classrooms
The classrooms of the New Hope School are made of wood and metal plates. Over the years, the classrooms have somewhat decayed: termites eat the wood and the metal plates are full of holes. This hinders the classes, especially during the rain season. The wind sometimes blows the educational materials away and it rains inside.
Therefore, it’s time for a renovation! In case we move to a new building soon, the materials we use are reusable. Your financial support for improving the classrooms and thus the quality of the education is very welcome!
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The current classrooms
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Two young goats
Two young milk goats were born in January. The “goats project” now counts five goats. The pupils of the New Hope School take care of them.
The goats provide delicious milk, which is mixed into the breakfast porridge of the pupils. The nutritional value of the milk helps the children remaining healthy, and healthy children learn better! As a perk, the little goats are very cute (;
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Baby goats: cute and useful!
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New graduates
We are very happy to inform you that once again, pupils of the New Hope School for the Deaf have graduated. At the end of 2018, three pupils took their final exams.
Deaf children have to take exactly the same state exam as their hearing peers. For deaf pupils, however, it is much more difficult to read and write in English. The grammar of sign language is completely different, and the deaf children cannot associate the characters with sounds. For this reason, we are extra proud of Violah, Douglas en Rogers!
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Congratulations Violah, Douglas and Rogers!
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New provisional latrine
The latrine near the school collapsed in 2018, just before the school holidays. With your support, we were able to install a new latrine: a very deep hole with a small building on top of it. This has been made from local material, like branches and clay: not very long lasting, but surely sustainable!
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The new latrines
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Your donation is highly appreciated! You can donate to:
Stichting Talking Hands IBAN: NL74 RABO 0301 2992 50
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Thank you for reading this newsletter!
Remarks and ideas concerning the school, the foundation or this newsletter are always very welcome. Please do not hesitate to send us a message via info@talking-hands.nl
You can also follow us on facebook to stay informed on the activities of our foundation.
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