Giving Tuesday 2023 (#GivingTuesdayCA)
November 28, 2023 is GivingTuesday, which is also known as the annual day of global generosity! GivingTuesday is described by CanadaHelps as being about creating positive change in our communities and across the world through giving back. Every gesture of goodwill is valid and important. Even a simple act of kindness can have a massive impact by lifting someone's spirits, providing comfort, and effecting change beyond what we can see. 

For CanUgan, it also kicks off our fourth Holiday Giving Campaign, which will run through to the end of December, with our goal being to raise $7,000.

View this email in your browser In this issue - Giving Tuesday 2023 - CanUgan's Holiday Giving Campaign 2023 - 2023 Third Quarter Distributed Devices - Great Canadian Giving Challenge Recap - International Day of Persons w/Disabilities - Recipient Profile - Nguomoja Kambale Giving Tuesday 2023 (#GivingTuesdayCA) November 28, 2023 is GivingTuesday, which is also known as the annual day of global generosity! GivingTuesday is described by CanadaHelps as being about creating positive change in our communities and across the world through giving back. Every gesture of goodwill is valid and important. Even a simple act of kindness can have a massive impact by lifting someone's spirits, providing comfort, and effecting change beyond what we can see.  For CanUgan, it also kicks off our fourth Holiday Giving Campaign, which will run through to the end of December, with our goal being to raise $7,000. CanUgan's Holiday Giving Campaign 2023 Starting on Giving Tuesday, November 28th, CanUgan will be sharing profiles of recipients and highlighting how your donation can make a difference this Holiday Season on its social media accounts. Follow along as we share stories about CanUgan's work throughout the year. Don't forget to share with your friends and family!  Watch our Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook accounts for regular updates and stories throughout the month of December. Please share with your friends and family! To donate, please visit: https://canugan.org/donate/ 2023 Third Quarter Distributed Devices      ASSISTIVE DEVICES DISTRIBUTED 1 Tri-cycles 3 2 Wheelchair 1 3 White Canes 5 4 Crutches 7 5 Calipers 2 6 Surgical boot 4 7 Raised shoe 3   Total Items distributed 25 In addition to the 25 distributed devices, the KADUPEDI team repaired and bought spokes for a tricycle which allows the recipient, Charles Ndobya, to commute to their job at the Bwera Hospital. Prior to the repair of their tricycle, Charles had issues commuting to work as their commute to the hospital is approximately 3 kilometers from their home. Great Canadian Giving Challenge Recap As in many years past, in June 2023, CanUgan participated in the Great Canadian Giving Challenge! Thanks to over 59 generous donors, we were able to raised $10,041.  We are so grateful for your support!  International Day of Persons with Disabilities - December 3, 2023 International Day for Persons with Disabilities is Sunday, December 3, 2023.  International Day of Persons with Disabilities was proclaimed in 1992 with the aim to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.  The current world population is over 8 billion people with more than one billion people (approximately 15%) living with some form of disability; 80% of which live in developing countries. Look out for our Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook accounts, as we observe International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Sunday, December 3, 2023. Recipient Profile - Nguomoja Kambale Nguomoja Kambale (pictured above at KADUPEDI) aspires to start their own goat meat business because now Nguomoja is able to walk to and from the market to buy goats, thanks to the crutches they received. Each donation during our Holiday Giving Campaign will help to provide recipients like Nguomoja the mobility to start a business, earn a living for themselves or attend school. To support CanUgan throughout the month of December, please visit:  https://canugan.org/donate/ Copyright © 2020 CanUgan Disability Support, All rights reserved. You are receiving this e-mail because you opted in at canugan.org Our mailing address is: CanUgan Disability Support 61 Smirle Ave Ottawa, On K1Y 0S2 Canada Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

This email was sent to <<Email Address>> why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences CanUgan Disability Support · 61 Smirle Ave · Ottawa, On K1Y 0S2 · Canada

This past June, thanks to 59 generous donors, we raised $10,041 in our online fundraising campaign, in support of purchasing assistive devices (wheelchairs, crutches, calipers, white canes, etc.) for persons with disabilities in Kasese, Uganda. Thank you, donors, for the gift of mobility.

Micheal Ndizkwani is the beneficiary in the following video. He shows that with a bit of help, he can be mobile. This tricycle was initially proto-typed by students in industrial design at Carleton University. This assistive device can enhance mobility on rough terrain. 

Watch the video here.

Kasese District community health worker Bwambale Robert is to be commended for organizing a study tour in March 2023 with 30 farmers focusing on the impact of climate change. He has put together a report on how agricultural and tree planting changes are so necessary to protect the local environment. At CanUgan, we are so aware that people with disabilities are most vulnerable during weather related disasters like mud slides. Building a healthy community is very much about protecting the environment.

Our last Annual General Meeting was on February 1, 2022. Over the past year the board met via zoom on 6 occasions including the AGM. In December available directors of the board came together for an in-person dinner. This was the first in-person gathering of the board since early 2020.

Board of Directors

In 2022, the 9-person board has been very active. I want to thank all board members for their tireless efforts as volunteers in support of CanUgan.

Jacqueline Tumusiime
Amanda Cox
Caroline Marshall
Rick Morello
Shauna Devlin
Tess Fremont Cote
Tim McCarthy
Erina Buliibwa
Jack McCarthy

Board members Erina Buliibwa joined the board in March 2022 and Tim McCarthy joined the board in May 2022.

At this meeting Jacqueline Tumusiime will be resigning after 6 years on the board. I want to thank Jacqueline for her participation. The last visit to Kasese Uganda by a CanUgan board member was made by Jacqueline in December 2021.

KADUPEDI

Our partnership with the Kasese District Union of Persons with Disabilities (KADUPEDI) remains strong thanks in large measure to our close working relationship with Baluku Peter. Peter is also the Deputy Mayor in Kasese. All documentation to support the transfer of funds on a quarterly basis for assistive devices remains thorough and comprehensive. Our next site visit to Kasese will be undertaken by board member Shauna Devlin who is planning her trip to Kasese in September 2023.

Great Canadian Giving Challenge, June 2022

Thanks to 66 generous donors, we raised $12,960 in our online fundraising campaign, surpassing our goal of $10,000. This amount beat the previous year’s campaign raising $10,243 thanks to 63 donors. 2022 is our most successful online fundraising campaign to date. Special thanks are in order to CanUgan board members who reached out to their networks to support the campaign and the many donors who are now making regular annual contributions to CanUgan.

Holiday Giving Campaign, November and December 2022

Thanks to 44 generous donors, CanUgan raised $7,045 for our Holiday Giving campaign in 2022. In 2021, we raised $8,734 thanks to 41 donors. This year we targeted our campaign to coincide with Giving Tuesday. We want to thank all of our donors for their generosity. Our social media campaign which has helped with fundraising is getting stronger thanks to the efforts of board member Caroline Marshall.

Fundraising Totals: In 2022, $20,005 was raised. In 2021, $18,977 was raised.

Tele-Rehabilitation Project

The focus of this project is to connect physiotherapy students from the School of Rehabilitation Services, at the University of Ottawa, to persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Kasese to optimize their use of mobility devices.

CanUgan is collaborating with Jennifer O’Neil, a part-time Professor who helped secure a $800 grant from the University to cover a portion of the costs of a laptop, modem and three months’ cellular fees associated with setting up a smooth internet connect between Canada and Uganda. The CanUgan board approved an additional $500 to support these expenses.

Work is proceeding with developing a virtual platform to capture client data. With the assistance of Dr Brian Budgell from the Global Peace Network, we have been introduced to the “Echo platform,” a free learning management system that will help track client data, access relevant case studies and best practice research.

Bwambale Robert will be the point person in Kasese to engage PWDs and track their progress.

Emergency Relief Donation

In September 2022, the board approved a donation of $1,500 (including a $500 donation from Navin Parekh) to support primarily PWDs who were negatively impacted by the mud slides that occurred in Kasese District. Heavy rains and flooding as well as droughts tend to be occurring on a regular basis with devastating impact on the local population.

SUMMARY OF ASSISTIVE DEVICES DISTRIBUTED

2021-2022

Website, social media and newsletters

We are pleased to have secured the help of CanUgan volunteer Paula Campbell who posts all content to the CanUgan website. We endeavour to keep our site as current as possible.

Special thanks are in order to board member Caroline Marshall who coordinates social media for CanUgan.

In 2022, two CanUgan e-newsletters, one in the fall and one in the spring, were sent to CanUgan members and donors. Special thanks to board member Shauna Devlin for her work on putting the newsletters together.

Strategic Plan

In the fall of 2022, board member Caroline Marshall led the board through a review of the strategic plan put in place in 2021. Future Directions include:

• Advance tele-rehabilitation project
• Consider increasing quarterly funds transfer should fundraising targets be reached
• Minimize administration costs associated with quarterly bank transfers
• Raise fundraising goals by 10%
• Recruit new board members to access new donor networks
• Update CanUgan members list
• Host one in person donor appreciation event
• Continue with producing two newsletters per year

In December 2022, members of the CanUgan Board who were available came together in person for the first time since the start of the pandemic. It was so nice to share stories, have a few laughs and get caught up on our ever changing lives. It was also nice to share a dinner with former Board member Moses Olong.

Thanks to 44 generous donors, CanUgan raised $7,045 for our Holiday Giving campaign in 2022. We can't thank our donors enough for giving the gift of mobility to persons with disabilities in Kasese, Uganda. Here's wishing all of our donors a very happy 2023!

View this email in your browser In this issue - Giving Tuesday 2022 - CanUgan's Holiday Giving Campaign 2022 - 2022 Third Quarter Distributed Devices - Reflections from a CanUgan Donor - Community Sensitization Exercise - Great Canadian Giving Challenge Recap - Increased Costs of Assistive Devices - Recipient Profile - Natukunda Tryphine Giving Tuesday 2022  November 29 is GivingTuesday and marks the start of CanUgan's third annual Holiday Giving Campaign!  A global generosity movement, GivingTuesday takes place each year as the “opening day of the giving season". It is a time when charities, companies and individuals join together and rally for their favourite causes. For CanUgan, it also kicks off our Holiday Giving Campaign, which runs through December. Last year, we raised $8,734. thanks to 41 donors. This year, our goal is to surpass last year's total and raise $9,000. By Xavier Romero-Frias - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23287278 CanUgan's Holiday Giving Challenge 2022 Starting on Giving Tuesday, November 29th, CanUgan will be sharing the CanUgan 12 Days of Christmas on its social media accounts. Follow along as we count down to the holidays, and introduce you to all the most important elements of CanUgan's work. Each day will bring something new and a story about CanUgan's work. Don't forget to share with your friends and family!  Watch our Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook accounts for regular updates and stories throughout the month of December. Please share with your friends and family! To donate, please visit: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/canugan-disability-support 2022 Third Quarter Distributed Devices      ASSISTIVE DEVICES DISTRIBUTED 1 Tri- cycles 3 2 Wheel chair 1 3 White Canes 5 4 Crutches 8 5 Calipers 1 6 Surgical boot 3 7 Raised shoe 3   Total Items distributed 24 In addition to the 24 distributed devices, the KADUPEDI team repaired five wheelchairs in the third quarter. Reflections from a CanUgan Donor and Toronto Resident Harry Smaller November 2022 About a decade ago, while working for a short time in Uganda, my wife and I had the opportunity to visit the Kasese District Union of Persons with Disabilities (KADUPEDI), in the rural far-western part of the country. We were totally impressed (amazed, actually) with their grass-roots orientation; reaching out to disability groups and individuals in villages, offering support by way of assistive devices (wheelchairs, white canes, crutches etc). At the same time, we were equally impressed with the education, advocacy and lobbying they were undertaking, on the behalf of residents with disabilities. In addition to spending time in Kasese, we were also very fortunate to join in on a trip visiting several villages, and being welcomed and informed by local disability organizations. Having met Navin Parekh there, and watching him engage with KADUPEDI and its workers, we were certainly not surprised to learn that, on his return to Canada, he had been instrumental in helping to establish CanUgan. By all accounts, it has clearly been a wonderful organization, continuing in many ways in helping those with disabilities in Uganda. It has indeed been an honour for us to be able to continue supporting it over these years. May it continue for many, many more! Community Sensitization Exercise Led by Bwambale Robert Recently, Bwambale Robert (pictured below) conducted a health community sensitization exercise, in his capacity as a health worker, to sensitize community members on the upcoming Polio immunization exercise that will begin within the whole District of Kasese. Most of the disability in the Kasese District is due to polio infection. The Government of Uganda, in partnership with the World Health Organization, have organized this health exercise. During this exercise, which is already underway, Bwambale Robert will travel to surrounding villages and identify persons with disabilities (PWDs) who are suffering, due to lack of assistive devices, (focusing mostly on wheel chairs). Thus far, Bwambale Robert has identified four students who are being carried to and from school by their parents. Bwambale Robert also identified two elderly disabled women, who are also lacking wheel chairs. One of the women, was quite ill but was unable to get to the hospital. Bwambale Robert was able to bring her to the local health facility for medical care and at the facility, she was given a wheel chair by a project called Dakitari Project, which is supported by Belgian Nursing students. Bwambale Robert reiterated that PWDs are suffering without assistive devices and can become very isolated in their homes. Bwambale Robert continues to share stories of PWDs in Kasese communities as a means to shed light on the ongoing challenges they face. Bwambale Robert is also taking time to educate parents in the Kasese communities, of the importance of polio vaccines for their children. Great Canadian Giving Challenge Recap In June 2022, CanUgan participated in the Great Canadian Giving Challenge! Thanks to over 60 generous donors, we were able to surpass our campaign goal of $10,000 and raised $12,960.  This was our most successful campaign, to date, and we greatly appreciate the support we received from our donors.  Increased Costs of Assistive Devices Our partners at KADUPEPI have noted that the cost of some of the assistive devices has increased in the last year, which will have an impact on the amount of assistive devices that will be distributed. Tricycles have increase in cost from 650,000 to 700,000 Ugandan Shillings; wheelchairs have increased from 700,000 to 750,000 Ugandan Shillings; crutches from 175,000 to 180,000 Ugandan Shillings; and surgical boots have increased from 365,000 to 380,000 Ugandan Shillings. Raised shoe cost have remained the same at 350,000 Ugandan Shillings and calipers have also remained the same cost, at 320,000 Ugandan Shillings. * Please note that $1.00 CDN dollar = approximately 2,800 Uganda shillings Recipient Profile Natukunda Tryphine (pictured above) is an 11 year-old student who was unable to attend school however once she received her raised shoe, she was able to get back to school. To support CanUgan throughout the month of December, please visit:  canugan.org Copyright © 2020 CanUgan Disability Support, All rights reserved. You are receiving this e-mail because you opted in at canugan.org Our mailing address is: CanUgan Disability Support 61 Smirle Ave Ottawa, On K1Y 0S2 Canada Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

This email was sent to <<Email Address>> why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences CanUgan Disability Support · 61 Smirle Ave · Ottawa, On K1Y 0S2 · Canada

Thanks to 66 generous donors, we raised $12,960 in our online fundraising campaign, surpassing our goal of $10,000, in support of purchasing assistive devices (wheelchairs, crutches, calipers, white canes, etc.) for persons with disabilities in Kasese, Uganda. Thank you donors for the gift of mobility.