Donate to FOCUS online

As a very small charity, determined to send every penny we raise to Uganda, it took us a little while to find the best way to set up online giving.  Finally, we found Virgin Money Giving.

Follow this link to make a direct donation to FOCUS:

2010 Fundraising Dinner – Thanks!

A big thank you to everyone who supported this year’s FOCUS fundraising dinner on 9 November 2010. We had a great evening thanks to all the staff at Locanda de Gusti and raised more than £6,000.

We heard inspiring first hand accounts about the work in Namugongo from staff and young people from Muirhouse Youth Development Group and Craigroyston School.  The founder of Namugongo Fund for Special Children, Rosette Serwanga, was also on hand to offer thanks for the ongoing support that FOCUS provides for the two breakfast centres.  If you would like to donate then post cheques payable to FOCUS to: FOCUS, 49 Cumberland Street, Edinburgh EH3 6RA 

If you have made a donation but not completed a GiftAid Form please complete and return to us.

EVERY penny that you donate will be spent on supporting orphans and vulnerable children in Uganda in projects such as pre-school breakfast clubs and after-school programmes.  To find out what happened to the funds raised last year read our FOCUS Annual Report 2009-10 .

From Muirhouse to Namugongo

Supporters of FOCUS will be delighted to hear about the journey that Muirhouse lad Harry Munro has made to Namugongo.  Harry says:

“I have lived in Uganda for about nine months volunteering for an organisation called Namugongo Fund for Special Children. We provide breakfast and lunch to over 1,000 orphans and vulnerable children each day and we provide educational support and fees, health care, and emotional services. My main task is to help out at the breakfast, lunch and after school clubs. I am involved in supporting seven centres in the area which are run by volunteers.  The volunteers light a fire each night and cook ten gallons of protein enriched maize porridge over night. Then at 6am, I help to distribute the porridge and chat to the kids. Most children turn up really early so that volunteers can look over their homework from the night before then they start their walk to school. Many of these young people walk very long distances to get to school every day and they don’t return home till late in the evening.”

Read the full story on page 9 at:

http://www.northedinburghnews.co.uk/assets/2010/pdfs/june10.pdf

Read more about the links developing between Muirhouse and Namugongo.

Thanks!

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for the fundraising dinner at Bella Mbriana on 4 November 2009.  With your help we raised an amazing £8,500 to support the feeding centres in Namugongo, Uganda.

Particular thanks go to Bella Mbriana (now Locanda de Gusti) for donating all the wonderful food, wine and service so that every penny would go directly to the children of Namugongo.  Even the staff decided to donate their tips!  Thank you for your generosity.

We are currently planning our fundraising event for 2010 so please watch this space!