Embrace IT Africa

“Mikwano Microfinance Currently, EIA is finishing the renovations of the building and will be taking advantage of the newly installed internet connection. This will be a great addition to the facility and will allow for quick, fluid communication with those in the village. Rakai Wellness Organization Since 2010, the Rakai Wellness Organization ("RWO"), EIA's HIV/AIDS initiative, has developed outreach projects in the Rakai district that focus on coordinating and organizing widows and widowers affected by HIV/AIDS. Much of the EIA's outreach focuses on creating sustainable economic projects for the group. EIA also provides bi-weekly counseling services for group members as well as providing aid through food and hygiene products (soap, feminine hygiene products) to members in needs. With a meeting place and their own plot of land, RWO members meet daily to discuss problems, ideas or simply just for the company. Over the past four years, the group has grown from 21 to 30 widows. And though RWO has also lost five members to HIV-related illness since its founding, the need for groups like RWO still remains to grow as the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the Rakai District continues to increase. During our trip this summer, newly elected RWO chairperson, Namatovu Catherine, presented a set of projects and services that will allow RWO to become more self-sustaining. These plans include: - Pig-rearing project - The group will purchase 10 piglets and build 7-10 pig pens on its land. Some of the widows have structures and are strong enough to care for the piglets at their own homes. The idea behind the project is that the group will raise the pigs, which takes an average of 7 months, then breed the pigs and give their piglets to other widows in the group, while selling other mature pigs in the village. This will provide an income and a means of food for the group. - Micro-lending project - The group would like seed money so that they can create their own micro-lending system. This will provide group members with loans (average loan size of $20), thus giving members the opportunity to boost their own farms and small businesses, as many members still keep farms and have small shops in parts of the village. EIA gave 1.25 million shillings to support the group. The group will use 400,000 shillings ($160) to help build and develop RWO's pig-rearing project, and 500,000 shillings ($200) will act as seed money for the group's micro-lending project. The remaining balance will be used to purchase and store food, soap and medicine for the group. Sponsorship Program Helped to send over 100 orphans in Uganda to primary and secondary school. BPS Construction During our trip to Bethlehem Parents School this summer, EIA started several construction projects on the school's campus. First, BPS will finish the construction of its Baby Block, which is the school block that houses their prekindergarten, kindergarten, and 1st grade classes. A part of this block will also include an office for the school nurse. EIA was also to began construction on a boy's dormitory for the younger boys, which will be located behind the kitchen. This dorm will be for younger boys, ages 3-10, and will also include a separate room for a matron who takes care of the boys. These projects are going to be huge improvements for BPS, as the work on the Baby Block will complete construction for all of the buildings on the school compound, while a new boy's dormitory will create a bigger space for the smaller boys to all live together. Construction of both of these buildings will be completed within the next 2 weeks. Irrigation System After two years, EIA has finally completed its sprinkler irrigation system at BPS. It was a long process to put the system in place, but now, BPS will be able to irrigate its land year-round! The equipment EIA purchased allows the school to pump water from a nearby marsh to a well located at the edge of the farm. From the well, water will be pumped through two l”

“Banking and wire fees”

“Account rebalancing”