East African Playgrounds

Our Uganda volunteers have almost finished their third week of playground building in Jinja. Here’s the latest update:

After the team arrived, we met with the committee set up by the school. We are now builidng them more than just a playground simply because money goes so much further here than our experience of Tanzania last year.

So the long and the short of that meeting is that we are now building them:

- a small kids playground (5 boingy-boingies, 1 see-saw, 1 roundabout, 2 swings, a sandpit)

- a bigger kids playground (a climbing frame, monkeybars, tyre bridge, firemans pole, 4 see-saws and 4 swings)

- a football pitch with goals and limed markings

- an all-in-one basket/netball/tennis concrete court

- a limed volleyball court with set posts

- and a fence around the top of the field.

The building is going GREAT! We asked the committee to get the community involved because it is there playground, and we want to foster local ownership, and on the first day we had 20 volunteers!! Since then we have had at least 4 locals help a day.

We’re making good progress on the building, and have already found some potential sites for next year’s builds – one is at an orphanage, and another at a place for street kids.

Many thanks to all of you who have supported us in this – without you it wouldn’t be possible!

The EAP Team

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Hello EAP lovelies,

Here is our FIRST official Jinja project update!!! Drumroll please…

Tom & Carla (EAP co-founders) arrived in Africa at the end of June to check up on last years’ playground and to prepare for the project in Jinja, Uganda.

Since their arrival, the playground in Kibaya, Tanzania has been upgraded, and after a 36 hour coach journey, Tom & Carla arrived in Jinja tired but well. They have settled at the school, met everyone, bought all the necessary materials, employed a local welder and consulted with a very excited school committee.

And our volunteer team arrived on 6th July… photos to follow!

You can follow the progress of our 2009 Jinja project by checking back here or on our Facebook page… we will be keeping you updated throughout the summer!

Many thanks,

The EAP Team

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A massive ‘congratulations’ and ‘thank you!’ to EAP Trustee David Godfrey who recently ran the Hinckley Half Marathon, raising £300 for EAP in the process.

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Drumroll please… Introducing our team of volunteers for summer 2009, who will shortly be heading to Jinja, Uganda! Hurrah!

Time is flying by and the clock is well and truly ticking away until our team of volunteers set off for Jinja, Uganda, and East African Playgrounds 2009 project.

So before they become too care-worn and haggered from digging, building and painting, we are proud to present our fresh-faced 2009 team of volunteers!

From left-to-right: Milly, April, Phil, Jo, Bill, Emily, Danny and Debbie.

Thank you guys for all your hard work fundraising so far, and thank you in advance for the hard work that’s sure to come!

To follow the progress of our team this summer, please make sure you sign up to follow our blog

* You can follow Phil’s blog here.

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Hello EAP peeps,

Good news, we are ordering these pretty darn cool chestnut brown EAP hoodies. If you would like one, we need to know quick-sharp (by the 23rd May), so please let us know – you can contact us through our website contact page, or via Facebook. You’ll also need to tell us know what size you require – small, medium, large or extra large – and drop cash or a cheque round to us for £15, for that is how much they cost.

Please make any cheques payable to East African Playgrounds. 

Lovely.

The EAP Team

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