What was in the suitcase

Phibby arrived with several extremley heavy suitcases.

This is why: When a ugandan visits Denmark she has to bring gifts. And of course she has to bring ugandan food to friends living in Denmark...: Sugar cane, sweet potatoes, spices and of course matoke - green bananas.

Matoke

More friendraising

Peeling the sigar cane for guests

Phibby showing the contents of her suitcase

Food for ugandan friends

Friendraising in Copenhagen

A week has passed since Phibby and four members of the ugandan parliament arrived in Copenhagen - and many things has been done.

Firs and foremost Phibby has been collecting friends all over the city and telling them her story.

About how she is supporting 14 people in her own household in Kampala in Uganda.

Visiting the cancer department at the Rigshospitalet 

How she makes a living by selling books and knitting sweaters for school children. And of course about how she keeps working for her poeple in the villages around Tororo, trying to improve their lives: By educating orphans the two schools of Hands of Hope, by educating barefoot midwives, by trying to make doctors come to the rural areas to help people with their many medical problems. By microfinancing women in order to give them the possibility to start generating their own income. And of course by her basketball project which gives a lot of children joy in a life which otherwise consists mosly of hard work.

Every day for a week, Phibby and her MP's have been meeting with representatives from danish organizations like Action Aid (Mellemfolkelig Samvirke), Doctors without borders and the Cancer Society.

Making friends....

And at night organization of Lifelong Learning, SFOF, has been inviting friends and contacts to meet with her.

Phibby at a meeting at Lifelong Learning Organization
SFOF on March 22.  

We are really really hoping that this will be the beginning of a strong network between Hands of Hope and SFOF and that many more danes will be interested in helping Hands of Hope with their many projects: By helping us fundraise and by spreading the word.

Phibby explaining her projects at a meeting at
Lifelong Learning Organization
SFOF on March 22.  

The north-south alliance

Hectic days in Copenhagen. Our ugandan friends have participated in a whole bunch of meetings: At the NCD alliance stakeholder meeting (NCD = non communicable diseases - cancer, diabetes, heart and lung diseseases) they got the chance to meet with the Danish Cancer Society, doctors from several countries specializing in non communicable diseases but also - important!  - to meet with representatives from different foundations.

CEO of Hands of Hope, Phibby Otaala making contacts at the NCD Stakeholder meeting


At the NCD meeting it became clear that diseases such as diabetes and cancer are hastily growing in many african countries.

But it also became clear that a holistic approach is needed to prevent and fight these diseases: Sports, urban planning, medicine and better nutrition - they are all part of the solution. And at the NCD meeting many different organizations came together in order to create a platform for collaborating.

"Thank you for listening and may god bless you all". Power point - ugandan style. 

Phibby presenting Hands of Hope at the NCD Stakeholder meeting. 


The NCD meeting was very fruitful and many contacts have been made. We are very much hoping, that these contacts will help us fundraise for the many projects, Hands of Hope are doing: Screening for cervical cancer, preventing hiv/AIDS, preventing diabetes and so on.

Benny, Ugandan Parliamentarian, talking about the situation in Uganda at the NCD stakeholder meeting. 

The (ugandan) eagle has landed

Finally Phibby arrived in Copenhagen. And bringing with her four MP's from the Ugandan Parliament. We are very exited to recieve them! After the first unpleasant surprises of Copenhagen pricelevel and weather we had a very cosy sunday afternoon.

Tomorrow morning a big day is awaiting since our friends are all participating in a meeting in the newly formed NCD alliance - fighting non communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart diseases.

 Arriving at Copenhagen Airport sunday afternoon. 

 At the platform waiting for the train towards Copenhagen - and already feeling the cold :-) 

 At the Cabinn where the MP's are going to stay - dressed in ALL of their clothes before facing the Copenhagen evening cold. 

 Early dinner at the local shawarma place with very friendly staff and plenty of pizzas!

All of the clothes are still not enough. Phibby is packing a bag full of jackets, gloves and boots to bring to our freezing friends tomorrow. 

Preparing for Pihbby's visit

We are calling around, writing emails and using our contacts. Phibby from Tororo in Uganda is coming to Copenhagen on March 16 and we are working hard to cook up a good program for her.

Some project planning at SFOF

Coming to Europa is a huge deal - it is expensive and of course, Phibby wants to make the most of her stay, contacting potential donors for her many projects - including the basketball project.

We are really hoping that we can introduce her to as many people as possible in order to enhance her chances of finding some support for the projects. And quite a few meetings are already on: She is going to participate in a large meeting with all kinds of organizations working to prevent cancer, diabetes and heart disesases. Just like Phibby is doing on a small scale in Tororo. Doctors without borders have agreed to meet with her, she is going to the Danish Parliament to meet MP for Socialist Peoples Party, Lisbeth Poulsen, she is meeting with people at the Cancer Society and also with people from SFOF who have invited her.

At the SFOF meeting on March 22 she is going to talk about Hands of Hope and her many projects (some Ugandan parliamentarians will also be there!). The meeting is open to everyone, so if you want to meet her, check this out.

Rebekka