Kinkiizi Update - 19/06/2026

We’re really pleased to be able to give you an update on our parish links with Kinkiizi, as part of the Christchurch Deanery ‘Kinkiizi Action Group’. Gill Tybjerg has been in touch, and she reports back with exciting news ahead of her upcoming visit to Uganda. She writes…

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I am shortly to go to Kinkiizi - leaving Monday 29th June, back on July 15th. I'd appreciate prayers for the visit, for myself and Jane who's going with me, for safe travels,  good health and for blessings for us, and them. There will be lots more to tell on my return, but I’d love to share an update before I go…

The first big bit of news is that I'm taking £4950 from the Deanery Lent appeal for Bwanja School, plus another £1000 outstanding from the previous Buy a Brick campaign. These funds will go towards providing the additional items as requested by the teachers - new latrines for just the teachers' use (at the moment they share old latrines with the students), a rain harvesting system, a cooking shelter/kitchen, solar panels for some electricity, (they are off grid for both electricity and water).

I am also taking lots of baby blankets knitted by various knitters, including a team from Woodgreen to give as a gift to the new mums and babies at the Health Centre:

Above: A beautiful tower of colourful knitted blankets ready to be packed for the trip. Wool can be very hard to come by, particularly in such a remote area of Uganda as Kinkiizi is.

Above: How many blankets can you get in a large holdall?? Answer: 24 and counting, if you vacuum pack them!! There are still more to pack…

Forest Edge Federation of Primary Schools (Hyde, Breamore, Hale) is sending 2 teddies, one to stay with their link Nyakatare School, as a kind of mascot, the other to come home with lots to share with the children at NFE Federation of teddy's experiences visiting Kinkiizi, and Nyakatare school in particular. I’m really looking forward to sharing photos with you of ‘Teddy on Tour’!

Above: Adventure Teddies! Bob (Brown) is coming home to Breamore, Hale & Hyde, his pal is to be given a name by Nyakatare School and is staying with them!

I'll try and keep you update on a more regular basis, but obviously there's more to share now before and just after a visit. AVC are very supportive of all the Deanery is doing to nurture our link with Kinkiizi. Thank you very much to everyone!

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How to donate:

Whilst we can’t accept card payments, you can send BACS transfers or hand cash or cheques in to support the Kinkiizi Action Group in their worthy mission. Please speak to your Church Wardens or Treasurer if you are able to use Gift Aid.

BACS:

Ref: Bwanja
Account number: 25750607
Sort code: 52-21-34 (NatWest)

Cash/cheque:

These can be handed into the Church Office (10am-noon) or placed in the safe of your local church in an envelope clearly labelled ‘Kinkiizi’.

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A huge thanks, not least to Gill, but also to those in our parish and further afield who do so much to fundraise for what is a very poor part of the world. If you ever get the chance to visit, it is an eye-opening and incredibly rewarding trip. Every donation really does make a HUGE difference - and we’re really proud to have been able to do our part collectively to improve the life, work, education, and health of the people in this small part of Uganda.

Kinkiizi Lunch

12-2.30pm Saturday 18 June 2022

Funds raised to be donated to the Kinkiizi Community in Uganda.

Tickets £10

Call Pat on 07985 938644

Raffle draw and prizes!

Canon Gary talks to Bishop Dan

Canon Gary Philbrick, Area Dean of Christchurch, in conversation with the Rt Revd Dan Zoreka, Bishop of our Partner Diocese of Kinkiizi in South-Western Uganda.

KINKIIZI STAFF HOUSE LEAFLET

Christchurch House

A Lent Appeal starts 17 February to support Nyakatare Health Centre, Kinkiizi Diocese Uganda.

Please see below for details regarding fundraising for a Staff House in Kinkizzi or select this link to download the leaflet.

SMARTIE TUBES FOR KINKIIZI

The Mission Matters Group would like to thank God for the amazing generosity of our Benefice. £1000 has been received in the Smartie Tubes, and will go to the Christchurch Deanery Kinkiizi Fund, to be forwarded urgently to our friends in Uganda, where it is desperately needed in a Covid situation much more threatening than ours, and will be used wisely. Thank you so much to all who gave.

Pat Bloomfield

BWANJA SCHOOL APPEAL – KINKIIZI, UGANDA

On behalf of the Deanery of Christchurch.

Encourage everyone to take part, saving 40 pence daily for the 40 days of Lent (Sundays don’t count!) = £16 + £4 Gift Aid (for taxpayers) = £20 .

Details and Jar Wrappers for printing are available on the link below:

http://www.avp-benefice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Bwanja-Appeal-2020-page-724×1024.jpg

http://www.avp-benefice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/4040-jar-wrapper-page-1024×724.jpg

Lent Appeal Leaflet

Jar Wrapper

DROUGHT IN KINKIIZI DIOCESE – request for help

Dear All in Christchurch Deanery:

We’ve had distressing news of the continuing drought in Kinkiizi, Uganda – see pictures overleaf and the message from the Diocesan Secretary below.

People have been very generous with the Hymnathon recently, and Gill Tybjerg from the Deanery will be taking some extra money from Deanery funds specifically for the drought with her when she goes next month.

However, if anyone would like to make an extra donation, we would need to know by Monday, July 3rd, so that she can take it with her on Friday 7th.

Please also remember Kinkiizi Diocese in your prayers.

Canon Gary Philbrick, Area Dean

From the Diocesan Secretary of Kinkiizi Diocese:

To all our development partners and well wishers

Christian love and greetings from the Diocese of Kinkiizi in Kanungu District, Uganda, East Africa to all our development partners and well wishers.

We thank you for your continued support for our Ministry to God’s people.

We are writing to bring to your kind attention the adverse effect that the prolonged drought has seriously caused to our people in Uganda and Kanungu District in particular some people have already started dying as a result of hunger. We fear that if nothing is done urgently, many more people are going to die. Schools may not operate up to the scheduled time of second term because of lack of food.

There are very many families affected but we would like to provide support to the most needy families with beans, posho and rice.

Each of these items is estimated at the cost of Ugx 3,000= (Three thousand shillings only) per kilogram today. We do not know what the cost will be tomorrow as it is changing every other day. As a church, we feel we cannot sit back while our people are facing this great challenge.

We will appreciate any kind of support towards our efforts to mitigate this challenge facing us today.

We have attached photos showing the extent of the effect of the drought on our crops.

We thank you for your positive response to our appeal.

Yours in Christ’s service.

Rev.Can.Bernard Bagaba

Diocesan Secretary. Diocese of Kinkiizi

www.kinkiizidiocese.com

Our sufficiency comes from God (2Cor.3:5)

THE DROUGHT IN KANUNGU DISTRICT, KINKIIZI, UGANDA

Rev’d Sam visits from Uganda, with Sally Johnson and Mark Ward