SORD Uganda. Judith's Sponsored Swim for a New Classroom

SORD & SWIMMING

= A Judith Sponsored Swim to Build a Classroom!

SORD Schools where Everybody is Somebody.

Hi, I'm Judith

I'm becoming more and more passionate about supporting SORD plus I'm loving being back in the pool.

I've been doing hydrotherapy since November and have VERY slowly been able to increase the exercise I'm able to do and the time I spend in the pool.

So let's combine the two!

In Feb I set myself the challenge of building up to a Sponsored Swim for SORD in September; Sept is nearly here!

I've been supporting SORD for a number of years. I've seen the amazing difference it makes to changing lives of the children in their 2 schools; especially the lives of the sponsored children, who slowly gain a smile. It is wonderful to partner with the parents to provide some hope for their children. The more I see the amazing work they do, and how every pound makes such an amazing difference; the more I want to help

They have 2 schools in Amolatar and Kawempe, Kampala

• Amolatar is a very poor district, the other side of the lake from Kampala.

• The late Moses, founder of SORD came from Amolatar.

• There was little provision of education for the poorest from his village. This school came up for sale, and thus it was purchased.

• BUT the buildings were in a dire state.

• We've already fundraised and built 2 new Latrine blocks, 4 classrooms and a admin room. Still the need for New Classrooms and additional buildings is Urgent.

• Since building the new girl's latrine block; the old block fell down in heavy rains, fortunately as they were no longer in use, no child was hurt; similarly a few months ago, the kitchen block collapsed after rain.

Amolatar School was purchased just over 2 years ago. We now have 250 children. There are 82 children that are sponsored. These are children who wouldn't attend school otherwise. All the children also get breakfast and lunch.

The state of the existing old classrooms is dire.

Dark, small with leaking rooves, holes in the walls - you get a bit of an idea from the pictures on my flyer. In the light of the demise of the kitchen and old loos, there is serious risk of them falling down in the next heavy rain; children getting injured.

The contrast with the new classrooms is amazing.

Paul Kayes and I have been FB friends for a long time, through many ME groups. He became friends with the late Moses via FB, and then took the role of UK Coordinator. I've been following Paul's SORD posts for some time and have slowly become more involved. We are 2 of the many supporters with ME; I know for many of us, it gives us purpose, even with incapacitating illness.

My baseline for this swim is much lower than my last one.

• I moved to LA 15 months ago, and got back in a hydrotherapy pool in November.

• I've started from just bobbing around with a noodle for 20min (which put me in bed in agony for 2 days) to

• Now I'm in the pool for the full 50mins plus I've built up to swimming over 100m.

•The best bit is my 10 min relaxing and floating at the end, bliss in 35deg salt water!

• So now it's time to challenge myself: - my initial aim is 1 km during September. I'll need to reduce other activities, so I can swim further and more often.

• I need to find a bigger pool!

• 1km doesn't seem far, but given my starting point!

In Feb, I set myself this challenge and have since booked to be away for half of September! You never know, I may increase it to 1 mile.

I'd really appreciate any support you can give to SORD, to spur me on in this challenge - it certainly WILL BE a challenge for me.

I know every penny will be well spent and it really will change lives.

To find out more about SORD

- their web page is Sorduganda.org

- join SORD Supporters on FB