Fall 2015

Beatrice’s
HOPE
THE NEWSLETTER OF HOPE MULTIPURPOSE, INC., FOUNDED BY BEATRICE GARUBANDA
VOL. 20, FALL 2015
Donors’ generosity made the African Dinner Gala a big success!
Y
ou helped HMI achieve its goals so more
orphans in rural Uganda can have a childhood
and opportunity for a future. You provided more
than $30,000 through the Gala event! THANK YOU!
GOAL 1: Accept more young vulnerable girls
The US Board has approved selection of up to ten new
residents over the next year. The process has begun in
Uganda to review the waiting list, and to recruit and
assess additional new applicants.
Your donations rescue girls from a life of poverty
and ignorance, and give them opportunity to grow into
young women with a future.
One of the girls
being considered for
the Blue House.
developed a Vulnerability Assessment
Tool that helps evaluate family and
economic situations to identify vulnerable children who can benefit from
care at the Blue House.
Alice joins a supportive care team
with the director, the housemothers, the
board and volunteers. Together they
assured that the Blue House passed its
health inspection, and finalized care
plans for all the girls, among several
documents required for registration as a
children’s home.
GOAL 2: Support post-secondary education
Peace and Ovious have been accepted at Makerere University
in Kampala! Because of Fund-A-Need donations from the
Gala, they can join Grace (in her second year) at the premier
university of East Africa—an amazing accomplishment for
three young women from a little rural orphanage.
Peace
Alice, the new social worker, interviewed a girl and her guardian in their home
as part of the assessment process.
A Social Worker at the Blue House
Alice Namirembe was hired this summer as the Blue House’s
social worker, a position Uganda’s Ministry of Gender now requires of all orphanages.
One of Alice’s duties has been to create more formal selection
criteria that will “strike a balance between the policy of Hope
Multipurpose, Inc. (HMI) and government policy.” She has
Evas and Grace
Ovious
Dorcas
You also made it
possible for Dorcus to
learn hair dressing at
a vocational school.
And Evas finished her
one-year certificate
program, and is now
teaching at Little
Beetles Nursery
School in Kampala. H
Sewing Project proceeds
The Sewing School is ready to open! Paying students who
registered for a 2-year program will use the new building and
equipment.
The school was funded by a donation in the memory of
Margaret B. Krohn, a seamstress, quilter, sewing instructor
and author. It will offer training to the Blue House girls and
reach out to women and girls in the Kazo community, providing opportunity to develop skills that can help improve their
lives, produce new income, and reduce poverty.
The business plan expects the school to be self-supporting
and to generate income for the Blue House. H
Vene Tumwebaze, a housemother and the sewing
program manager, inspects the school uniforms
that the older girls made for primary school pupils.
At right, the girls proudly show off the beaded bags
they made.
Eggs, eggs, and more eggs
Jackson’s job includes feeding the chickens, changing their beds, giving vaccinations and vitamins,
marketing and selling eggs, and hosting visitors.
The chickens watch Elizabeth fill their water barrel.
The hens are laying eggs—a lot of them. At last report,
they were laying more than 4,000 per week. Besides being
used for the Blue House breakfasts and cooking, they are
being sold in markets in Kazo and Ibanda.
Kashaija Jackson has been hired to provide the daily care
for the chickens now that Peace and Ovious have gone
away to college. Mutatiina Festo has manged the project
through the transistion. Despite some setbacks, they are
increasing egg production and expect to see a profit by the
end of the year. H
Jane and Lillian pack eggs for the market,
about 135 trays per week so far.
Beatrice’s Hope - 2 - Fall 2015
Another Anniversary
BLUE HOUSE
O
nce Beatrice Garubanda’s dream of
establishing the Blue House became
a reality in July 2004, fundraising events
followed.
Selling homemade crafts was one
of Beatrice’s ideas. In fact, she began
by knitting one of Tracy Dunnwald’s
dishcloth patterns—but, let’s just say,
knitting wasn’t her strong suit. However,
when she sold them for $5 apiece, everyone took notice. Tracy started knitting
dishcloths and making cards and Carol
Roeller made colorful African fabric
handbags—and Beatrice sold them at her
presentations about the Blue House.
After Beatrice’s untimely death in
September 2005, the Board committed
to continue Beatrice’s work, and fundraising was obviously a priority—but
what and how?
BOUTIQUE
Saturday, Dec. 5 — 9 to 3
Sunday, Dec. 6— 9 to 1
Lunch served Saturday, 11 to 1
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church,
2136 Carter Ave., St. Paul
Some crafters stepped forward with an
idea—a holiday sale in December. Linda
Lopez contributed knitted items and Pat
Mack made bracelets with African beads.
They brought card tables and set up in
a classroom at St. Matthew’s Episcopal
Church. It was a small, social gathering—they brought knitting projects to
work on while they talked, shopped, and
visited with other shoppers. They even
brought their own lunches. Tracy says,
“We had no idea what to expect.”
Response was great...and the 2005 “Bazaar” was declared a success!”
The original organizers continue to be
involved, not only as crafters but as the
Boutique Steering Committee. Hundreds of
generous, talented supporters have joined
them. As many of you know, the Boutique
has expanded greatly to fill St. Matthew’s
with a dazzling array of high quality handmade goods, tantalizing gourmet goodies,
unique raffle items and all accompanied by
a sumptuous homemade lunch. What hasn’t changed is the delight in
discovering new items to make and sell,
gratitude for the ingenuity of and partnership with contributors, an ongoing focus
on quality, and a deep commitment and
sense of responsibility to have a successful Boutique—all to benefit the girls at the
Blue House. Come and see what’s new this year! H
Appreciations and Ovations
• Mothers’ Tea in May—attendees and volunteers
• Joe Shalita, who retired from HMI’s U.S. Board of Directors
• John Wathum-Ocama who will be leaving the board after 11 years.
Watch for an article in the next issue.
• Ishaka Mawanda who will serve as the next president of HMI.
Watch for an introduction in the next newsletter.
• Our very generous donors, each and every one of you.
Mothers’ Tea delicacies fit for tea at Downton Abbey.
Finishing a run in the woods near Cloquet,
MN, at the third annual Pine Valley - Blue
House Orphanage Run fundraiser.
Beatrice’s Hope - 3 - Fall 2015
The University of Minnesota
Foundation’s Legacy magazine
featured Flavia dancing in the
cute pants that an apparel
design class made for the Blue
House girls in an annual
service-learning project. See
https://give.umn.edu/content/
clothing-cause .
Dollars for the Blue House:
Easy as 1-2-3
Turn your clothing, furniture and home accents into donations
that benefit the girls!
1:
2:
3:
Think Blue House when gathering gently used clothing and
household items for re-sale.
Take items to Turn Style consignment store in Roseville. Write “Blue House” as the Consignor name on the form, and Account #23365.
Send in your receipt to receive a tax receipt for your donation.
HOPE MULTIPURPOSE, INC.
e
d
HMI
Hope
Creating a
Multipurpose
childhood
for orphans in
Incorporated
rural Uganda
Blue
House
e
f
When shoppers at Turn Style in Roseville buy household items
or clothing you have donated to the Blue House account, the
girls benefit.
dd
Get the details at www.hopemultipurpose.org/consign.html
This is your Christmas appeal letter. The experts say we
need to do one.
In 2015, donors have been especially generous to the Blue
House, as you can see from this newsletter.
Yet, we will still have waiting beds, even after we fill ten
during the next year. Please help fill more.
Patience and Rosemary are sitting for their final O-Level exams
at St. Catherine’s Catholic High School. They are the next two
students who will move on to post-secondary education.
Every orphan we bring to the Blue House is a leap of
faith: that we will be able to support her until she can live
on her own. Please help support them.)
Your gift to the girls makes a big impact on their lives. You
can follow their progress, from poverty to independence,
and their Blue House family life in between.
HMI is a 501(c)(3) charity founded by Beatrice
Garubanda and based in St. Paul, MN.
HMI sponsors The Blue House orphanage in
Kazo, Uganda.
Donations to HMI are tax deductible. See www.hopemultipurpose.org/donate.html
HMI’s U.S. Board of Directors:
Mentor “Duke” Addicks
Marilyn Grantham
Brenda Hansen, Treasurer
Karen Lilley, President
Ishaka L. Mawanda, President Elect
Shartsi Kutesa Musherure
Joanne Kabajungu Roques, Secretary
John Wathum-Ocama
Contact Us: E-mail: info@hopemultipurpose.org
Telephone: 651-644-3927 Web: www.hopemultipurpose.org
Mail: Hope Multipurpose, Inc. c/o St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church
2136 Carter Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108
Please use the enclosed envelope to send a check.
Or give online at www.blue-house.org/donate.html .
Thank you,
Karen Lilley
President, Hope Multipurpose, Inc. – The Blue House
Hope Multipurpose, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Minnesota and your
donation is tax deductible.
Beatrice’s Hope - 4 - Fall 2015
The African Dinner Gala —
Celebrating Beatrice Garubanda and her legacy, the Blue House
About 240 supporters attended the
Gala. Together with other generous
donors, you raised more than
$30,000! THANK YOU!
The African Dinner Gala could not
have been so successful without
all the support from underwriters,
volunteers, auction item donors
and buyers, financial donors,
Fund-a-Need supporters, African
Market shoppers, table sponsors,
ticket buyers and guests. You made
it happen! Thank you.
See more photos at Blue-House.org,
as well as the videos shown that
evening.
More photos on our website at
www.blue-house.org and
Facebook.com/Blue.House.HMI
Please contact info@hopemultipurpose.org if you did not receive a thank you letter/ tax receipt
for your donations or work, or an email acknowledgement for tickets. You are all important to HMI.
Beatrice’s Hope - 5 - Fall 2015
Nonprofit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Twin Cities, MN
c/o St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church
2136 Carter Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55108
Permit No. 30308
What’s inside
Donors’ generosity made African Dinner Gala a big success!. . . . . .
Goal 1: Accept more young vulnerable girls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A Social Worker at the Blue House. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Goal 2: Support post-secondary education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sewing Project proceeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Eggs, eggs, and more eggs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Another Anniversary – Blue House Boutique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appreciations and Ovations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dollars for the Blue House: Easy as 1-2-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Christmas appeal letter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The African Dinner Gala photos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thank you for making the African Dinner Gala (page 5) a big success!
Because of your generosity, more orphans like these hopeful
girls will be able to benefit from the Blue House (page 1).
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