News for you

22 December 2021Merry Christmas!

The annual Christmas party at the project Aggies Baby Home in Uganda was held yesterday with children and staff (project mothers, social workers, guesthouse manager)

It was a jolly and happy celebration with presents for all and a big colourful cake!

 

19 December 2021- Thank you for the material donations!

 Some of our loyal supporters regularly provide us with quality in-kind donations of clothing and shoes for babies, children and adults, toys, household items such as pans, tablecloths, towels, CDs and more.

This time we even had four special, long, elegant holiday dresses, traditional costume clothing for children and many helpful, warm jackets, hoods and sweaters.

The donations are usually divided among the projects and sent accordingly. Because of Covid, almost everything is currently staying in the country and therefore benefits the Wiener Bedarfshilfe.

Terra Varietas has been supporting this small social association in Vienna Meidling for many years. This winter, chairwoman Viktoria Tobias accompanies young school children with learning difficulties and at risk of poverty with daily after-school care.

Volunteers prepare freshly cooked lunch in the clubhouse. Kids play board games, they read aloud, and spend time in the cuddle corner.

 A volunteer built this special place all by himself. The children are thrilled and they feel very secure.

People feel welcome and safe – that is exactly what makes this place so special!

When the donations were brought in today, there were already sheets of gift paper and toys (from our donors!) ready to be wrapped for the children in care and their families. Many of the families in care have no money for gifts or for suitable clothing.

All of them are very grateful to be well taken care of in this place!

Terra Varietas thanks all donors!

 

15 December 2021 – It’s Christmas time!

It is Christmas every day at Nada in Serbia! By the way, Nada means hope!
The young people of the day care centre make Christmas decorations, Christmas cards, tree ornaments and more for their sales stall.
Colourful cards give hope – to the givers and the receivers.

 

13 December 2021 – The crafts are in full swing!

At Nada Association, the day care centre for young people with disabilities in Serbia, there is still a lot of crafting going on.
The products can then be sold at Christmas markets and events. Since this sale is going well, there is a constant replenishment.

 

7 December 2021 – School year in Uganda

At the project in Uganda, the school year is currently running undisturbed. Fortunately, lessons are possible despite Corona!
Most of the 450+ pupils live on the school grounds and really enjoy the celebrations and events.

Thanks to our donors, each student has his or her own mattress and place to sleep. Well rested, learning and working can be done in a completely different way. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Now everyone is already looking forward to the Christmas holidays!

 

5 December 2021 – Birthday celebration at Nada

Every person is unique!
At Nada, the birthdays of the young people who attend this day care centre in Serbia are celebrated in a big way!
These people experience a lot of exclusion and rejection in society, so this day, when they are allowed to be the centre of attention, is a special day!

 

2 December 2021 – Poinsettias everywhere

At Nada in Serbia, many poinsettias are being made right now.
These colourful stars are made with precision. At this time of year, there are different Christmas markets stalls where they can be sold, so some money can be raised despite Corona.
Since state support has been cut back and there is almost nothing left, these sales are important for the small association Nada. By the way, the name means „hope“!

 

30 November 2021 – Advent is craft time

At Nada in Serbia, the day care centre for young people with disabilities, there is a lot of handicraft work going on right now, when the wind whistles around the houses and the first snowflakes dance from the sky.
After all, the Christmas markets are just around the corner. That’s when the self-made Christmas greeting cards and handicrafts are sold.

As every year, Terra Varietas supports the Christmas party with colourful filled bags for all 75 families in our care!
Many thanks to all our generous donors!

 

18 November 2021 – Pre-Christmas handicrafts

At Nada in Serbia, handicrafts are going wild as Christmas draws ever closer. The young people decorate collected cones in a festive way.
Working with natural materials, which are collected together beforehand, is always special. Each work is unique!

 

13 November 2021 – Fimo crafting

In the day care centre for young people with disabilities, we also like to make things with Fimo. Fimo can be mixed in colours like conventional modelling clay and is easy to knead. The special thing about it is that the creations produced can then be heated briefly in the oven and are then firm and durable.

Nada makes jewellery – colourful spherical earrings!
Of course, decorative objects are not to be missed either…

 

5 November 2021 – Colourful autumn umbrella

In Serbia at the project in Kladovo, there is a lot of regular crafting going on.
At the moment, only a few young people can be cared for at the same time inside the day care centre, as COVID numbers are rising sharply, just like here in Austria.
All the people there are grateful for the precious hours of variety in their otherwise often monotonous everyday lives. The children and young people at „NADA“ receive attention and support.

 

4 November 2021 – Colourful umbrellas

The young people at the day care centre „NADA“ cut out paper umbrellas. They also painted them and then foiled them. Everything can be then hung up and used as ornaments. All the handicrafts bring them great joy!

Every impaired young person appreciates the hours spent in this place. They can live carefree there.

Thanks to our donors, there is always a lot of handicraft material available and a really good photocopier was purchased, which is used a lot.

 

22 October 2021 – Watermelon for all!

The children at Aggie’s Baby Home are always happy to have fresh fruit! Melons are popular!

In the meantime, a lot is already grown in our own garden. So the very young children can watch the plants grow or they can help out. There are always fresh ingredients for eating and cooking.

Healthy food is an important basis for happy growing up and learning!

 

14 October 2021 – Greetings from Uganda!

The children in the Aggies Baby Home project in Uganda are doing well. Their daily lives are unhurried, allowing each child to develop at their own pace in this safe and stable environment.

The children feel every day that life is beautiful and have a real chance to achieve a contented life in adulthood through education.

Many thanks to all donors and sponsors!

 

6 October 2021 – Autumn faces

Autumn is here!
At Nada we do a lot of handicrafts with colourful leaves. This is how these colourful autumn faces came into being.
Every young person contributes as much as they can, everyone is appreciated as they are!

Thanks to our donors, Terra Varietas is able to support Nada on a monthly basis. This means that fresh food can be cooked every day.
The purchase of handicraft materials is just as important!

 

4 October 2021 – Workshop with primary school

The Nada association was allowed to attend a workshop together with pupils from the primary school „Stefanija Mihajlovic“ Brza Palanka.
The motto was „A child is a child. Every child should be loved and accepted as he or she is“.
Together they made handicrafts and danced.

 

23 September 2021 – A beautiful afternoon

The young people at Nada experienced a special afternoon.
AKUD “ Sipski embroidery“ invited to a wonderful art-music workshop. Together they played with the swing cloth, sang and made handicrafts.

 

17 September 2021 – A visit of a special kind

Every Friday, Nada in Serbia has a kind of „open day“ for and with other social initiatives and projects.
The supporters try to offer special programmes, like with Minnie Mouse and friends.

14 September 2021 – Delicious papayas from your own garden!

The children at Aggie’s Baby Home are enjoying the days to the fullest!
Right now they are eating very ripe, freshly harvested papayas. Many staple foods are grown in their own garden. The project mothers and the team take care of the fields and therefore know what goes on the plate. Fresh fruit and vegetables are also available at any time.
This ensures a healthy diet!

Thanks to our volunteers who have been in the project, the cultivated area and variety has always grown.

 

12 September 2021 – Beautiful days in Negotin

The group of young people from the Nada Association in Kladovo, who were allowed to travel to the small southern town of Negotin for several days, were cheerful and enjoyed these days of exchange very much!

Host „Dugi“ from Negotin prepared unforgettable days for the group with Alliance MNRO R. Serbia!
There were even diplomas from the hosts for the participants!

 

2 September 2021 – Busy in the north

The people in northern Uganda are very happy with the recovered panels.
With the donations from Terra Varietas, the most important things are being done. Most recently, a pig could be bought from the money and the stable for the night for the goats was improved.

Of course, the money for the purchase of valuable seeds is an important area.
Necessary renovations to buildings were done and fencing could be installed. This was very important as time and again vital goats disappeared or, most recently, the solar panels were simply dismantled in the night and carried away.

 

18 August 2021 – Summer birthdays

During the summer weeks, there are several birthdays to celebrate at Nada in Serbia.
On Fridays, the young people come together to spend a good time.
Singing and eating cake makes everyone happy!

 

14 August 2021 – Trouble in the north, now hope!

The small project we support in northern Uganda never has it easy.
The refugee situation for the poorest people from South Sudan who are stuck there is consistently challenging, on a daily basis. Natural disasters sweep across the land with such regularity that it is a wonder to us how hopeful the people are to start again and again and try to rebuild everything.

Managing the precious seeds, preparing and planting the fields, caring for the animals, all these are daily challenges for everyone.

In this place, the idealistic sisters of the small order „Little Sisters of Mary Immaculate of Gulu“ try their best – for EVERYONE! A small school has been run for years, refugees and local farmers‘ children are taught and fed. Orphans are cared for, the sick are nursed and the community is supported. All this happens with very little financial means.

Therefore, these people are very grateful for every donation from Terra Varietas and try to achieve as much as possible with the money.

When the expensively purchased solar panels were stolen a few weeks ago, there was great horror and sadness. But they kept going, tried their best.
Now comes the good news: the police were able to find some of the panels! Quite unexpectedly!
Now the happiness is great and the installation has already taken place!

 

6 August 2021 – Summer greetings from Uganda

We are very happy to see that the numbers in Uganda are coming down and the Covid situation in the country is currently starting to ease. After another severe Lockdown in June and July, this is good news.
Everything is running smoothly in the project, the children are doing well.
Here are photos of the children in the office of project founder and director Agnes Lubega.

Small renovation works are currently being carried out in Aggie’s Baby Home. In the kitchen, for example, it is urgently necessary to replace appliances such as the rice cooker and microwave. These have been in daily use for over 10 years.

Thanks to our donors this is possible! THANK YOU!

 

30 June 2021 – Have a wonderful summer!

We wish all our sponsors, supporters, donors, friends, and companions a dreamy and exciting summer full of special moments!

THANK YOU ALL!

The photo comes directly from Kladovo from the day care centre for young people with special needs. We thank you very much for it!

 

29 June 2021 – Summer greetings from Serbia!

Warm greetings to all donors and supporters of Terra Varietas reach us from Serbia from the association Nada!
We are working together as long as it is still possible.

Soon we will be taking a summer break, as it is simply too hot in the small rooms of the day care centre in Kladovo, where it is often over 40 degrees for days on end.

 

11 June 2021 – Food donation distribution at NADA in Serbia

Thanks to our donors, valuable food packages could be distributed to 72 families in need in Serbia who are members of the NADA association!
At NADA, young people with disabilities are cared for in a day structure.

Everyone was happy together with the two leaders about the appreciation of their work by the government! Congratulations!

 

10 June 2021 – Excursion – Pilgrimage in Serbia

The young people and the team of NADA could spend a special excursion day!

For a long time they had wished to make a pilgrimage to the famous Rakovica Monastery. This monastery is located about 400 km from Kladovo near the capital Belgrade. Already mentioned in the 14th century, Rakovica Monastery is the oldest holy object in Belgrade, dedicated to the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. It is a holy place for the faithful.
Unfortunately, such a trip by bus is expensive and time-consuming for people with special needs.

Thanks to the donors of Terra Varietas, this wish could come true! THANK YOU!

 

29 May 2021 – Birthday boy makes a donation!

Iven celebrates his 8th birthday, and Terra Varietas congratulates him!
He has decided to support the children in our project in Uganda with a donation every time he celebrates his birthday. It is very generous!

On behalf of all at Terra Varietas, we thank Iven!

 

27 May 2021 – NADA – Presentation to the public

The association NADA in Serbia, which runs a day care center for children, youth, and young adults with disabilities, had the chance to present itself to the public last week.

Under the motto „Not all disabilities are visible,“ NADA presented itself to a member of the Republic Union of MNRO Serbia.
The young people gave passers-by self-made hearts and information brochures about people with intellectual disabilities.
Tatjana Bosic and Beba Kis, the two leaders, were out with some older members informing people on the street about their work. They even managed to give an interview to the local TV station.

Terra Varietas has been proud to support this work for many years with freshly cooked food and food parcels every day!

We have just finished collecting donations to fund a trip to Belgrade to participate in a music competition on 8 June! THANK YOU ALL!

 

27 April 2021 – We introduce our youngest donor Iven!

Iven, who is seven years old, is the youngest supporter of Terra Varietas!
Iven heard about the daily need of people on the continent of Africa on TV and immediately wanted to help with his pocket money. His parents then spent some time researching with him on the Internet and found out about Terra Varietas.

Iven lives with his family in southwest Germany.

In a short interview, he talks about his life.
Iven likes to play a lot of football, and at school, he particularly likes the subject of German at the moment. He is interested in finding out what happens in the world every day.

He likes the unusualness and diversity of people.

When asked what he would like to see, Iven answers: „that one day there will be enough money so that all projects can help all people!“

The children in Uganda and we say: Thank you Iven!

 

12 April 2021 – Lockdown project in Serbia – „My hand“

In Kladovo, Serbia, at the NADA daycare center, Corona has for a long time only allowed the care for small groups of young people at a time.

There are always activities that children, adolescents, and young adults can carry out at home to maintain good contact.

This time the idea was for everyone to trace the outline of their hand and color in the resulting hand.

When tracing the hand, I feel my hand well; I realize my hands are a part of me. The design of the drawn hand is individual and fun, as you can see in the photos!

 

6 April 2021 – Easter in Uganda

The children at Aggie’s Baby Home and New Hope School had a wonderful Easter holiday. They sang, danced and ate together.

These joint celebrations inspire big youths and small children alike.

 

2 April 2021 – Happy Easter!

The children of Aggies Babies home and the New Hope School in Uganda, the young people in Serbia, and the whole Terra Varietas team wish you a happy Easter holiday and a relaxed and sunny spring!

Thank you very much for your support!

 

20 March 2021 – Spring awakening at Nada

In Serbia, in Kladovo near NADA, young people enjoy the first signs of spring and rays of sunshine.

Because of Corona, only a few people can be in the day structure in small groups, so there was a call to take photos of how children spent in nature at home.

Who works in the garden? Who is helping to plant flowers?

 

17 March 2021 – The great tinkering continues

The young people in Kladovo are dancing and celebrating the start of spring. Of course, they continue to glue and draw with perseverance.

Soon they will be able to play outside again. Everyone is looking forward to that!

 

16 March 2021 – Spring signs and crafts at NADA

The young people at Nada look forward to warmer temperatures, drawing, and crafting with perseverance and concentration.

They are enjoying their pictures!

 

14 March 2021 – All is well in Uganda!

The school year has started well in our project in Uganda. The older children are all healthy, motivated, and full of joy in learning!

It is what schooling is supposed to be like!

In ABH, the little ones are doing just as well. They spend a lot of time outdoors every day and are very happy.
Ann-Susanne has just started in the kindergarten called Baby Class. She likes it very much.
Pre-schoolers Paula-Shila, Alafa, Mike junior, Trinity, and Samuel enjoy going to their Top Class every day.

 

16 February 2021 – School starts at Corona time

This year, due to Corona, the exam period has been postponed. The new school year is just starting.

This is the situation for the children of Aggie’s Baby Home this year:
Ann-Susanne is currently attending kindergarten (Baby Class).
In the preschool (Top Class) are Paula-Shila, Mike Junior, Trinity, and Samuel.
In Primary 1 is David.
Rhina and Jim are in Primary 2.
Patience, Mike Senior, and Ivan are going into Primary 3. Milly is in Primary 4.
Bruce and Joshua are in Primary 5.

The young children of Aggies Baby Home are ready for the first day of school and equipped with school bags.

The children of all ages are delighted!

 

23 January 2021 – Thank you from NADA in Serbia

Thanks to our donors, bags of basic food can be made and regularly distributed this year for the families in care where children, adolescents, and young adults with special needs attend NADA’s daycare center!

Especially in winter, when it is cold, the warm daily food at Nada has been a great help to many families.

Because of Corona, it has not been possible to cook fresh food or eat in the clubhouse for many weeks. Since then, food parcels with basic foodstuffs have been distributed weekly to 72 families.

 

11 January 2021 – New writing materials for NADA

In Serbia, at the daycare center for young people with disabilities, everyone is happy to receive new writing materials – notebooks and books with many practice pages and templates to learn the alphabet and do writing exercises.

The children, adolescents, and young adults are happy to have the opportunity to learn about these cultural techniques.
The right to adequate education for each person is put into practice here every day.

It helps them understand more of the world around them. It is a reassuring and a good feeling for each of these young people.

Learning is equally important and good for everyone!

 

28 December 2020 – Christmas in the Uganda project – a look back

In Aggie’s Babies Home, there was a lot of celebrating in the last few days. First a big party with all the pupils with slides, face-painting, fun in the paddling pool and eating ice cream.

On Christmas Day, the young children celebrated Christmas together with the project mothers. There were personal gifts for each person.
Our former ABH children Bruce, Mike Senior, Milly, and Patience, for whom ABH is their only family, joined in the celebration. They are allowed to stay in ABH all holidays and otherwise. It gives them security.

The other students, almost all of who are boarders from far away, go to their families for the holidays.

The new school year starts in mid-January.

 

23 December 2020 – Merry Christmas to all supporters!

Terra Varietas wishes all donors, sponsors, and supporters relaxed, peaceful and joyful holidays surrounded by their loved ones!

We wish an easy 2021 with lots of health and happiness!

 

23 December 2020 – Christmas party at NADA in Serbia

At the daycare center for impaired children and young people in Kladovo, Serbia, it’s time to celebrate!

Despite the terrible Corona situation and the dire economic depression, over 250 people (wearing masks and staggered in time) are waiting for their filled Christmas bags. For many people, this is their only Christmas present.

All 72 families receive the Christmas bags filled by Terra Varietas. As best they can, they sing together (with masks) outside after the ceremonial presentation. The daycare center now goes on holiday for two weeks.

The religious celebrations in the Orthodox Church will not take place until 6 January.

 

22 December 2020 – Merry Christmas and warm greetings from Uganda!

Terra Varietas wishes all donors, supporters, sponsors, and godmothers happy holidays!
We all hope for a lighter 2021 with good health for all!

We also hope that our volunteer program can start again soon!

The children in Uganda celebrate and are happy about the beginning of the holidays.

 

17 December 2020 – Christmas party in Uganda

Like every year, the babies and children of Aggies Babies Home and New Hope School celebrate Christmas with all project mothers, teachers, and the whole team with a big party.

This celebration is meant to be fun and always takes place a few days before Christmas. Festive Christmas then characterizes the following holidays of the next week.

At the party there is playing, sliding, splashing in the water pool and lots of laughter. There are rare delicacies to delight all children’s hearts.

We at Terra Varietas would like to thank our donors for making this multi-day celebration possible!

 

14 December 2020 – Preparations for the Christmas party at NADA

In Serbia in Kladovo, preparations are underway for the big annual Christmas party.

Thanks to the donors of Terra Varietas, as in previous years, beautiful and full Christmas bags can be made for 72 needy families with children, adolescents, or young adults who are impaired and cared for in the daycare center.

The bags include useful things such as toothpaste, shampoo, and other body care products as well as sweets and small gifts. All this is purchased from small traders in the village to support the local economy.

20 November 2020 – An ambulance for Saison

When we, Stefanie and Hans, were in Uganda for the first time three years ago with the Terra Varietas project, we had a driver in Saison who showed us many interesting things about Uganda. We got to know him as a lovely and helpful person with whom we were always in contact even after our stays in Uganda.

A few weeks ago, I received an email from him, explaining that, because of Corona, all the drivers had lost their jobs. Tourists are no longer coming to the country; all parks and other sights in Uganda have closed. Saison then approached me with the following request. As he wants to work as a driver again, he has asked me to support him in purchasing (leasing for six months) a rescue vehicle. If he can work as an ambulance driver, he will be able to feed his family again, pay the rent, and also save some money. After Saison had already passed the exam as an ambulance driver, he was still missing the leasing payment for an ambulance, which we wanted to help him with. The government pays ambulance drivers well. Saison would be able to provide for his family again.

Being an ambulance driver is a risky job in Uganda. Many of the country’s inhabitants are afraid to get close to sick people. Saison feels healthy and wants to help his compatriots but also earn a living for his family.

Saison also told me a lot about the Coronavirus in Uganda. Compared to developed countries with enough information, in Uganda, only 2 out of 10 inhabitants believe that Covid exists; Why is that? So far, fortunately, there have been very few deaths attributable to Covid, and so many people in Uganda probably hardly know anyone who has contracted or died from Covid. But the numbers are still rising, plus the number of unreported cases may be relatively high.

Saison told us that there are many people in hospitals with symptoms. He believes it might be due to Corona, but people don’t hear about that in the news. Many of the patients have breathing problems.

Furthermore, many people are very frustrated due to the restrictions because the government has failed to deliver food items such as maize to vulnerable people. Many are also afraid of losing their jobs and falling into poverty. However, in the cities, you still hardly see anyone wearing a mask or keeping their distance.

However, because of Corona, many people have also left the city and returned to their villages to farm. It is also one of the reasons why the prices for basic foodstuffs have remained relatively low. Crime rates at night have also dropped, as there is a curfew between 9 pm and 6 am.

We, therefore, decided to help Saison with the lease payment for the ambulance. The complex part, however, was that Saison doesn’t have a bank account. At first, he suggested that I transfer the donation via Moneygram to the agent of the ambulances. However, this was not possible in Austria; other service providers like Sendvalu did not work either. The last option was to transfer the money to the Chinese company that manufactures the rescue vehicles. That worked well, and a few weeks later, Saison is already in action with his ambulance and can hopefully help many people.

 

17 November 2020 – Great joy over food distribution bag

The two leaders Tatjana Bosic and Beba Kis in Serbia in Kladovo, at the daycare center for young people with disabilities, are excited about the food distribution campaign that has now started. From now on, all of the 72 registered needy families will receive a bag of staple food for cooking every week.

One bag contains flour, rice, oil, vinegar, sugar, and more.

This way, the families can provide for themselves at home.

Thank you to our donors!

 

11 November 2020 – Support for NADA in Serbia

The people of the Day Care Centre for Disabled Young People in Kladovo on the Danube in Serbia have had a tough year. Due to Corona, the already strenuous daily life has been made even more difficult. Poverty and hardship are omnipresent.

Currently, care is provided to small groups that are staggered over time.

Terra Varietas is now providing acute assistance with basic food packages for the 72 registered families in need. This way, these families can cook plenty of food at home, and they will be satisfied.

Warm food is provided to single people who are hungry and in dire need. The need is very substantial.

A Terra Varietas gift drive is planned again for Christmas!

 

10 November 2020 – Certificate for Aggies Baby Home

The founder of Aggie Babies Home, Mrs. Agnes Lubega, proudly presents an award for the work done in the project daily.

The State of Uganda recognizes the valuable work with children and the opportunities they get through the project.

The young children live protected in a safe place, are lovingly cared for, and have the opportunity to go to school, i.e., to receive an education.

 

15 October 2020 – Donations in kind for the people

At any time, people in need are also happy to receive donations in kind here in Vienna. Indeed, it is what happens at Wiener Bedarfshilfe – help given where it is needed. All items go to people who need them. Founder Viktoria Tobias makes sure of this personally every day!

Families, mothers, children thank her for all the clothes!

Homeless people thank us for the boxes of fresh food prepared especially for them!

Many thanks to our donors!

 

4th of October 2020 – New baby highchairs

The youngest in Aggies Baby Home are delighted with the new highchairs! Despite good care, the old highchairs are no longer needed after almost 10 years of continuous use.

Even more delighted are the project mothers with the colourful new chairs for the children!

We thank our donors for their support!

 

17th of September 2020 – Smiling children in Uganda

Fortunately, the young children at Aggies Baby Home can continue to laugh and live a carefree life. This cannot be taken for granted, as Covid-19 has unfortunately now also arrived in Africa.

At the moment about 2,800 people in Uganda are infected (status 17.9.2020).

Unfortunately, it seems that no volunteers will be able to join the project for some time yet.

Nevertheless our support and work continues! Terra Varietas is trying to educate people on the spot how to protect themselves – simple hygiene measures are explained clearly and repeatedly.

10th of September 2020 – Thanks for the donations!

Thanks to the donations for the project in the north of Uganda, a lot of repairs could be done on the site. Valuable seeds were purchased as many fields were already waiting for these them.

A big bag of sugar makes everyone happy!

Furthermore, the project animals (sponsored by Terra Varietas) are doing well – they are being cared for by everyone, as they are considered to be valuable.

5th of September 2020 – Construction work in the north

In the north of Uganda near Gulu, the education project supported by Terra Varietas continues. The people brave the weather and start working again right after the storm.

A leaking roof has to be repaired, the floors in the school building have to be mopped and the houses have to be cleaned of water.

The children make the most of it – with self-made stilts in the soaked ground.

2nd of September 2020 – Rain and flooding in northern Uganda

In the north of the Ugandan, people regularly have to cope with severe storms. At the moment there are again frequent floods.

The children in the project are happy about the donated soaps and biscuits.

We say THANK YOU to our donors!

28th of August 2020 – New Baby

Today a newborn girl moved into Aggies Baby Home.

The parents are refugees and the mother is seriously ill in hospital. Both are grateful for the quick and immediate help, grateful that the girl has a good and loving place to grow.

The next weeks and months will show how things will continue.

6th of July 2020 – Hope in Northern Uganda!

The project in the north of Uganda has not had an easy time in the last weeks and months.

After large streams of refugees from Southern Sudan, a little peace had returned. The agricultural project initiated and accompanied by Terra Varietas was started, as was the expansion and renovation of the project’s school and living quarters. This project, which gives hope and a good chance of survival to people in the region and the Sudanese refugees, was able to restart tentatively.

Then came devastating storms with never-ending rainfall. The rains destroyed the farming that had begun. The people accepted their fate and soon began to make new plans and asked us for money to buy new seeds to be able to start again.

Thanks to generous donors from Terra Varietas, the fields can already be cultivated again! Furthermore, the livestock project and urgent renovation work of the water damage to the buildings of the school and dormitories can be supported.

Heartfelt thanks!

1st of July 2020 – Heavy flooding in the north

Unfortunately, prolonged rainfall caused severe flooding in northern Uganda.

The newly planted fields of the project in the north were heavily destroyed. The buildings have also been severely damaged. The people lack essential supplies.

Terra Varietas asks for support!

21st of June 2020 – Cooking for the street children in Kampala

As part of Sheilah’s distribution campaign, food was also cooked for the street children of Kampala.

20th of June 2020 – Major food distribution campaign during Covid-19 in Uganda

As we, Stefanie and Hans Kern from Terra Varietas, visited Uganda twice three years ago, we met Sheilah, who has a big heart for helping poor people. Sheilah was also invited to visit us in Vienna, so we know her very well by now. When the first Corona cases were identified in Uganda and the state imposed a very strict quarantine, she wanted to distribute food to families with friends and asked us if we could support her. We donated $2000 for this project. Sheilah got the food and after some obstacles in the beginning, Sheilah and friends put the food into bags and distributed it to poor families and people.

The woman in the second picture is a single mother who was last involved in an accident and whose arm and leg are broken. The woman in the third picture is a widow living with 15 children and grandchildren. She told Sheilah that the whole family had nothing to eat before she came.

13th of May 2020 – All children are doing well!

Fortunately, we keep getting good news from Uganda! The children in Aggies Baby Home are doing well.

We very much hope that the corona crisis worldwide will soon be overcome and that new volunteers will be able to travel to the project again. At the moment there are already some volunteers waiting for their assignment!

27th of April 2020 – New experience report

Our former volunteer Viola Stocker has written a very personal report about her volunteer work. This way our readers can experience how Viola recounts „the best time of her life“.

Viola would not want to miss this special time!

We very much hope that the corona crisis will soon be overcome for everyone, that Africa will not be hit so hard and that new volunteers will be able to join the project again. At the moment there are already a few volunteers eagerly waiting for their assignment!

 

3rd of April 2020 – Easter time

Soon it will be Easter, this festival is celebrated in Uganda. Our little ones in Aggies Baby Home are already looking forward to it!

Luckily all the children are healthy and have relaxed good days.

The time right now is not easy for all of us around the world. We are grateful that there are very few Covid cases in Africa and Uganda and hope that it will stay that way.

21st of March 2020 – Good building progress

Our renovation and construction work in Uganda is going well.

In the dormitories of the school, all the stairs and the floors of the interior rooms have been removed. The new coating is already being started. This important work was long awaited by the people, so everybody is very happy.

12th of March 2020 – Begin of construction work

Thanks to our donors and sponsors, urgent renovation work can be carried out. Special thanks go to the tax consultancy and auditing firm Dr. Bernardini.

The renovation work began with work that has been necessary for a long time in and in front of the dormitories of the Primary School. Here the old, completely destroyed floors are being removed and repaired. In addition, all doors and windows will be sanded, repainted and adjusted.

Next to a school building a new water tank was installed and connected.

27th of February 2020 – Farewell for Idil and Viola

Our two volunteers Idil and Viola are currently saying goodbye to the project in Uganda. This is not easy for them after this intensive time full of new experiences.

These are the words of Viola:

„Today was my farewell – it is unbelievable how quickly time has passed…
The past weeks have been some of the best in my life and I am grateful for every experience I have had here. I already miss all the children, mothers, pupils, teachers and everyone else. I felt very well taken care of and enjoyed every single day in the project in Uganda to the full.
Not only the children and mothers have grown close to my heart, but especially Idil!
Now I am sitting at the airport with one laughing and one crying eye and I will be back in Austria soon.
I hope to return one day!“

Idil’s parting words:

„Now it is time for me to say goodbye too. It feels like we only arrived at the project yesterday, time has passed so quickly!
We felt so comfortable and took everyone at the Aggie Babies Home and New Hope School to our hearts, that it is really hard to say goodbye now.
In all this time, Viola and I have been able to learn so much and take so much with us for our lives.
We have played and laughed with the children, we have studied and sung with the students at school, we have danced and laughed with the mothers. We got to know each other, Viola and I got to know each other, and we built up an intense and strong friendship which will surely last far beyond that. I am more than grateful for this opportunity. It was wonderful and certainly the most beautiful experience of my life!
My heartfelt thanks go to the mothers and children who not only opened their doors for us, but also their hearts! They have become a family to us when we were far away from our families. They closed us into their hearts and let us participate in everything. I have taken them all into my heart and I hope very much to see them all again some day.
I also thank Viola from the bottom of my heart for the wonderful time we had together and all the fun and beautiful moments we shared!

25th of February 2020 – Certificates for our two volunteers

The time in the project is slowly coming to an end for the two volunteers Idil Ali and Viola Stocker. The past weeks have been full of new impressions and experiences for both of them.

At the end they will receive personal certificates from the director and founder of Aggies Baby Home, Mrs Agnes Lubega.

We would like to thank Idil and Viola very much for their dedicated work!

24th of February 2020 – Great donations for Wiener Bedarfshilfe

This weekend it was time again. A car full of donations was able to deliver clothes for babies (including slings), children and adults, lots of good shoes, new colourful hand-knitted socks, small pieces of furniture such as sofas and desk lamps, kitchen utensils such as dishes, baking tins, eating sets, bed linen, tablecloths, backpacks, books and DVDs.

All donations are sorted and go directly to needy families and individuals. These specially packed bags will be handed over personally in the next few days.

21st of February 2020 – The waste project in the school is running intensively!

The two volunteers Idil and Viola have been accompanying the rubbish project started by Terra Varietas in summer 2019 for several weeks.

This week, especially the oldest students of New Hope School were busy collecting rubbish on the school grounds. They learned about the background of the waste problem, the effects on the soil, nature, animals and thus also on humans, as well as the use of raw materials in the form of recycling.

18th of February 2020 – Barbecue with Steckerlbrot at sunset

In the evening, the two volunteers, together with the children and mothers of Aggie’s Baby Home, used the fireplace located at the guesthouse and organised a fun barbecue evening.

Steckerlbrot“, also called „Stockbrot“ was prepared for this. The children had a lot of fun holding their own stick to the fire and then eating the bread.

17th of February 2020 – New cooker and oven for ABH

The mothers at Aggie’s Baby Home were indescribably happy when the new kitchen cooker was finally delivered!

After more than 9 years and a lot of use, the old cooker was unfortunately beyond repair and one day it stopped working. The desire for a new appliance was there, but none of the mothers wanted to ask for it directly and so they improvised daily.

Thanks to the great donation of the Bernardini law firm, this cooker could be purchased immediately!

Many thanks!

16th of February 2020 – The waste disposal project going well!

Our volunteers Viola and Idil are very busy in the school integrating environmental protection into everyday life. The waste disposal project started in summer by volunteer Verena has now been a daily topic for children, young people and teachers for several weeks and should remain in people’s minds.

13th of February 2020 – In the north of Uganda

The small school and educational establishment of the modestly living „Little Sisters of Mary Immaculate“ near Gulu on the border to Southern Sudan often offers desperate people the first hope of a peaceful life after their flight. More than 140 children attend school here. Some, but far too few, can also live on the premises. The low school fees are hard to find for local families, and certainly not for refugee families.

Terra Varietas has been supporting this ambitious project since 2017, building much-needed traditional huts and starting a goat project. Again and again thunderstorms and heavy rainfall hindered the work, many setbacks had to be coped with. Nevertheless, with a lot of patience a drinking water well could be built.

Actually, everything that can be imagined is needed here.

Our founder Ann Kathrin Uhlmann visited the project now and is now looking for further support.

Now the work on the goat project can continue thanks to a generous donation of 1500 Euro!

It is planned to initiate an agricultural project with the support of sponsors to enable the people to be self-sufficient and to generate financial income.

Interested parties and potential sponsors will find information on the planned agricultural project at the following address:

https://terravarietas.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Landwirtschaftliches-Projekt-im-Norden-Ugandas.pdf

11th of February 2020 – Trip to Entebbe Zoo

Yesterday, all the children and mothers of Aggie’s Baby Home went to Entebbe to the zoo.

The children have been looking forward to this special day for a very long time. Many of the mothers had never been to a zoo before.

The group was able to watch lions, giraffes and elephants and many other animals, enjoy a picnic, chat and relax in the shade before the heat.

Terra Varietas made this excursion possible.

Many thanks to our donors!

10th of February 2020 – Great article about Viola Stocker’s voluntary service in the Kitzbüheler Anzeiger

Our volunteer Viola Stocker was able to give an interview about her work in the project in Uganda, which was published last week in the weekly magazine Kitzbüheler Anzeiger.

The article describes the everyday life of a volunteer and the work of Terra Varietas.

Thank you very much for the publication.

You can download/read the article at the following address

https://terravarietas.com/docs/Artikel-Kitzbueheler-Anzeiger-02-2020.pdf

8th of February 2020 – An exciting first school week

Viola and Idil report on the first week of primary school where they spent a lot of time this week:

„Monday was the official start of school and we spent many hours in the classes of the Primary School this week. It was very exciting to see how different teaching is here.

We also started with the waste disposal project. At the High School Fellowship/Worship Service we presented our plans for the first time and the next day we went through the classes again and presented our ideas in more detail. As a result we already bought some bins.

On Thursday we visited the Fellowship/Church of the Primary School. It was a really impressive experience and we were fascinated by the commitment of the children.

Yesterday evening we went with some mothers to a party (last funeral) a few houses away. Many people from the village came together. It was a beautiful celebration with lots of music and dance.

Now we are on our way home from David’s birthday party. We met many new people and had a lot of fun!

We are already looking forward to the next days.“

3rd of February 2020 – Trip to Jinja to the source of the Nile

Our two volunteers Idil and Viola had a wonderful weekend. They made a little trip in the country of Uganda.

First they went to the Itanda Waterfalls where they could watch a rafting contest, then they went on to the „Source of the Nile“ in Jinja, where the Nile originates. There they went on a boat trip along the Nile, which was an incredible experience. Our two volunteers were especially impressed by the landscape.

31st of January 2020 – The new school year starts soon

For our volunteers the coming days are exciting, as school will soon begin at New Hope School for our students. Every day more and more students of all ages are returning from their holidays to settle in. Outstanding work is still being done before the school starts again.

Idil and Viola have already had the opportunity to introduce themselves at the Primary School.

 

30th of January 2020 – Days with the children in the project

Here are some impressions of our two volunteers Idil and Viola in the project in Uganda.

Every day there are play and singing lessons with the little ones in the group and in the pavilion outside. The painting offers are also gladly accepted.

The children all love music and participate enthusiastically!

27th of January 2020 – Joint art project

The two volunteers Idil and Viola have started an art project together with the mothers and children. The aim is for everyone to better perceive the community in which they live as such!

Everyone had fun creating and working together!

23th of January 2020 – Saying goodbye to Bettina

Our volunteer Bettina says goodbye to the project in Uganda.

She reports that the time was very enriching for her and that she gained an exciting insight into the completely different life in Africa.

„My time here in the project is coming to an end and I can share many different impressions i am taking with me. For this I would like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I also thank all mothers and children for their trust and their willingness to get involved with me.

I felt very much at home in the project and there was nothing I lacked.
Special thanks to Mable, Betty, Ruth, Ben and Agnes, who I still got to know. All very committed and with a particularly positive personality equipped project participants. Not forgetting Mama Josefine.
The children are true little heroes of everyday life and master their existence with bravura equipped with drive and endurance every day“.

21st of January 2020 – Life in the project

The three volunteers Bettina, Idil and Viola had a varied and intensive week in the project. Every day they try to make circles with the group with recurring elements, many games, rhythm and music.

The children love to join in the wild „dance parties“ which are the children’s favourite music. For cooling off there are funny water fights!

19th of January 2020 – In Aggies Baby Home

For the older children, it is nice to paint, talk, have fun and have their full attention with the volunteers. Especially the pre-school children are very open for fun but also challenging games.

The youngest ones enjoy every cuddling moment intensively.

17th of January 2020 – With the children and the group

The three volunteers Bettina, Idil and Viola have already spent a few days in the project in Uganda and are now more familiar with the daily routines.

The young children enjoy being carried and cared for very much. The older ones are happy about support of any kind.

Educational posters were provided for the group. The purchased fruit juices made all children very happy!

13th of January 2020 – New volunteers!

Our three new volunteers have just arrived in Uganda and are spending their first orientation days in the project.

Bettina Reimertz is an experienced social worker and founder of a socio-educational community in the city of Unna in Germany. She gained experience in a counselling centre for women and girls and worked for years in intensive family support.

Idil Ali is a trained health and paediatric nurse in Frankfurt. She also worked as an educator in a parent-child centre of an association.

Viola Stocker is the youngest of the three volunteers. She graduated from high school in Tyrol last summer and was able to gain a lot of experience with children during her school years, for example in kindergarten, as a child carer and as a ski instructor.

We would like to welcome Bettina, Idil and Viola!

8th of January 2020 – A godparent travels to Uganda

Our newest sponsor member Benjamin Krause has ventured the journey to Uganda.

The aim was to travel to a still unknown continent, to explore a new culture and to get to know his little protégé Benjamin Junior. Together with the founder Ann-Kathrin he even mastered the long journey to the north of Uganda.

Many new impressions and a completely contrary culture have left their mark. In the last days the covenant could be strengthened while cuddling together. In any case, Benjamin Junior was delighted with his godfather and could not take his eyes off him.

We thank Benjamin on behalf of the Terra Varietas team!

7h of January 2020 – Christmas party in Serbia at NADA

In Serbia, Orthodox Christmas is celebrated for three days from 6 to 8 January.

The Christmas celebration of the NADA day care centre for young disabled people in Serbia was, as every year, a very nice celebration full of joy. Together we sang, guests were welcomed and then the children and young people received sacks with presents from Terra Varietas.

Once again we thank our donors!

2nd of January 2020 – Donation of essential medicines

At the end of December, our founder Ann Kathrin Uhlmann travelled to Uganda for the project.

There were many things to discuss and coordinate. Some small repair works are pending.

Great help comes from the medicines that were donated and brought with us. Now the camps have been replenished and the children can be well supplied if necessary.

Many thanks to the donors!

18th of December 2019 – Generous donation

Our chairwoman Dr. Susanne Körner gladly accepted Dr. Martin Bernardini’s offer to give a lecture on the activities and projects of Terra Varietas at a staff Christmas party of the renowned auditing and tax consultancy firm.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks for the very large donation, which was privately handed over to Terra Varietas by the employees and Dr. Bernardini.

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16th of December 2019 – Christmas packages for NADA

Also this year there is again our tradition to put together Christmas bags for all 75 vulnerable families who are taken care of by the small association Nada in Kladovo in Serbia.

This year the bags contain many personal hygiene products; tea and various sweets are added.

The people are very happy about the gifts, which will be distributed at Christmas. Some families with bedridden handicapped children and young people are visited and surprised by the two ladies who run Nada at home.

29th of November 2019 – Renovations in the guesthouse

Renovation work is currently in full swing in the guesthouse and around Aggies Baby Home. Due to the stress caused by occasional heavy weather, such as long and intense rainfall, drainage was necessary in the outdoor area.

The interior is also being redecorated. The next volunteers can already look forward to it!

27th of November 2019 – Autumn festival at NADA in Serbia

In the day care centre for disabled children and young people in Serbia in Kladovo, people like to do handicrafts. Before Advent, a big autumn festival is the conclusion of this productive time.

Here people sang, recited poems and celebrated together.

11th of November 2019 – New born found!

The day before yesterday, a new born boy (about 48 hours old) who had been put away in the city, was dropped off at a police station. The police brought him to Aggie’s baby home. The police and our social worker are looking for clues as to his origin.

The boy was now named Benjamin.

He is now safe and can spend his first well cared for days.

4th of November 2019 – Fun at the playground

The children of Aggies Baby Home and New Hope School play daily with great joy on the play equipment donated by Terra Varietas. A break from school is just the thing for this!

25th of October 2019 – The project in north needs help!

For some time now, we have been monitoring developments in northern Uganda. People in this region are even poorer; many refugees from Southern Sudan are stranded there and live in emergency shelters.

There is a small project in Indriani, which gives hope, although there is a great lack of resources. A small order „Little Sisters of Mary Immaculate of Gulu“ works here with and for the people.

Here a small school was built to give a chance for a better future through education. We have already twice tried to help with donations to expand structures (building huts, goat enclosures), but there is still a lot of work to be done!

At the moment we are working on a well. However, this is not easy in this difficult weather.

For more information see Project North Uganda.

8th of October 2019 – At school in Uganda

The school children in the project are very busy every day. They work and learn a lot in the classroom, after which there is a lot of homework to do and practice, because all the learning material has to be understood and ultimately mastered.

They do all this with strength and a smile, because they know that education is their chance for a good future!

26th of September 2019 – Look at the donations

Our volunteer Claudio Helmer said goodbye to the project in Uganda and left a lot of joy behind!

Here you can see the children of Aggies Baby Home with the many donations received for the everyday life of the children. Besides cleaning materials, wash bowls and shoes, he bought many notebooks and pens for the school.

Once again THANKS to all supporters!

 

19th of September 2019 – AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF DONATIONS FOR WIENER BEDARFSHILFE!

We would like to thank all our loyal supporters and sponsors, who regularly provide us with high-quality and meaningful donations in kind for the Wiener Bedarfshilfe.

We would like to thank all our loyal supporters and sponsors, who regularly provide us with high-quality and meaningful donations in kind for the Wiener Bedarfshilfe.

On the last weekend many baby clothes, baby bed linen, pregnant women’s fashion and accessories, bicycle helmets, children’s shoes, sports shoes, children’s clothing, fashion for teenagers and adults as well as toys, learning materials and board games, learning books and audio CDs and lots of cushions could be handed over directly to Viktoria Tobias, the head of the relief organisation.

Everything benefits directly the families in need. Currently, 50 families are regularly cared for on a weekly basis and a further 40 to 60 families/persons are cared for occasionally as needed.

It is wonderful to experience the joy on the faces of the families!

 

17th of September 2019 – FINALLY! TERRA VARIETAS DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE!

After a long, bureaucratic journey, we, Terra Varietas, are now on the list of charitable organizations in Austria. We are proud to have managed this hurdle as a small club that we are!

For you as a donor this is a great advantage, because now the donations are tax deductible.

 

16th of September 2019 – TOUCHING WORDS TO THE DONORS

Our volunteer Claudio is spending his last days in the project and has addressed a message to the donors from his family and friends.

„Dear friends and donors,

Almost 4 weeks ago I entered the class P7 of the New Hope School for the first time. I sat back and watched the lessons. Again and again a boy looked at me from the front rows and a little later he sat down next to me at the next opportunity. He explained and showed me a lot. I asked him his name and he told me his name was Joseph.

In the following weeks I came to this class several times and sat next to him together with other students.

Of all the donations I received, I also wanted to help someone from the school. I felt that Joseph was the one.

With your money I was able to pay the school fees for the semester that had just begun. I learned that Joseph had been living on the street a short time ago. A church put him in touch with the school. Unfortunately his father passed away and his mother, who is suffering from AIDS, is trying to get through life somehow. Today she visited me. She fell on her knees in front of me and cried of happiness. She thanked me with the words: „I can give you nothing but love. May God protect you forever“.

 

15th of September 2019 – DONATIONS DISTRIBUTION

Our volunteer Claudio soon says goodbye to the project and has been distributing a lot of donations in the last few days, which he was able to buy with the money donated by his family and friends.

On the photo you can see a sack of valuable grain donations.

 

13th of September 2019 – NEW SIGN IN UGANDA!

Since our sign was already very faded, we let erect a new signpost on the road for our project in Uganda.

Now we will definitely be found again!

 

12th of September 2019 – MANY DONATIONS!

Our volunteer Claudio collected money in the family and friends circle and was able to buy useful things locally. There are even new real footballs! Until now there were only rag balls.

Here on the photo you can see Claudio with our social worker in the office.

 

 

2nd of September 2019 – LAST WEEK’S REPORT FROM OUR VOLUNTEER CLAUDIO

Claudio, our volunteer in Uganda, feels very well and reports:

„The last week passed quickly and I learned a lot. Often, I just spontaneously go outside and spontaneously get involved in something like washing up, giving out food in ABH or tutoring. Usually I am the one who learns something.

I particularly have enjoyed working as an intern in Primary School. There I felt like a student because I could learn a lot about African history. I myself showed Hangman to the class once, which made them very enthusiastic. I am very impressed by the politeness and commitment of the students.

Yesterday at school for over an hour I simply answered questions about my life and read Cinderella in English. It is already unforgettable here. I will miss the sunsets.“

 

19th of August 2019 – WELCOME CLAUDIO!

Our new volunteer Claudio Helmer has already spent a short first week in the project. He comes from Dortmund where he works as a trained educator in youth living.

After the first orientation days he immediately started working in the garden. Also, establishing new contacts went fast and well. Claudio is also happy to help in the children’s house.

Claudio himself describes the basic attitude of his first days as follows: „It is important to simply be open and remain authentic“.

The daily friendly contact with the people, also outside the facility in the village, helps to build trust!

 

17th of August 2019 – GOODBYE AND ARRIVAL

Our volunteer Verena Herrmann says goodbye to the project.

She has tried with a lot of energy and passion to get important things rolling!

The two project dogs Paul and Bella have grown very fond of her. Every day she tried to introduce the young children and also the pupils to the encounter, the care and the contact with the dogs. Often some high school students came for „walkies” with the dogs.

Another big topic close to her heart is the handling of garbage. Verena tried daily in different ways to stimulate more environmental awareness. For example, she sang nature and environmental songs, spoke to the young people gathered or organised waste collection competitions.

We are very grateful that Verena was part of the project!

The young educator Claudio Helmer has now joined the project. Welcome!

 

16th of September 2019 – VERENA’S PROJECTS RUNS WELL!

 Verena Herrmann has put a lot of energy into the two areas of waste disposal education and handling of the dogs. A lot has already been done here through many of her actions.

 Our volunteer feels how important it is to keep up emphasizing the significance of a clean environment and the integrity of nature as well as to be a role model.

 

15th of August 2019 – YOUNG PEOPLE TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES BY WASHING THEIR OWN CLOTHES!

Verena Herrmann, mother of two young sons herself, is amazed when she watches young men in Uganda washing and ironing their own clothes as a matter of course.

For ironing, hot coals are fetched from the kitchen, these are put into the iron, and then it can start.

 

 13th of August 2019 – FRIENDSHIP WITH PAUL AND BELLA

 Our volunteer has taken the two dogs of the project, Paul and Bella, into her heart!

The dogs now get to experience daily care, strokes and long walks. For Verena it is especially important the positive access of the children and teenagers to the animals. She is a role model here!

The young people learn how to treat animals, how to take care of them and how much fun this makes for humans and dogs!

In Uganda, it is unusual to take care of animals the way we know it in Europe.

 

12th of August 2019 – EVERYDAY LIFE IN SCHOOL

Our volunteer could already observe lessons in the Primary School and is quite impressed how 32 students are taught in a small, simple room, completely different from what is usual in Europe.

The 3rd grade teacher stands on mounded ground and explains. It’s loud; there is a lot of laughter and a lot of singing and music. All students are enthusiastic and full of energy.

During the break, the pupils buy small things at a stand on the school grounds, like here in the pictures, something like „Frozen Yoghurt“.

 

 

9th of August 2019 – RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT – GET RID OF RUBBISH!

Verena Herrmann has become aware of the topic of waste and disposal. She has now begun to discuss with the mothers at the project and children how to dispose of the waste.

This already starts with the sweeping up. Where will the garbage be swept? Does it remain lying?

This is also an important topic for the school and the everyday life on site, currently a large construction site…

Verena is constantly coming up with new ideas to emphasize the importance of collecting garbage. She organizes real garbage collection competitions with the children and teenagers of the school!

7th of August 2019 – Work at Aggie’s Baby Home

There is a lot to do every day at the children’s home. The mothers at the project offer round the clock company for the little ones.

Volunteer Verena Herrmann also gets involved in the processes; she observes and accompanies the mothers and the young children.

For her, the most special of these is the skilled craftswoman Betty or the close relationship between little Ann Susanne and Josephine.

 

6th of August 2019 – Documenting the everyday of a volunteer

A look behind the scenes – how do the photos that the godparents receive come about? Here’s the photo shoot with Trinity.

 The volunteers always have a lot of documentation work to do. Godparents are always happy about pictures of their godchildren and with so much daily work in the project, photo shooting is not always easy to accommodate in one day. We are very thankful for this valuable work!

 

3rd of August 2019 – Intense First Impressions

Our volunteer Verena Herrmann spends the first orientation days in the project and is overwhelmed by all the completely unfamiliar and foreign impressions!

 

31th of July 2019 – Our new volunteer is very well received

Our new volunteer Verena Herrmann from Vienna was welcomed yesterday with pleasure in the project in Uganda.

Verena Herrmann is an experienced elementary school teacher and has already flown to Uganda with many concrete ideas for working with the children.

We wish her a very good arrival and first orientation.

 

17th of June 2019 – Volunteer Carmelina bids farewell

Our volunteer Carmelina Gropp leaves the project with mixed feelings.

She has learned a lot in the last few weeks and has been able to give as much. This time will be unforgettable!

 

15th of June 2019 – Everyday work in Uganda

 Our volunteer Carmelina has many different tasks every day.

 At school, she works specifically with older girls on issues such as education, sexuality and contraception. The students are very interested.

 With the little ones the daily schedule includes washing, cleaning and much more.

 

13th June – Clothing donations arrived!

Carmelina Gropp organizes the donations from her family, which have just arrived well packed in boxes. The project mothers and the children can look forward to many colourful garments!

Thank you so much!

 

10th June – Private weaving workshop

Our volunteer Carmelina enjoys an exclusive weaving course. Here she gets to know traditional techniques and patterns. The mothers at the project pass on their knowledge with pleasure.

 

5th June – Thanks to DM for the donations!

Our volunteer Carmelina has a lot to do in the project in Uganda. In addition to the young children in Aggies Baby Home, there is a lot of work waiting for her every day at the school. Both teachers and students are always happy about her presence and her new ideas.

We would also like to thank DM Drugstore for the donations that Carmelina brought from Germany! Around 150 bottles of shower gel and shampoos were donated.

 

 

30th May – Sharon, Martin and Miracle bid farewell

Seldom does Aggie’s Baby Home change all of a sudden, but now it’s time. Three children get the chance to grow up in families.

Little Sharon, who was being cared for at Aggie’s Baby Home since she was a baby, said goodbye a few days ago. She now lives with an Italian foster family living in Uganda.

Martin will live with one of his relatives who was found by our social worker.

An American family in Uganda, who became aware of Miracle while he was in hospital, will take him in.

We wish them a good arrival and good luck for their future life!

 

 

29th May – Everyday life begins

Our volunteer is already well integrated into the processes at Aggie’s Baby Home. The everyday life with the children is full and is shaped by them.

Exciting days with the schoolchildren for Carmelina are about to begin.

 

19th May – Our new volunteer arrived well

Our new volunteer Carmelina Gropp arrived well in the project yesterday. She was welcomed and at the airport.

Carmelina Gropp is training as a health and paediatric nurse and works at the University Hospital in Heidelberg. She will live and work in the project for a month.

We are very happy about it and wish her an unforgettable stay!

 

3rd May – Greetings from the children!

The children at Aggies Baby Home are healthy and send greetings to Austria, Germany and Switzerland!

The past few weeks have been turbulent, with recurrent infections and other illnesses. Fortunately everyone is feeling better now.

 

1st April – Back home in ABH

The small patient Ann Susanne was discharged and was allowed to return to Aggie’s Baby Home after her hospitalization. Now she can calm down and recover. We are glad that the infection and inflammation has subsided well

 

28th March – Ann Susanne in hospital

Little Ann Susanne is unfortunately not doing very well lately. She is currently in hospital with an infection. We hope Ann Susanne, an otherwise very happy baby, gets well soon so she can return to ABH.

 

28th February – The kids are doing great at ABH

The kids at Aggie’s Baby Home spend relaxing days playing, learning and growing. Some kids focus their attention on painting or playing games, while others play with balls and are always on the move. Every child feels well cared for and can develop at their own pace. Here you can see some photos of Peter and Ann Susanne.

 

23rd January – A new girl was found

A girl about 2 years old was brought to ABH yesterday. She was called Paula and had been abandoned at a house’s door and then brought by the homeowner to a nearby police station. Not much is known yet about her origin. The police are currently investigating.

 

7th January – Happy New Year!

The children at Aggie’s Baby Home are enjoying a quiet holiday. Most students are with their families during school holidays.

The new school year begins at the end of January 2019. Our Big Milly, Bruce and Joshua are in third grade Primary School.

Patience, Mike senior and Ivan are in Primary 1. In Pre-School (Top Class) are Rhina and Jim. The Kindergarten (Baby Class) is attended by Mike junior, Samuel, David and Martin.

 

 

 

28th December – Christmas Party in Serbia

The day care center in Kladovo, Serbia had a nice, loud and funny Christmas party.

All young people who visit this site daily and their families celebrated together and were given a generous gift. Each family received a colorful sack of Terra Varietas. So this year 75 families will receive a gift bag!

Even families who live further away came and celebrated. Families with bedridden relatives were visited by the two leaders Tatjana Bosnic and Beba Kis and were surprised with a Sackerl. This year, each colorful cloth bag contains bed linen, a rich body cream, handkerchiefs and a beautiful red or golden paper bag with a bar of chocolate, Mannerschnite buiscuits and sweet tree ornaments. There was also bedding (blanket and upholstery) on site.

Our board member Dragana Ungurjanovic is there and experiences the great joy!

 

23rd December – Merry Christmas!

Yesterday, Aggies Baby Home and New Hope School celebrated a very happy and merry Christmas, as most of the students go home with their families over the holidays.

Of course, our children will spend the holidays in ABH and will celebrate again.

    

 

17th December – Farewell to Clara!

Our volunteer Clara Suffel says goodbye to Uganda after three months of new experiences.

She has enjoyed this intense time very much and will always remember this time with joy in her heart!

We thank Clara for this special effort!

 

 

13th December – Many great donations for Wiener Bedarfshilfe

Today, 10 bags full of warm winter clothes were brought to Vienna’s emergency aid.

The donations go from warm winter jackets, good winter underwear, clothing for adults and children, winter boots for all ages, warm duvets and upholstery to kitchen accessories such as thermoses, water bottles, pan sets and gifts and toys for children.

Many thanks to the generous donors!

 

 

8th December – Well arrived at Nada

Finally our bulging 75 Christmas bags arrived in Kladovo!

We are looking forward to handing them over to all the families in need.

 

 

4th December – School graduation and Examina Party

Our schoolchildren are celebrating these days! The school year is done.

Ivan finished the pre-school well. He is proud that volunteer Clara accompanied him as a parent at the celebrations.

Our schoolchildren from ABH have also all progressed well!

 

3rd December – Bags for Serbia

Also this year it is very important for us to surprise the young people of the day care center of the association Nada in Kladovo in Serbia with Christmas bags.

Every year, 75 families in need look forward to receiving new gifts from Terra Varietas. Almost always, these are the only gifts given to these young people and their socially deprived families.

This year, each colorful stuffed bag includes bed linen, a rich body cream, handkerchiefs and a nice red or golden paper bag with a bar of chocolate, Mannerschnitte buiscuits and cute tree ornaments.

 

 

26th November – Laura’s farewell

We say goodbye to volunteer Laura Resing! She was very productive and open-hearted in Uganda! Thank you so much!

 From left to right Laura Resing and next to her Clara Suffel, who is still in the project and full of energy and hard work!

 

 

22th November – Project reusable diapers

Our volunteer Laura has suggested to get cloth diapers and try to provide the best possible care for the children. From the environmental point of view this is an excellent solution!

The willingness of the mothers in the project was the same. Laura and Clara got these diapers and accessories and handed them over to the mothers. There was a lot of joy!

 

 

21th November – Baby Peter Innocence

The baby boy Innocence arrived yesterday in Aggie’s Baby Home and is now being taken care of. He should arrive in peace, gain confidence and relax.

The baby boy is named Peter, after a deceased benevolent man. Meanwhile, the project’s social worker will try to collect information and look for relatives.

 

 

20th November – New Baby

Yesterday a little boy arrived in Aggie’s Baby Home. He was dropped off by a pedestrian at a police station – details are not known yet. The police called the boys Innocence.

Volonteers Clara and Laura are doing fine. Their daily lives are full – they spend a lot of time at Aggie’s Baby Home with their children and mothers.

 

 

11th November – Performance at the New Hope School

Yesterday there was a performance at the New Hope School Elementary School. Our volunteer Clara and the teachers sewed costumes and rehearsed a piece with the children.

 Clara Suffel says: „Today was a very special day for me! I’m really happy & totally overwhelmed by so much appreciation and commitment, be it from the school or even from the mothers! „

 

 

7th November – The Christmas bag action for NADA in Serbia starts!

The young people of the association NADA in the Day Care Center in Kladovo enjoy every day the time they are allowed to spend in the supervised rooms. They are happy to paint, do handcraft and sing together. The warm food is very good for everyone. We are very happy to finance this help.

The time to be busy with Christmas tinkering and looking forward to the holidays begins. Our bags have become an important part of the holidays in recent years.

 

Again this year, we would like to fill and hand over 75 Christmas gift bags to these people and their families.

This year’s focus is on rest and sleep. So the bags will be filled with bedding and other useful things for the household plus, of course, the so awaited candy.

We look forward to your help and your donations to the Weihnachtssäckchenprojekt!

 

3rd November – Proud schoolchildren

The schoolchildren of Aggies Baby Home are very proud of their new school equipment. Thanks again to our supporters!

Here are the pictures of the 9 school and preschool children of Aggies Baby Home.

1st picture front row from left to right: Ivan, Jim, Michael Junior, Rhina, Patience and from the left next to Ivan (in yellow), Joshua, Bruce, Michael Senior, Patience and Clara Suffel.

 

2nd November – Finally new school supplies!

The schoolchildren of Aggies Baby Home can now finally be provided with many new and very necessary school supplies such as exercise books, pencils, colorful chalks and school bags. In addition, new shoes for the children were donated. Everyone is happy and beaming as Volunteer Clara tries the new supplies with the children. Thanks to the donors!!

 

 

1st November – A special school day – Halloween

Here are some pictures of a very special school day for the youngest children at the New Hope School. They celebrated Halloween!! The children dressed up as animals, sang and danced with great joy!

 

 

14th October – New field report from our volunteer

Our former volunteer Meike wrote a very nice report about her time in the project in Uganda.

You can read it!

 

12th October – Daily work

Our volunteer Clara is very busy every day. She works a lot with the children’s home and also at school. Every day is exciting, says Clara – the children are full of joy, very engaged, and all ages take part in the activities.

 

 

5th October – National Teacher’s Day

Today our volunteer Clara Suffel went to Kampala with the New Hope School teachers to celebrate the National Teacher’s Day. This is a big celebration where a lot of teachers from the country meet, exchange experiences and of course celebrate!

 

 

22nd September – Our new volunteer Clara feels good!

Our volunteer Clara Suffel arrived a few days ago and feels well. She was lovingly and openly taken in the community and has already integrated into the daily routine of the Baby Home.

 

 

20th September – Hot food at Nada in Serbia

Finally, the impaired people in Kladovo, Serbia, can return to the daycare every day. Now there is also daily freshly prepared hot food for everyone, thanks to Terra Varietas. The hot meal, often their only meal, does them good!

 

 

19th September – Our new volunteer has arrived!

Our new volunteer Clara Suffel has arrived well at the project.

 The 23-year-old German comes from Lower Franconia and is an occupational therapist. She has already gained experience in the care of disabled people, both in the field of special education as well as in a curative day care center.

 We are looking forward to her professional support in the health sector!

 

 

4th September – NADA in Serbia continues!

We are very happy to report that Nada, the small day care organization for handicapped children, adolescents and young adults in Kladovo, Serbia, will continue!

 After long and complicated negotiations, the city administration has now allowed the operation at NADA to be resumed daily.

 We will take care of the daily warm food! This is often the only meal for many people the whole day. People are already looking forward to it!

 

Here are some pictures of the summer as NADA was allowed to be open for some days – there were swing cloth games outdoors, trips to a zoo and many days spent crafting.

 

 

27th August – Farewell

Yesterday, our Volunteer Meike bid farewell to wonderful, colorful, eventful days and weeks in the project in Uganda. For both sides her stay was a great enrichment!

 

 

16th August – Bulk purchase for Aggies Baby Home

Our volunteer Meike goes shopping with Aggie and Mable, some of the mothers from Aggie’s Baby Home. Toiletries and diapers for the babies are urgently needed. Thanks to our donors 1000 Euro are available for this purpose!

 

 

1st August – Meike is doing well!

Our volunteer is emotionally overwhelmed by her work in the project with the children and adolescents.

 

 

25th July – Lessons with an anatomical body model

Our volunteer Meike is working intensively with the children.

 She has a loving contact with the very young children (below a photo with Ann Susan on the arm) and at the same time, she is very active at school with health prevention lessons.

 Meike vividly explains the human body by means of an anatomical model. This is very exciting for the students!

 

 

18th July – Our new Volunteer Meike has arrived safely!

24-year-old German medical specialist Meike Tietze from Freiburg arrived well at the project in Uganda the day before yesterday and has been warmly welcomed.

 Meike worked as a medical assistant for 4 years and we are happy that with her medical knowledge and experience, the children in Aggies Baby Home will be taken good care of. She would also like to work with the students on medical topics adapted to their school level and age.

 

 

 

19th June – Colourful woven work

There is always a lot of cooking at Aggie’s Baby Home, but crafting is also popular.

Here in the picture, Betty is weaving a colorful rugged small rug. Beautiful, isn’t it?

 

 

16th June – Everyday life at school through the eyes of our volunteer Agnes

Everything has been prepared at the New Hope School for the prom party of Senior 4. there’s nothing in the way of celebrating! The students were enjoying themselves and having a blast thanks to the huge loudspeakers placed in a small classroom, which would have been enough to play at an open-air concert!

A mobile computerized office has just been set up in the teacher’s room of the secondary school. Additionally, the printer cartridges were refilled so that it all could start smoothly!

Laundry day in the entire school and a special Ankole cattle on the grounds…

 

 

9th of June – A lovely small garden

A beautiful small garden has been created near Aggies Baby Home with the help of our volunteers. Slowly but steadily everything starts to grow.

The goal is to create a vegetable garden next to the ornamental one, so that it can be plowed and harvested by the house mothers themselves for the needs of the children’s house.

 

 

29th of May – Volunteers at school

Our two volunteers are already active in class at New Hope School.
We are happy to see their involvement and the happiness reflected on the children’s faces!

Here there is a picture of the school gong – a car rim.

Everyday life is very busy at the primary school. There are daily school activities from 7 to 21.

The food is a central part of everyday life, as there are often food queues before work time.

 

 

28th of May – The new volunteers and new pumps have arrived in Uganda!

Our two new volunteers have arrived in Uganda! We welcome Erwin Weber and Agnes Sengstbratl from Graz.

Agnes is currently undertaking a teaching training in English and biology and will teach at the New Hope School.

Erwin has a lot of experience in the field of development aid – he will accompany our work, assess the needs and cooperate with the community. A teacher training is being planned, in addition to the installation of a pump and its subsequent launching.

Thanks to two new pumps, the water can finally be better distributed on the grounds of New Hope School, the Aggie’s Baby Home and the guest house.

 

 

1st of May – Volunteer at Terra Varietas in Uganda – a progress report

A student from Kiel worked as a volunteer for five weeks in our project in Uganda in March and sent us a very interesting report.

Read for yourself and find out how he felt here!
https://terravarietas.com/erfahrungsbericht-eines-volunteers-bei-terra-varietas-in-uganda/

 

30th of April – Lots of donations for Bedarfshilfe Wien

Mrs. Viktoria Tobias, head of Bedarfshilfe Wien is pleased about the many high-quality donation of clothes.

In addition to lots of children’s clothing, pajamas and sportswear for children, lots of clothing for women was also donated this time. Bed linen and almost-new shoes complete the donation package.

 

 

29th of April – A new water pump is needed

Thanks to our donors, we are able to process the very important water supply project at the ABH and the NHS.

A good water supply for all the children (little and big children and adolescents) is elementary and very important!
Unfortunately, in the last few months and weeks, the water supply has constantly collapsed as the pipes and pumps are usually very old and completely overloaded.
Various possibilities for optimization are being discussed with our local master builder Gerald. A fast, reliable, but also long-term solution is crucial.

 

28th of April – Farewell for Robin, Ruth and Erika

A few weeks ago little Robin could be reunited with her grandmother. From now on she will live with her.

Robin had a very difficult start in Aggie’s Baby Home 2 years ago. Her first months were very difficult healthwise, however she has developed great!

The contact with Robin and her family remains. The project’s social worker will be visiting regularly to watch Robin’s development.

Our supervisor Ann-Kathrin Uhlmann has already visited the family. We would like to continue supporting the development of this „former“ ABH child when needed. Ann-Kathrin Uhlmann reports that the family is very grateful for these visits. We think that it is also an important task.
Erica and Ruth will say goodbye to ABH this weekend. They will be adopted by Dr. Becca, an American doctor who has lived in the country for some years now. Dr. Becca has been interested in adopting the two girls for some time. Unbelievably, she has just succeded in her attempts. This is a unique opportunity for the two children!
The girls continue to live in the country and will surely be in contact with us.

 

 

24th of April – Preventive dental care at the New Hope School

At the New Hope School, dental care is on the program. Dentist Donna shows and explains how the teeth should be brushed, ideally twice a day. The students are happy to participate.

 

 

15th of April – There is a lot going on in Aggie’s Babies Home. Here some impressions of the visit

There’s a lot going on in Aggie’s Baby Home, including lots of music being taugh and made with the children. Body care, examinations and dental treatments are on the daily schedule.

This is very important for everyone!

 

 

13th of April – A group of volunteers from Colorado in the guesthouse

Currently, a group of volunteers from Colorado/USA are staying in the guesthouse to examine the children at Aggie’s Baby Home. A dentist and a nurse examine all children and explain daily and dental care. Volunteers support the team.

Education, guidance and prevention are also at the center of the volunteers‘ work.
Besides the work with the children, a biological vegetable garden is being created!

 

 

10th of April – The new school building is ready

The end of March 2018 finally marks the beginning of the school operation for the oldest students of the New Hope School.
From now on, the top two grades and final exams can be completed on the school grounds. All students are very happy about the new building with 4 classrooms and a large dormitory for 140 students.

 

 

8th of April – New baby boy Mark

A few days ago, a new baby arrived in Aggie’s Baby Home. The little one month old boy was found at a gas station and is now called Mark.

22th of February – A Wonder!

Two days ago, a new baby arrived in Aggie’s Baby Home. The baby is called Miracle – it’s a 2-month-old boy. He was found in the courtyard of a house. Welcome, little wonder!

Patience with new baby Miracle Here there are 3 pictures: David and Ivan, Rhina and Trinity

 

22th of February – New pictures of Uganda

Agatha and Waly are fine. Waly is busy teaching every day. Yesterday she even did exam papers. At the weekend the two were on the market in Kampala. Here are some pictures:

 

 

17th of February – New pictures from Waly and Agatha

For several days Waly has been teaching at New Hope School again – the students are very happy to be there with her.

 

In the afternoon, walks are on the program…

 

The school’s musical performance 

 

 

9th of February – Waly is back at the project!

We are very pleased that the Vienna-based HTL teacher Waly Kaminger is back in Uganda again for a few weeks, two months after her last stay in the project. Waly assisted yesterday at maths and she even taught spontaneously today.

 

And here some pictures of the building progress at our construction site – on the left the renovation of the sleeping houses, on the right the construction of the new high school for the two upper grades including 4 classrooms and beds for 140 girls!

 

1st of February – New pictures from the construction site

A lot is happening – you can see that clearly! We are happy that the school construction is progressing so well!

24th of January 2018 – The children and construction site are doing well!

There is still a lot to do on the construction site. Right now the carpentry work is being done – many school benches and tables are being made in different sizes and many others renovated.

The kids are fine too! Here is Sharon eating fruit with Volunteer Agatha and Stephen Noah is sleeping.

 

 

 

13thof January – Charité at Bedarfshilfe

Yesterday, a special event took place in a special atmosphere.

Ms. Viktoria Tobias, the head of Bedarfshilfe Wien invited us to a benefit event at Studio 67.

 

12th of January – Visit from Uganda in Vienna

Sheila from Uganda is visiting the board members Stefanie and Hans Kern for a week.

Sheila is very familiar with the Aggies Baby Home project. She is currently studying and gladly accepted the invitation to come to Vienna.
She is enjoying the every day impressions, experiences, and new adventures such as living in Vienna, a school visit with lectures, ice skating at the Town Hall Square and sledging in the mountains with lots of snow.

 

 

8th of January – Daily construction progress!

On the construction site things are progressing well every day. The beds for the new dormitory are already taking shape.

 

 

1st of January – Only a few days old…

Yesterday a very young baby was found. She was alone in a house for about two days and cried until a neighbour entered the house and found her.

It’s a girl named Ann Susanne. She cries a lot and was in a malnourished state but otherwise she is doing fine.

 

 

31st of December – Mixed feelings at NADA Serbia: great joy and gratitude but also sadness

People in the streets of Kladovo were amazed to see loud and cheerful young people with filled colourful bags. It was Christmas and New Year’s Eve in the day care centre for handicapped and people in need at the association Nada.

About 70 people and their families come together to celebrate this special event. Again this year, people without mobility options were presented with gifts at their homes.
All in all, Terra Varietas was delighted to welcome 82 families this year.

Unfortunately, 2018 will not continue like this – there is no more funding from the city administration. Also, the head of the association Tatjana Bosnic is seriously ill and has to undergo several surgeries in the coming months.

It has now been planned to open the day care centre for half day (in the afternoon), during the first half of the year.

 

 

28th of December – New baby found!

Today a baby was found in the street and handed over to the local police station. The mother dropped him off the road and never came back. The baby was handed over to Aggies Baby Home.

It is a little boy, who has been named Stephen Noah by the people at Aggies Baby Home.

No details are known at the moment. The first step is to provide good care and clarify his origins.

 

 

21st of December – The ground floor is ready!

The construction works carry on also during Christmas – progress continues even at night, and of course with good lighting to ensure completion of the construction before the beginning of the school year.

 

Agatha is fine – she’s busy with the little kids and sends greetings!

 

 

17th of December – The first beds are ready!

The work at New Hope School is progressing well. Both the renovation of existing dormitories and the new construction are progressing on a daily basis.

The first beds have been finished – they are still to be painted, but they already look stable and functional.

 

14th of December – Meetings with the Consul of Austria and the German Embassy

Yesterday, the head of Terra Varietas Ann-Kathrin Uhlmann and our volunteer Agatha had an appointment with Karl Wipfler, the Austrian consul in Uganda. Today they were in the German embassy with Mrs. Brigitta Grosskinsky.

They had chance to introduce our association Terra Varietas and our work in Uganda. Both talks were very constructive. The two country representatives promised their support, and that is a good step towards our registry as an NGO in the country.

 

 

14th of December – Construction progress and new beds

Good progress is made daily at the New Hope School construction site.

110 bunk beds have been put together and some more have been repaired in order to provide all students with a good place to sleep!

 

 

13th of December – Tina and Waly’s farewell

Today Martina and Waly say goodbye to everything that has shaped their daily life for the past weeks and months. They say goodbye to the overwhelming zest for life of the people in the project, the children and adolescents in Africa.

They will flight back to Vienna in the evening.

9th of December – 82 Christmas bags for Nada in Serbia

This year, we have filled again Christmas bags with personal care products for the families of the social association NADA in Kladovo, Serbia. Apart from the support offered to young people with disabilities who are being cared for daily at the association, help is also provided to people with disabilities who are not mobile.

82 bags were made and ready!

This year, the content of the colourful organic cotton bags (which are also suitable as a shopping bag) is again varied. There is a shampoo, a shower, a towel, a packet of handkerchiefs with fragrance, a fruit tea mixture and a bag of sweets.

 

8th of December – Finished floors at Aggies Baby Home

The new tiled floor is completely finished at the Baby Home and the building can be redone!

Subsequently, some areas were painted and all doors needed to be sanded down, since the new floor is now higher. Richard sanded and repainted all cribs and he also set the tiles for the outer part of the building. Everyone is very happy about it !!


Things are progressing well on the construction site. Here is an insight in pictures:

 

 

5th of December – Looking for a meaningful Christmas present?

One of our sponsors has just told us about a great initiative called Beans United. The project aims at producing and distributing high-quality coffee while donating a proportion of every package sold to provide children in need with enough food.


Thanks to the World Food Program (WFP), aid reaches where it is most needed. Currently, for example, help reaches the Sahrawi refugees in Algeria, South Sudan and refugees in Myanmar. Support ranges from serving school meals, special nutrition for pregnant women and toddlers to distributing cash and food vouchers.

The WFP has set itself the goal of stopping famine worldwide by 2031.
More at: https://www.bean-united.de/
Also click on our Facebook page to learn more about it!

5th of December – Tina and Waly with the mountain gorillas

Yesterday, our two volunteers Tina and Waly were allowed to visit a group of mountain gorillas for an hour in the Bwindi National Park. The group consisted of a 12-member mountain gorilla family.

It was an incredible experience for Tina and Waly!

 

4th of December – Construction work at the New Hope School

The big construction work started these days in Uganda at the New Hope School and the holiday season is great for that since it has just started and the students will have some days off.

The existing high school dormitories will be renovated – both outside and inside. Some classrooms are being repainted. This is a generous gift from our master builder Gerald. Thank you!

The construction of the large dormitory and classroom building (beds for 140 students plus 4 classrooms for the top high school classes) has already begun. The excavation work is in progress. All are full of anticipation and filled with great gratitude!

 

 

2nd of December – Agatha’s arrival and greetings from Tina and Waly!

Agatha was well received in the project and could today once again experience everyday life in Aggies Baby’s Home.

Tina and Waly say hello! They are fine, they had an exciting day – only Tina’s battery is empty…

 

1st of December – Welcome Agatha!

Our volunteer Agatha Golab arrived today in the project. Agatha will stay here for a year and will work mostly at the Baby’s home but also in the administrative and purchasing departments. She is full of energy for this important task!
She enjoys the fantastic view first and looks ahead the exciting time to come!

 

 

1st of December – Farewell and the beginning of a round trip for Tina and Waly

For our two volunteers Martina and Waly, weeks of very intense and gratifying work come to an emotional end.
Today at 7 o’clock in the morning, the two embarked on a two week round trip through the west of Uganda. They head now southwest to Mbarara and the Lake Mburu National Park, then to Bwindi NP to the gorillas. Afterwards, they will head north to Queen Elizabeth NP, Fort Portal, Murchison Falls NP, Rhio Park, and finally they will head back to the project.
We wish them exciting and adventurous days to come!

 

 

30th of November – Big project!

We are proud to announce our large construction project for the students of the New Hope School!

Starting from now, a sleeping house with beds for 140 high school girls is being built. In the same building below, the construction of four classrooms for the last two high school classes is taking place, so that all students can graduate from the New Hope School from the beginning of the semester. There are some requirements that the school board has to fulfil. If it all goes well, students can take up lessons here starting from March 2018.

The huge costs are about 100000 Euros (about 110 000 USD).

The construction started yesterday and it is expected to be ready in three months. By then everything should be ready for use and the lessons can start!

Furthermore, the existing sleeping houses and bathrooms will be renovated, so that the high school boys will all have beds in the school grounds for the very first time and no longer need to sleep on the ground or outside the project with strangers.

This project requires 140 beds and mattresses to be purchased, all existing beds and mattresses controlled and ideally exchanged if necessary. The same applies for the school tables.

The oldest girls and boys were overcome with the joy of being allowed to stay here for two more years and thus have better educational opportunities. There were a lot of tears of joy!

The gratitude is huge!

 

29th of November – Surface tension, walk and visit to the Baby Home

Today and yesterday, the students were amazed when Waly vividly explained the terms surface tension and smallest connecting surface. The experimenting session was welcomed with a lot of joy!

 

Photo impressions of the walk in the surroundings…

 

The Scooby Doo project visited the kids from the Aggies Baby Home today.

 

29th of November – Schnitzel, the Austrian national dish

Today Waly and Martina cook together with the mothers of ABH. They present Schnitzel, a typical Austrian specialty and also demonstrate how it is prepared.

 

29th of November – Grill party

yesterday there was a small inauguration ceremony with the mothers of Baby’s house for the new barbecue area. Everyone was happy and enjoyed a lot the cosy get-together.

The flooring work in ABH is coming to an end – we all hope it is done soon so everybody can enjoy the new floor.

 

27th of November – Floor renovation at the children`s house and a tea plantation visit

The construction work at Aggie’s Baby House is in progress. The new floor will be very handy; the mothers are looking forward to it!

Today, the volunteers took a long walk with the girls from the high school to a tea plantation.

 

26th of November – That was the weekend: the source of the river Nile and the Ssezibwa Falls

Martina and Waly spend the weekend away in the nature. On Saturday they went to Jinja (Source of the river Nile). The beautiful 7-colored bird in the picture is a Marakait Kingfisher.

 

The Ssezibwa waterfalls were really beautiful!

 

Swarming fruit bats and heavy work in the stone quarry for very little pay (about 2 Euros for 12 hours of hard work)!

 

 

24th of November – Finally the rain is here!

Today, the long awaited rain finally came and all humans, animals, and nature alike were overjoyed. It felt very good!

Waly and Martina are playing „Silent Post“ with the students in class today. It is a very funny game for all ages!

Waly, Martina and Anni celebrate with Richard, who was hired by Terra Varietas as a volunteer and guesthouse manager.

He hopes to start studying law after the holidays.

 

23rd of November – Graduation Ceremony

For the students of the New Hope School there was a big graduation ceremony.

Here are the youngest preschoolers at the end of this first year. Patience, Michael senior and Anabella have completed their first stage at Aggie’s Baby Home. Anabella is Mable’s daughter, who is also a mother of triplets and works in the children’s home.

There was also time to share a cake. Delicious, isn’t it?

Soon they will start the Primary School and they are full of anticipation!

22nd of November – Toothbrush action today!

Today, more than 400 toothbrushes have been distributed and the basis of dental hygiene discussed and demonstrated at the New Hope School.

 

22nd of November – What is happening?

This happened yesterday:

Waly prepared diligently for a physics lesson and made models – besides the physics class.

In the afternoon there was time again to talk with the oldest girls. This contact is very important to create raport. Common youth topics are also discussed there.

And once again wonderful sunsets – 100 seconds after the second photo, the sun was completely gone.

 

21st of November – The sunset

Today I get in touch with you to show you two wonderful sunset pictures from our two volunteers. So impressive and idyllic!

Relaxed moments for Tina and Waly. Luke is probably the youngest volunteer in the project!

 

 

20th of November – Touching singing and football

Today there was a lot to discuss with the teachers of the school about teachers training, the construction of the school library and new textbooks for the students.

The oldest girls sang incredibly beautiful for Waly and Martina! Tears of emotion and the intensity and pure joy overwhelmed the two volunteers.

And the older guys had great fun with the real football!

 

20th of November – Excursion weekend

The last weekend, our two volunteers, Ann-Kathrin and her son went on some weekend trips.

On Saturday they visited the zoo and the botanical garden in Entebbe and on Sunday they went by boat to the Ngamba Island in Lake Victoria. The entire island is a chimpanzee rescue station where smuggled, trapped or injured animals are being taken well care of.

95% of the island belongs to the animals and only 5% to the caretakers and visitors. This space is divided by an electric fence.

 

The renovation of Aggie’s Baby Home started this morning with work on the new floor!

18th of November – Big plans – a new construction begins on Monday

Our supervisor Ann-Kathrin Uhlmann with the two volunteers

Our supervisor Ann-Kathrin Uhlmann has been at the project for a week and has a lot to do around the clock. The children sometimes need examinations to be able to accompany their development and special needs well. Some furnishing supplements such as washing machine, shelves in the storage area and inventory for the room of the housemaid Tracy are to be made.

In addition, next week starts the renovation of the Baby Home. The whole children’s house gets a much nicer and easy to clean floor, which was urgently necessary. New tiles that match the whole house need to be chosen and bought.

Construction meetings and plans are also scheduled for the next few days. The construction of a sleeping house for the older high school students has been our idea for some time now and will soon be realized. Likewise, an urgent construction of two other classrooms for the oldest students, as well as toilets and the renovation of existing dormitories need prompt planning. Not to mention the need for new beds and mattresses.

We hope for support in these big and important projects! Every donation helps with the construction!

In addition, some meetings are held regarding on-the-spot training of teachers by the volunteers in courses, setting up a school library, selection of appropriate textbooks with advice from the volunteers. Also, other partner projects have been visited.

The students in the upper grades of high school can complete their intermediate exams well and are very happy about it. Everyone is going into a peaceful weekend.

Waly and Martina were yesterday with the girls on outdoor lessons. The girls like to take pictures with Waly’s camera – they enjoy it!

 

 

16th of November – Joy, great joy!

Every day is a special day for the two volunteers. Today, Waly did a physics lesson on sound – spontaneous music was made. Unbelievable – good – full of joy.

Waly wrote me „Joy – every moment full of joy!“

Martina and the students did a quiz and had a lot of fun!

The close contact to the children’s house continues of course … there are countless of intense moments.

 

16th of November – The Country and its people

Our volunteers Waly and Martina take amazing photos! In addition to the many pictures of the children and the school grounds, they have also sent us impressive nature photographs and portraits of the people in Uganda.

Here are some impressions …

 

15th of November – Outdoor Lessons

Teachers Martina and Waly are really eager to teach. Yesterday, there were outdoor lessons with the older high school girls in the afternoon and it continues today with another group.

The outdoor activities and lessons help to reduce the students’ language barriers. The students have the chance to talk about their country, their dreams, their personal experiences, and explain to the volunteers during their walks everything they know about flora and fauna. Martina and Waly are learning a lot themselves and are intensively researching about Uganda.

 

15th of November – Nature from the project in Uganda

Today, with photos of the volunteers, I would like to briefly introduce the flora and fauna around Aggie’s Baby Home and the New Hope School.

Everywhere there is lush greenery, many trees, flowering plants and the screeching of the surrounding animals such as monkeys and birds.
More here – Uganda as a travel destination.

 

13th of November – Intense impressions

Waly depicts today as a day full of indescribable and intense impressions.

The two volunteers experience a lot every day. They have shared delightful closeness to the children from the babies’ home, all the way to the high school teens.
Yesterday, Terra Varietas president, Ann Kathrin Uhlmann, arrived in Uganda. This time her son Lukas accompanies her.

13th of November – Volunteers teach 1st and 2nd grade high school

After a quiet Sunday, it’s time for Waly and Martina at school today. For the first time, they teach units among the younger high school students, 1st and 2nd Grade. It has been a great way to combine Maths with English – there was a lot of positive feedback both during and after that!

The girls are very active in the classroom and laugh a lot, while the boys have to find their way around first. At the end of the lesson everyone proudly presents their results.

 

Waly and Tina with John the math teacher of the Primary School.

 

The school cows provide the children with fresh milk.

Impressions of the environment below: first picture is from a former pupil, Richard, who likes to help out with the children – he wants to give back what he has experienced here.

 

12th of November – Well settled and happy!

Volunteers Martina and Waly, also known as Tina and Waly for ease of understanding, feel very comfortable and spend time with their children.

Here are some of their first impressions…

 

10th of November – Two guest educators at New Hope School

It is the second day for Martina and Waly in the project. The two of them have quickly settled in and teach the 6th grade in the New Hope School.

The two volunteers are experienced pedagogues of the HTL Rennweg in Vienna, who use their sabbatical year for this trip. We would also like to thank the management of the HTL Rennweg for the colourful chalks donated to the school. They are very needed and appreciated here!

The headmistress is very grateful for the chalks – they are a treasure!

 

 

9th of November – The first day in the project for our volunteers! Welcome!

Our first two volunteers Martina and Waly spend their first day in the project. Intense hours full of joy and happiness begin with the children of the Baby Home. The Headmistress Beatrice warmly welcomes the guests!

 

 

8th of November – Everything is prepared for the first volunteers!

The guesthouse in Uganda has been cleaned, organized, and beds are made. Even the fridge is already filled!

New Hope School’s young students prepare for the first two volunteers Waly Kaminger and Martina Oswald. In the late evening they will be picked up at the airport in Entebbe.

 

8th of November – A lot of donations for BEDARFSHILFE WIEN!

The joy of donations does not stop at the moment. Several large and well-filled Ikea bags have been handed over to the Wiener Bedarfshilfe.

This time, many warm jackets and vests, 15 woolly hats (!!!) and in addition children’s furniture, toys and other useful little things.

 

3rd of November – GREETINGS FROM SERBIA

Our board member Dragana Ungurjanovic has spent the last 8 days in Serbia with the people form the project Nada. The program directors were happy about the small gifts and our certificate for the successful cooperation.

Unfortunately, the future of the day-care centre for the disable does not look good. The city authorities do not want to support it from 2018. At the moment, various scenarios of support are being discussed, prompting extensive demonstrations, unfortunately so far without success. We will report any further development on this topic.

The sons of the founders Tatjiana Bosnic and Beba Kis both turned 26 during our visit, and it was celebrated warmly.

 Congratulations!

 

 

21st of November – Networking meeting 1:1

Today, two of our board members Hans Kern and Susanne Körner were at the 1 to1 Networking Meeting.

12 impressive initiatives have come together. Ecpat Austria gave a comprehensive lecture on child protection and the right of children against sexual exploitation.
It was an exciting day!

16th of October – HERE THEY ARE! Our first volunteers

Following the visit of our american friends, there was a meeting with our first three volunteers. After the workshop everything is quite concrete.

Flights are booked, vaccinations made and visas applied for. It all will start very soon!

We are very happy and pleased that they want to be part of the project in Uganda.

 

From the left to right: Agatha Golub, Martina Oswald and Waly Kaminger.

We are very happy to welcome future volunteers! More information here!

 

16th of October – WELCOME TO VIENNA!

Today we welcome Claudia Porter, her daughter Naomi Porter and Lori Wichael from Colorado.

They have supported Aggies Baby Home since the very beginning. It was good to meet them personally and to talk to them. The common goal is to support the children in Uganda in their development as best as possible.

The accompanying adults need a lot of educational input from our side. This is what has to be done now. A first step is our volunteers!

 

12th of October – We would like to thank the sponsors for their support!

Family Weiboltshamer from the Reformhaus Weiboltshamer gave us a sack with small money, which was collected at the checkout. Many thanks also to the customers!
We would also like to thank Mrs. Pfleger, from the paper store Pfleger Papier!
The second hand business Pixie and its customers delight many people with their generous donations. Thanks for that!

 

 

3rd of October – Donate directly to the ones in need

In recent weeks, we have received generous dress and shoe donations from the sencond hand shop Pixie.
The donations were sorted immediately. As well as many warm sweaters, jackets, shirts, trousers, sports underwear, children’s pajamas and socks, there were also pouches and even books.
Thanks a lot to the Pixie team and their customers! We would like to thank you for your cooperation with us!

At Wiener Bedarfshilfe there is great joy thanks to the donated garments. Of course, the summer things go our project in Uganda.
Thank you for your successful cooperation with Wiener Bedarfshilfe, where great work is done every day in the heart of Vienna.

The little Lelya from Syria wears the dresses and sweaters with great joy!

 

 

2nd of October – New copying machine for NADA in Serbia

Finally, it is here! A few days ago came the long awaited copying machine. The heads of NADA Tatyana Bosnic and Beba Kis and the people of the Day Care in Kladovo Serbia were very happy. Now a lot can be painted and tinkered again.
We are glad to have financed this device!


17th of September – Successful workshop with Deeper Travel

On Saturday 16 September a workshop was held for the members of the board of Terra Varietas. Eva Gaderer and Robert Bichler from DeeperTravel informed us
about volunteer tourism in development cooperation.
After a theoretical examination of the subject of volunteer tourism, the strategic planning of the assignments together with project partners abroad was discussed.

Also of great importance were the selection process and the accompaniment of volunteers.

The hours were very fruitful and brought many new very important aspects. After the workshop, we closed with a lunch together.

 

1st of September 2017 – Baby Ruth is 5 days old

Tiny girl Ruth is today probably 5 days old. Here the latest pictures of the new arrival in Aggies Baby Home. Incredibly sweet, right?

 

 

30th of August 2017 – Three babies were found!

Yesterday a baby about 4 days old was found in the bush. The young man at the photo below found it and took it to Aggies Baby Home. The baby was named Ruth.

Two weeks ago, little Trinity was taken by Aggies Baby Home. She had been handed over to a police station.

In the middle of August the little Sharon is found and taken into custody. She is about 8 months old.

 

 

29th of August 2017 – Donations for Bedarfshilfe, Vienna. Plus ORF-Video!

Today, four large sacks with donations were handed over to Mrs. Viktoria Tobias, the head of Bedarfshilfe Wien. The joy was great!

The offer ranges from clothing for children, teenagers and adults to shoes, household supplies such as plastic dishes, picture frames, baby supplies, toys, Sigg water bottles and Tupperware boxes for the beginning of school.

Many thanks go to the kids brand fashion second-hand shop Pixie and private donors!

ORF also reported this summer about Bedarfshilfe Wien. Click on the following link to view the section:

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fwiener.bedarfshilfe%2Fvideos%2F2041748962711464%2F&show_text=0&width=560

 

28th of August 2017 – Summer in Serbia

This year it was again a hot summer in Kladovo. Some weeks temperatures raised at 40 degrees. This is extremely much and puts a burden on the body.

Nevertheless, people have been very positive and productive. Paper pies were tinkered and birthdays were celebrated.

Our team member Dragana Ungurjanovic also spent a lot of time at Nada.

A great desire for the future is a new copying machine. We would like to help with this new project!

 

 

 11th of August 2017 – Great donation at a birthday party!

Thank you very much to all donors who gave generously at a round birthday celebration!

The birthday girl Karina Schlögl-Hanel handed out the sum of 1200 Euro to Terra Varietas with great joy. Thank you very much!

With the money, Terra Varietas assures for each child and adolescents of the New Hope School in Uganda their own sleeping place. A separate mattress in a separate bed is the goal. For this purpose, existing beds should be equipped with new mattresses. Furthermore, the construction of a sleeping house for the younger kids is planned.

At the moment the boys of the school sleep at nearby host families’ houses, on the floor, and are only tolerated for the night. This is an unacceptable condition.

The course of the action will continue to be reported!

 

 2nd of August 2017 – Happiness over new mattresses in Uganda!

The newly married couple Stefanie and Hans Kern started the honeymoon with a stay in Uganda at our guest house at Aggies Baby Home and the New Hope School.

The two were able to examine the completed construction works. Everything was beautifully built.

This time, there was an urgent need to purchase mattresses for the kids. 150 new mattresses were bought and handed over! Thanks again to the generous donators at the wedding celebration!


Furthermore, small construction projects were discussed for the near future.

 

 

11th of July 2017 – Great donations at the wedding

Our board members Stefanie Wallner and Hans Kern have married this weekend. Congratulations!

 

In the course of the celebration in a charming castle in the wine district, many guests were also informed about the activities of Terra Varietas.

The interest was unexpectedly great, which makes us very happy! I even barely had enough brochures with me.

A wedding newspaper was specially designed by close friends and then sold to the wedding’s guests.

 

The proceeds – exactly 590 Euros- will be donated to Terra Varietas.

Many thanks to the designers of the newspaper Christian Tichy and Agnes Molozej! There were even advertisements of Terra Varietas and information presented in the magazine.

We would also like to thank the donors, who have already send their contributions to the association’s bank account.

 

6th of July 2017 – No summer holidays at Bedarfshilfe

Today I visited Viktoria Tobias, the head of the association Bedarfshilfe, at their headquarters in Vienna Meidling. Despite the heat in the city, the old walls at the building make it cool on the inside. The new goods have just been classified and the refrigerator is very valuable at such temperatures, since it keeps the salad and co always fresh.

Today, there is a lot of fresh lamb’s salad, many herbs in pots and some plants for the garden, which according to Mrs. Tobias, is a great specialty.

Our donations are welcomed with a lot of joy. This time there are some dresses, girls‘ shoes, a tablecloth and small gifts. Little Gloria is equally enthusiastic about the new Dirndl and is very happy wearing it.

We would like to thank the Markenmoden-Secondhand Pixie and individual donors, who always support us. Thank you!

 

6th of July 2017 – The journey will start soon!

 Two members of the Board of Directors will travel from mid-July and visit Aggies Baby Home and the New Hope School in Uganda. Investments will then be discussed, such as the renovation of the floor at the babies’ home, the construction of a dormitory for the older boys, and the equipment with mattresses at the before mentioned dormitory.

Our goal is to enable every young person in the school to have their own sleeping place at the school grounds with their own mattress. Now, it is time to sort out all the donated garments and additional donations to prepare them for transportion.

 

 

5th of July 2017 – A new boy has been brought!

Two days ago, a three year old boy was abandoned by his mother and brought to the babies’ house. The small Joshua can stay in Aggies Baby Home until the next steps can be resolved with the authorities.

Joshua now breathes through and starts to relax slowly … next to him is Jolly Lavonne, who comes to welcome him.

All the children are doing well – here are a few impressions: Ivan, Jim, Rhina and Patience.

30th of June 2017 – Wheelchair donation for Serbia

 The donated wheelchairs wil be used well in Kladovo in Serbia. The head of the association ensures that the wheelchairs will benefit families who need them.

Through such wheelchairs the everyday life of a whole family can be improved. Often, this leads to the first opportunities to explore the world for those affected and their families. In some cases, the wheelchairs allows them to leave their house for the first time in many years!

Thank you again to our donors!

2nd of June 2017 – A new Baby!

Aggies Baby Home is looking forward to the little Jolly Lavonne. The little girl feels well cared for and safe. She grows and grows, smiles often and can now relax and enjoy every day!

All children are happy and enjoy every day – here new photos! More photos at Project Aggies Baby Home.



 

2nd of June 2017 – And it goes much further!

Aggies Baby Home in Uganda is always very busy. The children are doing great!

The construction work is almost completed. The colorful fence looks cheerful and the house for the supplies and cleaning utensils is ready. A living area for one person is also included.

 

27th of April 2017 – A lot of work at Bedarfshilfe

Susanne Körner, Vice-President reports:

Today, I visited Ms Viktoria Tobias, the founder and director of Bedarfshilfe at the foundation’s main house.

A lot is happening at the club house of the Wiener Bedarfshilfe in the Längenfeldgasse. Lots of people in need come to pick up food and the queue is very long, despite rain, cold and wind. From Monday to Thursday, and from 10 am to 10:30 am, fruit, vegetables, pastries and much more can be collected directly by families who need this help. Volunteers Franziska and Dirk are usually very busy since the early morning.

As I came in, a Pakistani family was entering the dispensing room and joyfully received lots of vegetables, fruit and salad. They have a big family and therefore cook a lot every day.

Since the beginning of the year and until the end of March 680 men, women and their families received food at Wiener Bedarfshilfe according to the statistics kept by the volunteers at the foundation. Statistics have also shown that some families have a lot of children (up to 7 or 8 children are registered).

I brought today a bag full of donations from Pixie, a second hand shop specialized in kids‘ clothes and located in the 14th district in Vienna. There were tops, jackets, trousers, pyjamas, baby clothes, suits, shoes and rubber boots. Even hiking shoes and a dirndl were donated. Thanks a lot for all these goods!

Once a week, there is a family pick-up day, which always takes place on Friday’s evening. The families will be very happy about all the donations.
What else is there to do?
The learning afternoons for school children and the German conversation meetings for adults are a complete success. Now, Terra Varietas is thinking about starting a group for early musical education for the young children. The idea to offer instrumental lessons for older children is being discussed.
We are happy about instruments donated for this cause!

24th of April 2017- Reconstruction site in progress!

The new layout of the large area of the Baby Home and the Guesthouse is fully underway.

In addition to a new access area, a parking lot, and the relocation of the gate, the cottage is also almost ready for the perfect care of guests in the guesthouse.

Now the guests have their own entrance area and they can go directly to the guesthouse without disturbing the small children at Aggies Baby Home.

 

18th of April 2017- Beautiful days at NADA in Serbia

The instructors and participants of the day care facility NADA in Kladovo Serbia send heartfelt thanks and greetings to all the donors.

Susanne Körner and Dragana Ungurjanovic were able to gain a good impression during the days at the facility. The two caregivers at the day care center (Tatjana Bosnic and Beba Kis) work with every young person and with specific pedagogical and ergotherapeutical focus (the fine motor skills are coached and trained).

The material provided by Terra Varietas is used daily (thanks to Pfleger Papierwaren and individual spenders).

It was good to observe the different needs and development of the people being looked after in such a closed space. There we could see a mother sitting in a corner with a boy about two and a half years old, fed and kept next to her, a mother brought three of her daughters, who are about 4 years, 7 years and 13 years old. Right across the room there were some happy young boys who wanted to sing at the same time.

The caretakers feel very well the different individual and group moods and develop their daily program in situ. For example, well-formed kneading is made with non-toxic materials- with the exact texture so that it is neither too easy nor too difficult for the participants. At the same time, the people at the next table who do not participate on the kneading activity are provided with drawing supplies and short poems, which they eagerly repeat.

 

We could also experience first-hand the lunchtime dynamic. Each young person looks forward to their meal, which is specially tailored according to their preferences and tolerances, and they eat it with great appetite. In addition to the main meal there is always plenty of fruit for the snack time.

Everything means a great deal of work for the caregivers, who like to do it. The food distribution lasts long and the fruit must be cut for each person right by their sitting spot, sometimes involving their help in the procedure. This allows the process to be closely followed, depending on the ability of the participants. The fruit is quite fresh for immediate consumption. What is more beautiful for the senses than a freshly cut juicy orange? You can look at them, smell them, feel them and taste them. A real feast!

 

Also, plans for the coming period could be discussed with the facility’s director. In addition to some singing performances and market stalls with self-made items, a presentation and public relations campaign is planned. It is intended to draw attention to the handicapped people from the day care centre in Kladovo, Serbia. Tatjana Bosnic is also fighting for accessibility at public facilities.

The donated wheelchairs will be handed over to two needy families in the coming days.

17th of April 2017- CHARITY CONCERT at Replugged Wien

A few days ago there was a charity concert organized by Terra Varietas at „Replugged Wien“ restaurant in Lerchenfelderstraße. (Details on Facebook.)

Many thanks go to the Bruecke band, the duo Peppermint and Katja Aujesky from Berlin.

 

4th of April 2017 – Help for „Nada“ in Serbia

We will go to Serbia at the end of the week and useful donations will be sent with a small transport. We have been looking for quality and good wheelchairs for a long time and today we got the first one. A generous donation by Ursula Heinisch! Thank you very much!!


Family Weiboltshamer’s support as always is very active; this time, they decided to donate the collected money from the cash desk area at their healthy food store. Thank you!



30th of March 2017 – A visit from US

Seventeen national Americans from Colorado spent the last two weeks at the guesthouse in Uganda. They enjoyed the days very much and flew home today. They had a lot of fun and could spend both relaxed and intense hours here.


Teacher Claudia Porter travelled with her choir to visit Aggies Baby Home and the New Hope School, which they have been supporting for many years.

The finished guesthouse looks beautiful! All guests are welcome!

 

14th of March 2017 – The guesthouse is completely finished! Here are the details!

The guesthouse and the adjoining villa are finally finished!

Now, a wall with a fence will be built around the area. Likewise, the entrance will be rearranged and a new entrance with a small parking area will be set up. Currently, visitors pass directly by the Baby Home’s building. Thus, an independent access will be guaranteed.

From now on, we are looking for volunteers! Are you interested? More information here.

At the end of March we will welcome a group of 18 people. This will be of course reported.

5th of March 2017 – It will be spring in Serbia!

In the organization Nada a lot is being handcrafted with enthusiasm every day. Beautiful colourful water lilies are produced.

 The spring can come slowly.

29th of January 2017 – Fun with watercolors and snow in Serbia

These extremely cold days in Serbia are also hard in Kladovo at the Nada club for the people. Fortunately the daily food is really good.

Despite daily minus degrees, it is fun in the snow. And trying out the new water colors, papers and pencils is a great pleasure, especially since the things are all of a good quality and are therefore much better suited for experiments. Many thanks to the donors!

 

27th of January 2017 – Uganda – a land full of experiences!

Two members of the Executive Board, Stefanie Wallner and Hans Kern, were able to experience unforgettable moments during their Uganda stay.

22th  of  January 2017 – Travelreport!

Our board members Steffi Wallner and Hans Kern could spend wonderful 17 days in Uganda. They stayed in the newly built guesthouse and which has been lovingly furnished.

They were impressed by the work done there. The young children are taken care of with love and have a nice everyday life in the facility. The children enjoyed a lot the new drawing equipment, which they tried out right away. The works were immediately hung up.

The children also wore immediately the donated clothes and shoes. For the first time all children have shoes that fit! Thanks to all donors!

The school was also visited. Unfortunately there are still beds missing for the big boys and many mattresses are old and damaged.

 

12th of January 2017 – Sincerly thanks from „NADA“

The Serbian Orthodox holidays are now over. The association NADA thanks sincerely for all the great donations from Vienna! There were many bright faces as the kindly filled and beautifully sewn bags were delivered. The craft and the writing materials were observed with great care by the community and then provided to the students for immediate use.

Thanks again to all donors!

How was it celebrated?

On December 23rd the children and teenagers of Nada proudly presented music, drama and their handcrafted works in a small market to the families.

7th of January 2017- CHARITY CONCERT AT KRAMLADEN

On January 6th there was a charity concert at the Kramladen in Vienna. The hall was full and the enthusiasm was great. Thanks for coming and donating!

It began with the American solo artist Nate Straffon.

Morgaine & Tjorben & Adrian Walther touched many souls with their expressive sounds!

Cumbia-Reggae-Latin Fusion Coverband Psycotropicos.

It was a successful evening with harmonious music. Thanks to all the artists!

15th of December 2016 – FINALLY FINISHED- BAGS FOR “NADA”

The time has come and the contents for the Nada bags are all set!

In addition, a box of craft material is also ready to be delivered, which contains painting kits, brushes, oil chalks, pencils, chalks, paper, colourful craft paper and much more.

Thanks to our donors, we could get rich fillings for 75 bags.

Each one of Betten Misner’s hand-sewn bags contains: a hairbrush, a shower gel, a hand cream, a toothpaste, a toothbrush set of 2, 1 pack of handkerchiefs, a bag of tea, a small tea light, a bar of organic chocolate, a Manner chocolate star, and a Manner Schokogeschenkepackerl . In addition, there is the healthy cranberry drink courtesy of the health food store Weiboltshammer.

 12th of December 2016 – FINISHED BAGS FOR „NADA“

Today Tera Varietas was able to receive 60 beautiful colourful hand-sewn bags with ribbon for the children and adolescents in need at Nada in Serbia.

The bags are filled with a stable hairbrush, a shower gel and a hand cream. In addition, we would like to add toothpaste and toothbrushes. Something sweet should not be missing either, so we would like to buy a chocolate bars and little things.

Thanks to Betten Misner for the incredibly beautiful and individual bags!

Weiboltshamer family and their health food store donated 75 cranberry drinks full of vitamins! This donation is a great opportunity for the people in Serbia suffering from nutritional deficiency.