Since go live, GrassRootsUganda.com has generated an average of about $NZ500 a month for the various craft groups in Uganda. 

While this is good amount of money - especially when you consider most of the women earn much less than a dollar a day - I don't think I can be so bold yet at to claim that GrassRootsUgdanda.com is truly empowering African women. 

$NZ500 a month is not enough.  I want more! 

This entry is all about what I've been working on for the last couple of weeks or so in an effort to get more.

Getting organized
I had hoped to leave GrassRootsUganda.com in the hands of Ugandans when I left, but this has just not happened.  Being struck down by malaria for a critical two weeks prior to my departure did not help the situation.

One of the big problems we have had in getting the right items to the right people at the right time.  This would of been easy to correct if I was in Uganda, but fixing it via way of Korea proved too difficult.  So I made the decision to have a bunch of stock sent to me in Korea.  I spent a few days carefully photographing and organizing the stock. 

I'm pleased to report that everything is ticking along nicely now.

While I was in Uganda, I managed to arrange matters so that Rose could accept volunteers from GVN. 

Rose has been blessed^* with many great volunteers since then.  I'm in regular contact with two of the volunteers: Alyssa, who is from Branson Missouri (I'm so sorry...) and Carol, who is from Colorado.  Both of these fine ladies are working hard at GrassRootsUganda.com related projects.

Carol is a machine and has set up a fantastic child sponsorship program, which can be found on the GrassRootsUganda.com site here.  I must admit that I was a little dubious to start with and didn't have much hope that children would end up being sponsored through the site.  I was pleasantly surprised though that within a week of go-live and with only word-of-mouth advertising, two children ended up with sponsors.  Woot!  Good work Carol!

Carol has also spent some time working on innovative programs such as "Adopt One Hundred Necklaces" and "Bead Benefit Parties", details of which can be found here.

Alyssa has also been hard at work.  She has managed to find several retail stores who are willing to sell GrassRootsUganda.com products.  It's too early to know how this will pan out yet, but it looks very promising.  She is also setting up some Uganda Action Groups at her university.  Alyssa is looking to return to Uganda in the not-too-distant future and has already recruited one person to go along with her.  Legend.

A special mention also goes to my good buddy Lee who is still over in Uganda on a work visa with www.TheRealUganda.com (which I am entirely jealous about).  Lee has been, and continues to be, a tireless worker for all things GrassRootsUganda.com related and numerous other projects to boot.  Miss ya bud.

Bigger, better, more! 

One of the ways I am going to try to really push GrassRootsUganda.com and Uganda in general is the formation of Uganda Action Groups at the local university.  I am going to be slapping up posters around the campus and trying to get people involved.  It will be pitched as a way to improve your English and have a meaningful^** impact on the world.

Stay tuned for further news!

Wanna help in a real and tangible way?

Then visit GrassRootsUganda.com and purchase some crafts made by Ugandan ladies.  100% of the profits are returned to the ladies