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Kwagala Foundation's News
April 11, 2010 I hope you're all sitting down because Kwagala Foundation has some incredibly exciting news: We are having our 4th (somewhat) Annual Benefit Show! It's happening on APRIL 24th, 2010 at the LO PUB (330 Kennedy St. in Winnipeg - corner of Ellice and Kennedy)! This year we are proud and oh-so-excited to have local talents The Crooked Brothers, Red Moon Road, and Jenny Berkel performing. Doors at 8:30, show at 9:45. This year Kwagala Foundation has decided to do PAPERLESS tickets (saving money and our trees!), so please e-mail us at info@kwagalafoundation.com to reserve yours. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door - get 'em while they last! Here is our poster, isn't it pretty?  The benefit show is being advertised on Facebook, as well, so check out the event by searching "Kwagala Foundation"! Kwagala Foundation would like to take this opportunity, as well, to thank Caleigh Christie a million times over for being an integral part of this Benefit Show. We love her lots and think she's top notch. Also, infinite thanks to Emily Christie for making our beautiful Benefit Show poster for us! Oh, those Christie girls. There are also a million trillion other people to thank, but we'll keep the list limited for now... In other news, Katie M attended a reception at the Fort Garry on Friday to accept her award from Carpe Diem 88 Inc. Foundation. There was a news clip on CTV on Friday (April 9th), so hopefully some of you caught it! We're so honoured and excited! Before we sign off, we feel it's appropriate to make some kind of comment on the weather today since that seems to be our "thing": it's +8 and sunny right now, the wind is fairly tame. All in all, a beautiful day for a walk. Thanks for checking in on us, we really appreciate it. Stay tuned for an update post- Benefit Show! Lots of love, The Kwagalians April 9, 2010 Katie M wins grant for Kwagala Foundation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From Winnipeg Free Press: The charitable foundation established to honour the memory of Cpl. James Hayward Arnal is awarding its inaugural grants this evening to four university students working on humanitarian projects overseas. The Carpe Diem 88 Inc. Foundation is awarding a total of $8,000 to offset the costs of humanitarian work the young people are undertaking. "Reading the grant applications was really inspiring ... there are so many young people doing things whether we help them or not. Who knew any of this was going on," Wendy Hayward, Arnal's mother and the founder of the foundation, said. Arnal was killed July 18, 2008 by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan while serving his third tour of duty with the 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Carpe Diem 88 is the second foundation set up to honour Arnal. Pillows For Troops has garnered most of the headlines, with its goal of providing small travel pillows -- a favourite of Arnal's -- to every member of the Canadian Forces serving in Afghanistan. Carpe Diem 88 was created by Hayward to carry on her son's humanitarian aspirations. The name of the foundation -- Latin for sieze the day -- was one of Arnal's favourite expressions. The number 88 represents the fact Arnal was the 88th Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan. That number has since climbed to 141 deaths. The recipients will be formally announced during a reception this evening at CanadInns Fort Garry, from 7-10 p.m., with the recipients, their families and foundation supporters in attendance. Today would have been Arnal's 27th birthday. Hayward said she believes Arnal would be pleased with the winners of the first grants, adding it's like they're carrying on her son's work. "Jim often said that life is about experiences and if you're not having any you're not really living," Hayward said. "I think Jim would be fully supportive of these young people. It was like Jim was introducing us to all these people." Hayward said the foundation had to do some fundraising to generate some of the funds allocated in the grants, adding however that the foundation will use Arnal's savings to cover the grants in subsequent years. The foundation originally planned to award only two grants for humanitarian projects this year: a $5,000 grant to someone between the ages of 18 and 25 working overseas; and a $1,500 grant to a high school-aged student working on a project in Manitoba. But Hayward said the foundation received a flood of worthy applications from older people and it opted to award two additional grants. Hayward said she was so taken with the applications that she wanted to give each one a grant. "I had to excuse myself from the selection committee because I thought they were all deserving," she said.
The recipients Recipients of the inaugural Carpe Diem 88 Foundation awards for humanitarian service: $5,000 -- Joshua Schettler, 20, will return to Kenya in September to help set up a women's centre offering programs in HIV/AIDS testing, education and outreach, plus small loans for new business startups. $1,000 -- Katie Muirhead, a full-time University of Winnipeg student, founded the Kwagala Foundation, which helps people in Uganda. The grant will be used to purchase sewing machines and fabric. $1,000 -- Emily Vitt, 19, a U of W student, who will spend 10 weeks in Costa Rica working with Volunteer Abroad. $1,000 -- Ashley Van Yperenburg, 19, a U of W student who will be volunteering with International Volunter HQ in Nairobi, Kenya. March 8, 2010 Hello fine folks! It seems that this gets updated only when the weather changes, and for that, we apologize. As it is, the snow IS melting and so an update is apt. A few things are coming up. 1. This Thursday, March 11, the annual World Rhythm fundraiser show is going on at the West End Cultural Centre That's cool for a couple of reasons. For one, these guys do a great job of putting on an awesome show. Two, Kwagala Foundation was asked specifically to set up there as one of many charities. Third, all proceeds go to Haiti's Oxfam chapter to help long-term development post-Earthquake. Neat, hey? 2. We're heading back to Uganda soon. This is great for about one million reasons, namely that it means on-the-ground work. If you sponsor a child already, this means you can start writing letters and taking pictures and sending them with us; it also serves as a perfect opportunity for people (you?) to sponsor a child right away! In the last week, we have already set up two new sponsorships. This is a milestone, as it marks at least one child from all of our "high priority" families being sponsored. Hooray! 3. Kwagala Foundation founder, Katie Muirhead, has been shortlisted for a grant by fellow charity Carpe Diem 88. (www.carpediem88.ca) We don't want to divulge too many details since no final decisions have been made, but keep checking for more information on that! 4. A few really big deals on the ground in Kyababeezi. We finally have begun the implementation of a people-run spring well. The elders of Kyababeezi jumped on the opportunity to help Kwagala Foundation in the construction, organization and maintenance of. Further, our women's empowerment program is gearing up to start sewing, with the donation of a few sewing machines by Kwagala. Also, if you know Kwagala Foundation, you'll surely know Pig It Forward. Well, the first litters are being born, marking the second stage of Pig It Forward. Very exciting indeed! 5. We're sort of planning our annual fundraiser - we're hoping for some very lovely summer air and bouncing beats from local musicians for this benefit. If you want more information on participation, please email us! Okay kids, that's all for now. Oh! One more thing. Remember at our first benefit show back in December 2006, when Sheena Grobb wowed our nearly sold-out audience!? She's back with a new album, which debuts in early April. If you liked her then, you'll love her now! Over but not completely out, Team Kwag! November 2, 2009 Hello! Happy November to everyone. We're pleased to announce all sorts of new wonderful things about Kwagala Foundation. First, we've (finally) started a blog. You can see many more pictures, read stories, testimonials, and communicate with us at: kwagalafoundation.blogspot.com It's new, so as always, please bear with us as we continuously update and construct it to make it as accessible as possible. Our website will also be undergoing some changes, but will remain the same address, and hopefully will enhance Kwagala Foundation for you, the reader. We are planning a benefit show (our 4th annual!). Keep checking back for information on time, place, musicians and other details. On the ground in Uganda, Kwagala Foundation is making quite the splash. Students will see the end of the school year next month, before breaking for six weeks. Kwagala Foundation expects high performance among the sponsored children and we are excited to see the results. We are also looking for volunteers to help with general tasks - event planning and promotion, jewellery sales, and a variety of other responsibilities. If you are interested, please be in touch. We would love to see as many people as possible joining our team to help make Kwagala Foundation and all it stands for having an even greater impact within our communities. That's all for now! Thanks for keeping up with us, and remember to check on our blog and to keep checking back here for all things Kwagala. Warmest wishes, Team Kwag. June 15, 2009 Summer! Summer is great for all sorts of reasons - it means a recent trip to Uganda, it means wonderful weather and it means a new line of jewellery from Kwagala Foundation. This past trip to Uganda saw Katie Muirhead, along with three volunteers travel to the village for some drastic work! A new house was built for a woman named Rose - a beautiful four-roomed mud and wattle house. This was done with much help from the local population in Kyababeezi and volunteers Kelci and Chris. The transformation was wonderful to see and Rose, along with her eight children were ecstatic! This would not have been possible without the very generous donations of people in Winnipeg who saw the importance of the house. Pictures of the house-building can be viewed on our "photos" page. The community was also once again graced with Dr. Ritchie's attendance - with dozens of ailments diagnosed and treated. All the sponsored children were given complete physicals, including height, weight and eye exams. The experience was very important to Kwagala Foundation's progress as a humanitarian organization, and the community was touched by Dr. Ritchie's care and support. Our women's empowerment program really came together this time. 62 women convened and created their own democratic charter and thus formed the 'Melissa Group'. Named after a generous donor to Kwagala Foundation, the Melissa Group concentrates on the social and physical benefits of women's empowerment. Together they create art, songs, an HIV/AIDS support network, and a powerful institution within the community. Several crafts were brought back to Winnipeg which we hope to sell in order to send the earnings back to the individual women. This empowerment movement is sure to be a success and embodies much of the fundamental ideas that Kwagala Foundation so strongly believes in. The best part is that this group was truly self-proposed and initiated and it is something that these women can be proud of! While our News section goes long without updates, it by no means suggests that Kwagala is stagnant! Frequent website viewing and commentary help us to stay connected over the internet. We welcome any suggestions and encourage our viewers to check back often. So head to the 'photos' page, leave a comment on our 'guestbook' page or email us if you have questions or comments. To order or view our new line of jewellery, check our jewellery page or email us to set up a viewing-time. Best, Team Kwagala
February 7, 2009 Happy 2009 everyone! We have certainly had much excitement in the world of Kwagala since our
last update. In late December, Kwagala Foundation was overjoyed to welcome our
Ugandan correspondent and dear friend, Moses, to Winnipeg. Despite
exceptionally frigid temperatures, and inevitable culture shock, Moses kept everyone’s spirits
high and hearts warm throughout the holiday season. It was incredibly sad to
send him off after his three week visit, but we believe it's safe to say that his time here was invaluable, not only to Kwagala, but to everyone lucky enough to have met Moses while he was here, as well. We miss you, dude! On another note, Kwagala Foundation hosted a wonderfully successful wine tasting fundraiser held at Banville & Jones Wine Co. here in Winnipeg. We raised lots of money through our silent auction, and a large handful of Teddy's jewellery was sold, too! Again, huge thanks go out to everyone who donated to the event and the Foundation in one way or another. Kwagala is hoping to begin organising some smaller fundraising events incorporating some of Winnipeg's vast musical talent over the next little while, too, and we will make sure to keep you all posted on our progress. Hope everyone is enjoying the mild(er) weather these days! Lots of love, Team Kwagala October 7, 2008 Happy autumn to everyone! While the News section has been dormant,
Kwagala Foundation has been busier than ever. Becoming more and more involved
in local Winnipeg events has meant that we are becoming bigger! We have had
some some great accomplishments in the last few months, and are looking forward
to some new things. Importantly, Thea (Osborne Village, next to Billabong) and Brave New
World (Sherbrook St between Westminster and Sara) have both agreed to sell
Kwagala's Ugandan jewellery starting in November! We couldn't be more happy
about this opportunity to provide an even mroe consistent income for our
women's empowerment program. It will also make it much easier for people to
access the jewellery, instead of having to go through Kwagala Foundation to buy
it. Both stores have graciously agreed to give Kwagala Foundation 100% of the
money from sales so that our artisans are not losing out on anything! Kwagala Foundation was also invited to speak at the University of Manitoba
Friends of Uganda Day, happening on thursday October 16, 2008. It is a lead-up
to the much-anticipated Stephen Lewis talk on October 26th. President Katie
Muirhead will be doing a 30-minute presentation on what Kwagala Foundation has
done, will be doing, and how it benefits Ugandans. It takes place from
10:00am-3:00pm and the Kwagala Foundation presentation begins at 1:30pm. We were also stationed at Walk for Darfur this past weekend, where we met
lots of people involved in making humantiarian differences in all parts of
Africa. For more information about the Walk, see walk4darfur.ca We are beginning to plan this year's benefit show, and will of course
provide details as we have them. Thanks for your continual support, and we vow to make these updates less
few and far between! Love, Team Kwag! July 17, 2008 For some more photos of the most recent trip to Uganda, follow this link: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=31881&l=d859a&id=507518302 Otherwise, check out our Photos page on this website Cheers!
Kwagala Foundation
February 5, 2008 Happy New Year Everyone! Lots has been happening here at Kwagala Foundation(KF). On January 11 we had a benefit show-where we raised over $2500. Thank you to everyone who donated/contributed the best way they could. If you missed this show, don't worry. There's another one next year, and the year after that...and the year after that... We owe a huge thank you to a few people: UMFM, CKUW, Uptown (http://uptownmag.com/2008-01-10/page1505.aspx for an article on Kwagala!), Skylark Medical Clinic, Music Trader, the Pyramid, and a few notable individuals (Ben, Ivar, Jared) Of course our gratitude would not be fulfilled without the warmest of thank-yous going to the musicians who tirelessly performed and prepared for the benefit show: Ian La Rue (www.myspace.com/ianlaruemusic) Serena Postel (www.myspace.com/serenapostel1) and JD Edwards Band (www.myspace.com/thejdedwardsband)
Yesterday marked the first day of school for the children sponsored through KF. The sponsors were excited to see that all of their children had been promoted another grade. Last year's marks came through and showed that all of the students are in the top ranks of their class. Director and Founder Katie Muirhead will be returning to Uganda in a few months' time; focussing once again on HIV testing. Accompanied by a doctor for the second year in a row, goals have been set to once again see and treat as many people for as many ailments as possible. These include malaria, HIV, syphillis and a variety of infections. Due to the recent addition of a laptop to the foundation. This means that communciation will be more frequent while over there and real-time reports of what's happening in Kyababezi, the village we work in, is possible! If your feeling the winter blues and looking to jazz up/expand your style, check out our Art link "New Art Posted" from the main homepage as our Ugandan artists have been hard at work. As always, if you have questions of any sort, or want to chat about Uganda, get in touch! Thanks for the eternal support you all keep managing to show. Cheerio! Team Kwagala
November 27, 2007 Faithful Kwagala fans! We've geared up with local musicians to present the 2nd Annual Kwagala Foundation Benefit Show. Friday, January 11th, 2008 at the Pyramid Cabaret Tickets are again only $10 in advance and $12 at the door. All three bands/musicians spent the last few months touring around Canada and have agreed to play the benefit show. Whether you come to support the music, the foundation or both, it'll be great-so come on out. Doors will open at 8, and show will start at 9. If you have any suggestions, we'd love to hear them. Furthermore, tell everyone! The more (truly) the merrier. -Team Kwagala! August 15, 2007 This is the problem with a news section-it's so hard to keep up! For those who are keeping up with us though, there are a few new developments. Director Katie Muirhead was given school reports for the children whom are sponsored, to in turn give to their sponsors. In the majority of cases, the children were within the top ten of their class. All the information that was given to the villagers on HIV was taken directly from reliable Canadian and American sources, as well as there being testimonies from HIV+ people. The students are now ending their second term of school; they will one month off before attending another third and final term, before being promoted to the next grade. While there, Kwagala foundation was able to tie up some very loose ends-ensuring that receipts are issued from schools, as well as a copy of report cards being sent to both the foundation and the sponsors (if applicable). Thanks for all the support you all give the foundation; we would be nowhere without the passion of some people to see this project through. Please do keep checking this website. Vows of better consistency have been sworn among us. As always, any comments, questions or suggestions are very much welcomed. Cheers! The Kwagala Team.
Hey guys. We've been brainstorming about new, exciting, effective ways to help at the grassroots level in Ndejje, Kyababezi, and Kassanda. What we've come up with is this: Bikes. What do you think? Since most of the kids are traveling 10 km daily to get to school, to gather water, go to the markets, and other daily routines, we feel that perhaps being able to donate even just a couple of bicycles to the villages would be of great benefit. Don't worry, we know we can't mail bikes to Uganda. However, they sell them there. So when Katie M. goes back in April, she would love to check out prices and feasibility of this idea. Kwagala would appreciate all of the help we can get with this project - monetarily or otherwise. No donation is too small! Speaking of donations, it may be of interest to you that Kwagala Foundation is getting ever closer to attaining charitable status. What does this mean? Well, it means that when you donate at least $10 to Kwagala we will be able to give you a tax deductible receipt! We will be sure to keep you updated on our charitable status. Much thanks to everyone who has already donated so generously. We couldn't be where we are today without you. And you. It's not too late to make a donation of school supplies, medical equipment, or anything else you can think of, to be taken to Uganda in April. Contact us at kwagalafoundation@hotmail.com . We will be more than happy to pick up donations from you, as opposed to you having to cart them around! Cheers! - The Kwagala Team February 12, 2007
January 3rd, 2007 Article from CBC
Source: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2007/01/02/kwagala.html#skip300x250 Dec.18 2006 Kwagala Foundation held a benefit concert at the West End Cultural Centre last night. What a success! Much thanks goes to CKUW, UMFM, Uptown Magazine, Sheena Grobb, The Paperbacks, Afterparty, and everyone who came out! We couldn't have done it without you, and we'll keep you posted on our next benefit show! |
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