Dear Tamarind Partner,
Tamarind thanks you for your partnership and support over this transition period.
Our family
Chris is still waiting on his Australian permanent residency that was submitted in May 2023. We have been advised that it can take up to 2 years to be approved. Chris is currently on a multiple entry visitor visa that expires in October 2024, which means he has to leave the country every 3 months. This is costly financially and personally, and he is unable to work or be on Medicare. Please pray with us that his permanent residency would be granted ASAP. Chris will leave Australia at the end of May and travel to Uganda to do some intensive management and leadership in Tamarind Uganda.
Currently Sarah is spending time on life admin to set up and start the next chapter in Australia. She is not working due to some health issues so we are staying with her generous parents until the end of 2024. Sarah also is continuing to do all the administration of Tamarind through the transition. Please pray with us as we navigate the transition physically, financially, emotionally, as a family and as an organisation.
On The Ground
We are happy to say that good things are happening on the ground in Uganda. In Uganda Justine has stepped up and taken on more responsibilities in her role as The Tribe Project Coordinator and overseeing some Tamarind project management. She has maintained a steady flow of beaded jewelry and stock to stores, managed finances and kept production moving forward. We are super proud of how she has stepped up and forward in this transition. Scovia and Mary have followed Justine’s leadership and been supportive in the transition, development of the workshop and production at the tribe office. “One step forward and the Tribe will follow!”
Patrick, Robinson, Bosco and Samson have all taken on farming projects that will transition them to be self-sustainable farmers and utilise the community store house at the farm completed in 2020. They have had many highs and lows as they walk through this transition and there are many things for them to discuss and navigate with Chris when he arrives at the end of May. Currently Eunice and David are on the ground supervising and Chris has been teleconferencing each evening with Eunice, David and staff. A face-to-face coaching session with Chris during the 6 weeks will move them forward to the next steps into self-sustainable farming.
Project Development
Chris will be doing some intensive project activities while in Uganda with the team on the ground. Preliminary work has been done to set up milking goats and tree planting at The Operations Centre (OC) and The Farm (TC). Chris will be starting the first stage of development on these projects. Chris has a lot of maintenance to do as he checks on projects and facilities in Uganda. Some important repairs need to be done to the facilities in Uganda that need Chris’ oversight and governance on the ground.
Staff Sustainable Packages
We continue to support the staff by paying their wages, and giving them financial loans to farm 6 acres each. We also sponsor some of their children’s school fees so they can work and create more sustainable living for their whole family. We still need your financial support to make all this happen. Your finances make a difference to Tamarind which then makes a difference in the lives and community in Gulu, Northern Uganda. Your support financially, through prayers and being an advocate for Tamarind helps break the poverty cycle.
With your help we can:
Keep kids in school so the next generation is educated.
Restore a mindset of independence and believe it is possible to live and support ourselves.
Rebuild a culture of farming and small business.
Resource - employ staff and teach sustainable living skills and programs and rebuild a community.
Provide a physical place for healing and learning to happen that is safe and well looked after.
Change a community one person at a time with love and relationships.
Thank you for your support. You make a difference.
If you would like to support any part of Tamarind’s valuable, life-changing community development, please don’t hesitate to donate now.
Thank you for joining the Tamarind journey and playing such a vital part in breaking the poverty cycle in Northern Uganda as we Restore>Rebuild>Resource.
Kind regards,
Chris and Sarah
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