A group of exhibition industry representatives is combining its diverse range of skill sets and fundraising abilities to improve living conditions in a Ugandan village.
 
Namuwongo is a slum community of about 20,000 people on the edge of the Kampala in Uganda that has been ravaged by polluted water, lack of sanitation, poverty, AIDS and neighbouring wars.  The new collective, Events for Namuwongo, aims to help the community rebuild and prosper and was the idea of Brand Events CEO Chris Hughes in conjunction with Global Event Summit organiser Trevor Foley.
 
The initiative has already gained the support of several key industry figures including Clarion Events’ Simon Kimble, Mack Brooks’ Stephen Brooks, Mervyn Ramsay, Tarsus Group’s Doug Emslie, Imago Techmedia’s Hugh Keeble, UBM’s Jane Risby-Rose and ITE Group’s Suzanne King.
 
“The idea is to twin the events community with the Namuwongo community,” Hughes explained. “Events for Namuwongo is based on the view that while you can’t help everybody, you should therefore help somebody properly.
 
“Our plan is to work together as an industry, build a long-term relationship with Namuwongo and provide ongoing support.”
 
As an initial step, Events for Namuwongo is planning to raise £400,000 in 2012/13 to complete seven key tasks. These are: provide free, clean water for the whole community, free sanitation and hygienic toilets, transform healthcare services, build a school then provide funding to educate 500 kids annually and 1,500 long term, facilitate adult education, provide free sanitary products for girls, and create a long-lasting relationship with the community by visiting regularly.
 
The collective has put together a mission statement and breakdown of how it plans to achieve the work and is meeting with several other stakeholders including later this month to scope out the funding plans. Charity group Hope for Children, which has been working on improving conditions in Namuwongo for the past eight years, will implement the work plan.
 
Events for Namuwongo is also in discussions with local and international NGOs on aspects of the project and will facilitate local camps to ensure grass roots participation.
 
Hughes said a series of fundraising activities are being planned, starting with a dinner and auction at The Brewery, London on 22 May and featuring celebrities and prizes. The group has raised £30,000 in advance of its official launch.
 
Events for Namuwongo has also built a website, provided by Ramsay, and its own logo and branding, designed by Form Design, and partnered on a series of third-party fundraising events such as Sticky Wicket and In the Rough.

www.eventsfornamuwongo.com