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Twelve students from Newcastle University are about to embark on a journey to Uganda to build a children’s village between now and 2014, with the financial support of a local architecture company.
Having raised £10,000 so far, the team have a target of £13,600 needed this year to support the cost of local labourers and building materials. The students, who will also be paying for their own travel and living expenses, have gained the support of a number of benefactors, including GRADONARCHITECTURE, a Ryton based company that has committed to supporting the project over the next four years.
Known as The Wider Mbarara project, the aim is to construct a children’s village for orphans. Every year since 2004, 12 students attending Newcastle University who are part of the Architecture, Planning and Landscape (APL) and Civil Engineering and Geosciences (CEG) schools commit to raising the funds and go out to Mbarara, South West Uganda and help the community which is massively affect by HIV and is home to thousands of orphans.
Graham McDarby, founder of GRADONARCHITECTURE, said: “Since starting a year ago, it has been important to the whole team at GRADONARCHITECTURE that we support the future of our industry ensuring that students in our field and region get as much support as possible. As well as placements, mentoring and helping with lectures, the team here were keen to support the initiative of this group of 12 dedicated students. We hope their trip goes well and urge anyone looking to support a good cause to help this group by making a donation before they leave to travel to Uganda.”
The current project is in year two of a five year project funded solely by the group of architecture, planning and engineer students, namely:
• Laura Whittaker
• Kat Banks
• Sophie Harrsion
• Holly Gillingham
• Sam Murray
• Emma Thomas
• Malcolm Fraser
• Steven Ward
• Andrew Purdy
• Matt Shipley
• Tom Lobb
• Marc Turnier
Laura, who is a stage three student in architecture, said:
“This is such an exciting opportunity for students to see how construction is done in another country, whilst helping a community by providing much needed new homes for orphan children in a third world country. The project offers them more space to help more children in better conditions, and provides all important work for local labourers for at least a few months every year.
“To gain the support of businesses like GRADONARCHITECTURE means the world to us, and every donation counts.
“We leave on the 8th June so have just a little time left to raise the rest the rest of the funds that will ensure that we can complete this year’s works allowing the children to move into their new home.” |
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