Kyaninga Child
Development Centre, Uganda
Neal’s Yard Creamery’s official charity
In 2016 we received an email from Western Uganda. Steve Williams who grew up on a farm at the foot of the Black Mountains in Herefordshire, not far from us at the Creamery was contacting us for some help with an idea he’d had.
He told us he had started a Child Developmental Charity in his village, Fort Portal, Uganda, where through his own experience of helping his disabled son Sidney, he wanted to help other children locally who have no access to state help - there is NO help whatsoever in Uganda.
“Based in Fort Portal, in the Kabarole District of western Uganda, KCDC was established to provide much needed high quality, specialised and affordable assessment, treatment, education and support to children with disabilities, and their families and carers, to enable them to lead more independent lives.”
Steve’s idea was to make goat’s cheese as an income stream for the new charity, and he remembered that there were some cheese makers near where he grew up who he could maybe ask for help. Us!
Conan and Rachel with cheesemaker Alex and the dairy team.
Our son Conan, who grew up here at the Creamery, was travelling after Uni with his girlfriend Rachel and they jumped at the chance to take some time out from travels to help set up a cheese making business in some of the most stunning scenery in Africa (and for free lodgings, food and beer!)
The Charity is run by Fiona Beckerlegge – Sidney’s original specialist carer. Fiona is one of the most inspirational people we have ever met. The charity she runs is funded by donations and from the cheese making as well as Steve’s own business, and now employs 13 qualified therapists and reaches children in many parts of Western Uganda.
It is a project that is obviously very close to our hearts. We visited last summer and were moved beyond words at what they are achieving. It’s wonderful to see how ‘our’ cheese making skills are transferable and can make such a huge difference - empowering the community as well as generating additional charitable income.
The cheese team in the dairy.
Find out more
Kyaninga Child Development Centre (KCDC)
www.kyaningacdc.org/index.html
For the Creamery – Kyaninga Dairy
www.kyaningadairy.com/#kyaningadairy
And For Steve’s business – Kyaninga Lodge
www.kyaningalodge.com/the-lodge
The most unbelievable holiday lodges in Africa in our opinion.
By buying Neal’s Yard Creamery products you are helping towards our regular monthly donation that we make to KCDC
